460 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



CEREMONIES AT THE DANCING LODGE. 



§ 176. On reaching the dancing lodge, the candidates pass slowly 

 around the exterior, starting at tlie left side of the lodge and turning 

 towards the right. They do this four times and then enter the lodge. 

 They stretch their hands towards the four quarters of the heavens as 

 they walk around the interior of the lodge. They sit down at the back 

 part of the lodge, and then they sing. 



Between them and the pole they cut out the soil in the shape of a 

 half moon, going down to virgin earth, and on this bare spot they place 

 all the buftalo skulls. After this they paint themselves anew with red 

 paint, on comi)leting which they are lifted to their feet by their attend- 

 ants. Again they walk around the interior of the lodge, stretching out 

 their hands towards the four quarters of the heavens. 



§ 177. A song of the sun dance is started by one of the candidates, 

 and the others join him, one after another, until all are singing. Mean- 

 while the men who have been selected for the purpose redden their en- 

 tire hands, and it devolves on them to dance without touching any- 

 thing, such as the withes connected with the sun pole or the buffalo 

 skulls; all that they are required to do is to extend their hands towards 

 the sun, with the palms turned from them. 



At this time all the candidates are raised again to their feet, and 

 brought to the back part of the lodge, where they are placed in a row. 

 They soon begin to cry, and they are joined by the woman who has 

 taken the place of her elder brother. 



§ 178. It is customary, when a man is too poor to take part himself 

 in the sun dance, for a female relation to take his place, if such a 

 woman pities him. She suffers as the male candidates do, except in 

 one respect — her flesh is not scarified. This woman wears a buckskin 

 skirt, and she lets her hair fall loosely down her back. She carries the 

 pipe of her brother or kinsman in whose place she is dancing. 



§ 179. As the drums beat, the candidates dance and blow their 

 flutes. The woman stands, dancing slowly, with her head bent down- 

 ward, but with shoulders erect, and she is shaking her head and body 

 by bending her knees often without raising her feet from the ground. 

 She abstains from food and drink, just as her brother or kinsman would 

 have done had he participated in the dance. In fact, all the candi- 

 dates have to fast from the time that the sun pole is cut, and from that 

 time they crj- and dance at intervals. 



§ 180. If the owner of a horse decides that his steed must take part 

 ' in the dance, he ties the horse to one of the thongs fastened to the sun- 

 pole, and stands near the animal. Whenever he wishes he approaches 

 the horse, takes him by the lower jaw as he stands and cries, and then 

 he, too, joins in the dance. This horse is decorateu in the finest man- 

 ner; he is painted red, his tail is rolled up into a bundle and tied to- 

 gether, and he wears feathers in the tail and forelock. 



§ 181. Candidates scarified. When the time comes for scarifying the 



