DE.NSMOKE] TETON SIOUX MUSIC 101 



When in (laiiger, it was customary for an entire war party to vow 

 that its members would take part in the next Sun dance. The vow 

 was usually made at sunrise and spoken by a warrior who had fulfilled 

 a similar vow. (See p. 97.) If there were time to secure a proper 

 offering, each man held this in his left hand, raising his right hand as 

 the vow was spoken. It was a rite, which could be varied by the 

 indivichial. Thus it was said that some made the vow more impres- 

 sive by bowing the head or lowering the right hand slowly toward the 

 earth. A man's spoken vow was only that he would take part m 

 the dance, but deep in his heart was hidden a private vow concerning 

 the part which he would take.^ Some had left little children at home, 

 or sick relatives or friends whom they longed to see again. They 

 vowed that at the next Sun dance they would dance, or would be 

 suspended by their flesh, or that many gashes would be cut m their 

 arms; they felt that no extreme of heroic endurance woidd be too great 

 an expression of thankfulness if they were reunited with their friends, 

 yet they knew that their vow must bo fulfilled even if they returned 

 defeated or to an empty lodge. 



During the months which intervened between their return and 

 the Sun dance they prepared for the fulfillment of their vows. Well 

 they knew that if they failed to do this of their own accord it would 

 be exacted of them by the forces of nature. More than one man who 

 disregarded his vow to the sun had perished in a lightning flash; or 

 if ho escaped punishment himself, it was known that disaster had 

 befallen his family or his horees. The old men knew of every vow 

 and watched for its fulfillment. 



The leading men of the tribe l>cloiigod to various mihtary societies, 

 as the Strong Heart, the Crow-ownei-s, the Wolf, Badger and Fox 

 societies, or the White Horse Eiders. (See pp. 314-332.) During the 

 four days next preceding the Sun dance these societies met together 

 for the purpose of electing the Kuwa' Kiya'pi (Intercessor), the 

 Itay'cay (Leader of the Dancers), the four young men who were to 

 select the tree for the sacred pole, and the four young women who 

 were to cut it down. The chiefs were also in the council tent when- 

 ever business was transacted. It was generally known in advance 

 who woidd be chosen Intercessor and Leader of the Dancers. The 

 former office required long and special pri>paration and was re- 

 peatedly filled by the same man. His duties included the offering 

 of prayers on behalf of the people, the sitiging of songs as he per- 

 formed certain ceremonial acts, the painting of the cay wakarj' 

 (sacred pole) and the preparation of the oway'Jca wakay' (sacred 

 place). The ceremonial songs must either be composed by the man 

 who sang them, or purchased from some one who had previously 



' Among other instances see Red Fox (p. 376) and Jaw (p. 390). 

 4840°— Bull. 61—18 9 



