i86 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. IX. 



ceived by the Great Medicine, represented in the ceremony by the 

 Chief Priest, remained there four years, learned the ceremony, gave 

 as payment his companion, returned to his tribe, performed the cer- 

 emony, and rescued his tribe from starvation. It is thus apparent 

 from this resume of the ritual that the ceremony which he learned 

 was not of recent origin. The fact that the ceremony was per- 

 formed in the mountain is brought out in other Cheyenne tales. 

 It is not apparent from the tale itself that this ceremony was a drama 

 epitomizing creation; but such, however, seems to be the underlying 

 motive in the drama. It should be noted, however, that the creation 

 here referred to and as conceived of by the Cheyenne is not the actual 

 first creation, but is rather a renewal of creation, or of rebirth. As 

 one of the priests expressed it, "The object of the ceremony is to make 

 the whole world over again, and from the time the Lodge-maker 

 makes his vow everything is supposed to begin to take on new life, 

 for the Medicine-Spirit, having heard the prayer of the pledger, begins 

 at once to answer it. When the man makes the vow, he does it not 

 so much for himself or his family, as for the whole tribe. Attending 

 upon his vow and its fulfillment is an abundance of good water and 

 good breath of the wind, which is the same as the breath of the 

 Medicine-Spirit who regards all things. At the time of the Lone- 

 tipi, when the earth is first created, it is just beginning to grow. As 

 the ceremony progresses, this earth increases in size, and when the 

 lodge itself is erected we build a fire which represents the heat of the 

 sun, and we place the lodge to face the east that the heavenly bodies 

 may pass over it and fertilize it." 



On one point the Cheyenne priests of to-day seem to unite, and 

 that is that the ceremony of the Sun Dance as they perform it was 

 once the exclusive property of a single band, that of the Sutayo. 

 This band differed, they say, from others in dress and language. 

 Against the Sutayo the other bands of Cheyenne fought for a long 

 time, the Missouri River between them. Finally peace was made; 

 they exchanged medicines and the Sutayo were assimilated with the 

 Cheyenne, bringing with them the Sun Dance. Whether the Sun 

 Dance originated with the Sutayo, who were perhaps Crees, or with 

 the Arapaho, or whether one or the other tribe, or both, borrowed it, 

 is a subject for further investigation. 



