May; 1903. The Arapaho Sun Dance — Dorsey. 147 



HAWKAN S PRAYER. 



"According to your instructions, relative to making this holy 

 water, I will now proceed with these servants. After creating the 

 earth, you made this sweet-water (goose) for us all. You caused vege- 

 tables and herbs to grow, in order that mankind might derive some 

 benefit from them. Here are these servants, Chanitoe and wife, 

 before you, my Father, Man-Above, and my Grandfather, Light-of- 

 the-Day, the Center-Road. 



"My Grandmother, Old-Woman-Night, we cannot help but call 

 to you, when we come together, for your protection, upon the mem- 

 bers of the tribe. 



"You Sun Dance priests and Rabbit-people, Dancers-of-the-Past, 

 Former Children of this Lodge, listen to us! Hear our plea! We are 

 young in these rites, and under obligations to call upon you for assist- 

 ance. May this kettle of water be made to taste sweet, so that all 

 children may drink it and purify their streams of blood! Cause these 

 servants present to witness these rites with solemn hearts! Let this 

 sweet-water be a blessing upon us all to-night, that this tribe may 

 increase in population, just as the geese increase." 



The kettle was now lifted from the crane by Chanitoe and placed 

 in front of Hawkan. The former opened a sack containing dried and 

 crushed dog root, or sweet root. Taking a pinch with the thumb and 

 forefinger of his right hand, he motioned four times toward the water 

 in the vessel, while Hawkan made four passes with the pipe-stem and 

 spat toward the water four times. The pinch of root was then placed 

 upon the water in the kettle, in the southwest corner. Again Chanitoe 

 took a pinch of root, motioned his hand toward the surface of the 

 water once, Hdwkan pointing with the stem and spitting toward the 

 northwest corner. Then Chanitoe deposited the roots in this direc- 

 tion. This performance was repeated for the northeast corner, and 

 the southeast. A fifth pinch of root was added upon the surface of the 

 water, in the center, Chanitoe motioning four times, and Hdwkan 

 ejecting spittle and motioning with the pipe-stem. 



The second sack, containing dried red berries, was now opened by 

 Chanitoe, who added five bunches of these to the water, with exactly 

 the same number of passes as before, and accompanied likewise with 

 similar actions on the part of Hawkan. This time, however, the first 

 pinch was added to the west side of the kettle, the second on the 

 north, the third on the east, and the fourth on the south, the fifth, of 

 course, being added in the center. Chanitoe's wife next added a pinch 



