250 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



Hi icangag Waci-iri. — The sun dance. — The Sioiix are siipeistitious, 

 and liim believers in dreams, signs, and omens. Tljis dance is given to 

 avoid siekness or any misfortune that may have been foretold by a 

 dream, sign, or omen, it is a self-inflicted punishment the Indian under- 

 goes to proi)itiate the Great S]>irit. 



A. circle is formed of green branches stuck into the ground; in the 

 center, forming a triangle, are planted three poles or saplings, one much 

 longer than the other two, the trunks cleared of branches excepting a 

 tuft at the tops, a piece of white calico is fastened on one and a piece of 

 red cloth on the other, both burnt after the dance, as they are then con 

 sidered sacred. To each of the ])oles is fastened a stout thong, as high 

 as a man's head from the ground. The dancer takes his place in the 

 center of the triangle, and making incisions through the llesh on shoul- 

 ders and breast, ties the ends of thongs through the incisions, and places 

 between his lips a small quill Avhistle through which he breathes, at each 

 res[)iration giving a shrill whistle, lie is clothed only in a shawl tied 

 around his waist falling to his knees, his body painted black, hair loose 

 and hanging upon his shoulders, and with rings of white rabbit-skins 

 tied in his flesh on shoulders and legs. As the sun siid^s below the 

 horizon this dance of torture is commenced by a slow sidewise motion 

 of the body, as each foot is raised and lowered, their eyes following the 

 course of the sun as it revolves around the earth, and as it rises above 

 the horizon their eyes are kept fastened upon it. This is kept up until 

 sunset, if the dancer has not succumbed through weakness before this- 

 he tugs and strains in his efforts to pull the thongs through the flesh, 

 and finally falling with his w^hole weight tears the thongs through, gen- 

 erally rendering himself insensible. 



The dance, as its name indicates, is in honor of the sun (typical of the 

 Great Spirit), and the great object is to keep their gaze upon it, the ob- 

 ject of their adoration, or cease to follow its course, whether beneath 

 or above them, in whose honor they are suffering these tortures. The 

 drunmiers and a regular band of singers keep up a chant of " The 

 Great Spirit keep us." In dancing, the arms to the elbows are held 

 l)ressed to their sides and from elbows straight out to the front, hands 

 clinched, the feet raised alternately from the ground, the bod^' moving 

 from side to side and backward and forward, stretching the gashes to 

 their fullest extenf. To see one undergoing this fearful torture called 

 dancing, naked, i)ainted black, hair streaming, blood trickling from 

 their gashes, the shrill whistle at each breath, the hoarse gutteral sing- 

 ing, the dull thud of the drum, is a dreadful sight indeed. 



Iwa-hici-pi. — The seaJp dance. — This dance follows the bringing home 

 of scalps. A circle is formed, on one side stand the warriors, their 

 bodies painted red, the feathers in their head-dress denoting the num- 

 ber of scal[)s taken, tomahawks, knives, and guns, in their hands; on 

 the other side stand the young women in their best attire, carrying the 

 scalps stretched on hoops and dangling at the ends of long i)oles. The 



