84 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 6i 



effigy of a buffalo had been erected of small trees. After being carried 

 from the lodge the white buffalo robe was laid over this framework, and 

 on it were placed valuable garments, as an elk-tooth dress or an eagle 

 war bonnet. The white buffalo robe, together with the articles 

 placed upon it, were given to the society which had given most assist- 

 ancfe to the spirit-keeper. In every society there is one man who is 

 qualified to take charge of such a robe if the society decides to keep it 

 intact, and such a man may make drawings on it. The society is at 

 liberty, however, to cut it in pieces and divide it among the mem- 

 bers, or to sell it if so desired. 

 Weasel Bear said: 



When it was time for the people to depart, the itag'(5ar) went first, carrying his share 

 of the bundle in which for so long I had detained the spirit of my little daughter. My 

 wife stood at the door of the tipi and said to the people , ' ' if you have no leather you may 

 cut up this tipi." The women came like a rush of wind and cut up the tipi very 

 quickly. My wife even let them have a Little tipi in which we kept our cooking uten- 

 sils and other things*not connected with the spirit-keeping. They even took away the 

 tipi poles. Nothing was left except the grass on which we stood and the little spirit 

 post. My wife and I had parted with everything. We walked side by side, and I 

 thought with some regret of all I had given away. We went and sat down under a tree 

 in a deep study. 



That evening one of our relatives came and put up a tipi, led us to it and said. 

 "This is your home." Others brought kettles, blankets, provisions, and clothing 

 for us. Our relatives did all this for us, in order that we might begin our hves again. 



After a time the camp moved to another place and we left the spirit post standing 

 there. No matter where we were, if a woman came and said, "I cleared the ground 

 around your daughter's post," my wife would give her food. Sometimes, if there is a 

 spirit post in the camp, a person who is hungry will go and clear the ground around the 

 post. The relatives of the dead person will see this and cook food and carry the 

 kettles to the place, that the hungry may eat and be satisfied. But if a spirit-keeper 

 so desires, he may, after a certain time, take up the spirit post and bury it. " 



After finishing his narrative, Weasel Bear added: "All this came 

 to us through the white buffalo and is one of the reasons why every- 

 thing connected with the buffalo is so highly regarded by us." 



The Sun Dance 



In the myths of the Indians, as in the mythology of ancient 

 peoples, the sun was a prominent figure. Doctor Swanton ^ states 

 that "the Natchez believed the universe to be filled with spirits in 

 human forms, and that there were differences in power among these, 

 the most powerful of aU being a sky deity resident in or connected 

 with the Sun." Many other tribes held a similar belief, and the 

 worship of such a deity was widespread among the Indians of North 

 America. This worship assumed various forms, presenting con- 

 trasts in many important characteristics. The Sun dance was a 



1 Indian Tribes of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Adjacent Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, Bull. 43, Eur. 



Amer. Ethn., p. 174, 1911. 



