Moon PAINTING OF THE J>A'-' 9 1 9 



Frequently in the dance one or more of the leadei - ■■ bill ithin 



the circle would beat upon the earth with hi- extended palm, then lay 

 his hand upon bis head, afterward blow into his hand, and I hen repeat 

 the operation, praying nil the time. Sometimes the hypnotist would 

 Ix-ai the ground in Hk- same way and then lay his hand on tin- head of 

 the subject (pla e • . N" satisfactory explanation of this ceremony 

 was obtained beyond the general idea that the earth, like the sun, the 

 Cre, and the water, is sacred. 



GIVING THE FEATHER 



The ceremony of "giving tin- feather" has been already noticed. 

 This was an official ordination of the priests in the dance, conferred 

 on them by the apostle who first bronght the ceremony to the tribe. 

 Among the Arapaho, Caddo, Kiowa, and adjoining tribes in the south 

 the feather was conferred by Sitting Bull himself. The feather was 

 thus given to seven leaders, oi sometimes to fourteen, that i-. ->• en 

 men and seven women, the Dumber seven being sacred with most tribes 

 and more particularly in the < rhost dance. The f< 

 upon ih»- head of the dancers, was either that of the crow, the -.. 

 bird of the Ghost dance, or of theeagle, sacred in all Indian religions. 

 If from the crow, two feathers were used, being attached at a slight 

 angle to a Bmall stick which wa- thrust into the hair. (See Arapaho 

 song 8. The feathers were previously consecrated by the pi 

 prayer and ceremony. The chosen ones usually reciprocated withpres- 

 entsof ponies, blankets, or other property. After having thn 

 the feather the tribe began to make songs of its own, having previously 

 used those taught them by the apostle from his own languaf 



Besides the seven leadi the sacred crow feathei 



emblems of their leadership, nearly all the dancers wear feathers 

 ously painted and ornamented, and the preparation of the 

 of much concern. The dancer who desires instruction on this point 

 usually takes with him six friends, so as to make. uj. the sacred number 

 en, and g • th them to one who has been in a trance and has 

 thus learned the < method in rogue in the spirit world. At their 



request this man prepares for each one a feather, according to what he 

 n some trance vision, for whii return thank.-, usually 



with a small present. The feathers are painted in several colors, each 

 larger feather usually being tipped with a -mall clown feather pa 

 iti a different color. On certain occasions a special daj is set apart for 

 publicly painting and preparii . ers for all the dancers, the 



work being done by the appointed leaders of the ceremony. 



THE PAINTING OF THE DANCERS 



The painting of th<- dancers i- done with the same ceremonial e 

 of detail, each design _ ation from a trance vision. 



Usually the dancer adopts the particular style of painting which, while 



