May, 1905. 



The Chkyexxe — Dorsey. 



147 



considered sacred and they are strictly required to refrain from the 

 presence of unclean women. 



Filling the Sacred Pipe. 



The altar having been finished, the Lodge-maker filled the sacred 

 pipe. His immediate instructor this time was Three- Fingers, who, 

 in turn, was directed by the assistant Chief Priest. As the loading 

 of this pipe has already been described, the operation need not be 

 described again. After it was filled and greased it was replaced by 

 the side of the buffalo skull. 



THE DANCERS ARE PAINTED. FIRST PAINT. 



The Lodge-maker got from the fire a coal in the long-handled 

 fire-spoon, placed it in front of the assistant Chief Priest who was to 

 paint him thereafter during the ceremony, and sat down behind him, 

 near the altar. 



During the time occupied in constructing the altar, the dancers 

 had been sitting in their proper places, each being provided early in 

 the morning with a pipe. In front of the dancers sat their grand- 

 fathers, that is the men who were to paint them. Each dancer now 

 gave his pipe to his grandfather, who lighted it and smoked. While 

 the grandfathers were smoking, the dancers went in turn to the 

 Chief Priest who spat upon their hands after the usual fashion, where- 

 upon they rubbed their hands together and passed them down over 

 their head, face and body. The first to receive the spittle were the 

 Lodge-maker and his wife, for, in theory, they are always painted 

 first. The grandfathers were now provided by relatives of the 

 dancers with small bowls 

 and boxes or bags of 

 paints which they were 

 to use in painting the 

 dancers. The assistant 

 Chief Priest began to 

 paint the entire body, 

 face, and head of the 

 Lodge-maker with red, 

 while Sage-Woman, the 

 Chief Priest's wife, 

 painted in a similar man- 

 ner the body of the 

 Lodge-maker's wife. In 

 applying this paint the 



Fig. 80. A dancer receiving his paint. (Mooney.) 



