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BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bull. 195 



this gi'oup, states: "Similar customs are found among the Pawnees 

 and Ponkas." I am the author of a short paper on the cult (Howard, 

 1957). 



LMD stated that the Mescal Bean cult had been a powerful organi- 

 zation in his father's time. He had heard a great deal about it, 

 since his father was one of the leaders of the group and kept the 

 sacred bundle of the society. He said that the Mescal Bean society- 

 was much older, with the Ponca, than the Peyote religion, which was 

 acquired from the Cheyenne in 1902. 



The Mescal Bean cult was secret, and even though his father had 

 been a leader, LMD had never been allowed to witness the ceremonies. 

 By hearsay, however, he learned the form of the ritual. He stated 

 that the Mescal Bean society meetings were quite similar to present- 

 day Peyote meetings. They were customarily held in a tipi, the 

 entrance of which faced east. The leader of the rite sat opposite the 

 door, in the place of honor. Another important officer, the fireman, 

 sat across from him, just to the right of the entrance. Both of these 

 officers have parallels in the Peyote ceremony. The leader held a 

 staff as his emblem of authority, another featm-e also found in the 

 Peyote ritual. (Fig. 5.) 



Each member of the order owned an individual sacred bundle, but 

 the principal bundle was kept by the leader. These bundles were 

 opened during the ceremony and their contents displayed. The 

 leader opened his bundle first, then the members. A tea was brewed 



Figure S. — Diagram of a Ponca Mescal Bean society meeting. 



