DENSMouE] TETOX SIOUX MUSIC 79 



brought, and in this was placed the packet containing the hair, also 

 sweet grass and the shed hair of the buffalo. This case was wrapped 

 hi red cloth. The spirit-keeper or his friends then selected the 

 straiglitest pole they could find, pine being preferred for the purpose. 

 This pole was erected outside his door, and the spirit bundle was 

 tied on it. The bundle was supposed to stay there four days and 

 nights before being taken down. During these four days a special 

 wrapping {vn'caslie) of soft-tanned hide was made for it, and feasts 

 were given to those who had kept spirits. At the end of four days 

 the bundle was taken down by men who had kept spirits and was 

 placed in its wrapping, which was elaborately decorated but had no 

 sewing about it. With it were placed articles intended as gifts to 

 those who took part in the ceremony. Small articles were placed in 

 a decorated case and large articles, as pieces of red cloth, were folded 

 smoothly. 



Plate 6 shows a "spirit wrap" and a braid of sweet grass which 

 was placed in the spirit bundle. Mrs. James McLaugUin said she 

 "purchased it 30 years ago from Black Moon's mother, who said it 

 was then about 80 years old and had been used in keeping the spirits 

 of her grandfather, her mother, and other relatives." The porcu- 

 pine quills on it were dyed with native dyes, and the wrap is so fragile 

 that it had been used in recent years as an inner instead of an outer 

 wrapping. A braid of sweet grass was usually placed in a spirit 

 bundle, and an old one had been preserved with this wrapping. 

 According to Mrs. McLaughlin, beads were seldom used on any of the 

 wrappings of a spirit bundle, as beads were unknown among the 

 Sioux when the White Buffalo Maiden came to them. 



After the spirit bundle was complete they prepared three stakes, 

 painted red and decorated with quill work, also decorated thongs 

 with which to fasten the bundle in place. Two of the stakes were 

 tied together near the top, and the bundle was tied across them, the 

 third stake being used as a support for the other two, which faced 

 the door of the spirit-keeper's tipi. The tripod was about 6 steps 

 from this tipi, which was known as wana'gi ti'pi, or "spirit lodge." 



When the tripod had been put in place they made a decorated 

 case (paij) of soft-tanned hide. In it were put gifts for the itaij'caq 

 who would have charge of the final ceremony. These gifts, which 

 were gradually coUected, comprised needles, awls, knives, tobacco, 

 and sometimes as many as 50 pipes. In the tipi, between the fire 

 and the place of honor, a certain area of the earth floor was "mel- 

 lowed." This was round, not square as in the Huijka and the Sun 

 dance. In the center of this space was placed a buffalo chip, and 

 beside it two implements (pi. 7) made of wood, about 3 feet in length, 

 one broad at the end and the other pointed. When sweet grass was 

 to be burned it was the custom to use the pointed stick in pushing a 



