978 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION ' [etii axx. 14 



The meaning of this song is not clear. It may refer to the Thunder- 

 bird or to the Crow, the sacred bird of the Ghost dance. The ye'nis or 

 wild rose is much esteemed among- the prairie tribes for its red seed 

 berries, which are pounded into a paste and dried for food. It is fre- 

 quently mentioned in the ghost songs, and is sometimes pictured on 

 the ghost shirts. Although rather insipid, the berries possess nutri- 

 tive qualities. They are gathered in winter, and are sometimes eaten 

 raw, but more generally are first boiled and strained to get rid of the 

 seeds. This dough-like substance is sometimes mixed with marrow from 

 broken bones and pasted around sticks and thus roasted before the fire. 

 It is never packed away for future use. The Cherokee call the same 

 plant by a name which means •• rabbit food." on account of this animal's 

 fondness for the berries. 



30. NlHA NA I A VF.( III I I 



He'yoho'ho' ! He yoho ho' ! 



Niha nata yeche ti. na'naga'qane'tihi, 



Wa'waga'thanfihu, 



Wa'waga'i hiinuhu, 



Wa'wa ne hawa'wiina'nabu', 



Wa wa ne hawa'wuna nahu'. 



He'yoho'ho' ! He'yoho'ho ! 



Translation 



Hi i/olio'liu '.' He'yoho'ho'! 



The yellow-hide, fhe white-skin (man). 



I have now put him aside — 



I have now put him aside — 



I have no more sympathy with him, 



I have no more sympathy with him. 



He yoho'ho'! He'yoho'ho' ! 



This is another song about the whites, who are spoken of as •• yellow 

 hides" or " white skins." The proper Arapaho name for a white man is 

 Nia'tha, "skillful." A great many names are applied to the whites by 

 the different Indian tribes. l!y the Comanche, Shoshoui, and Paiute 

 they are called Tal'vo, "easterners;" by the, Hopi, of the same stock 

 as the three tribes mentioned, they are known as Paha'na, "eastern 

 water people;" by the Kiowa they are called Be'ddlpago, ■•hairy 

 mouths,' - or Ta'ka'-i, "standing ears." It is very doubtful if the "pale 

 face" of romance ever existed in the Indian mind. 



31. A.-BAA thina'iic 



A-baa'thina'hu, a-biiii thina hii. 

 Ha tnitlii aku ta'na. 

 Ha tnitbi'aku ta na, 

 Ha'-bata nani hi, 

 Ha -bata nani hi. 

 Ha'tnithi'akii 'ta na. 

 Ha tnitlii aku ta na. 



