LAFLESCHE] RITE OF VIGIL- — FREE TRANSLATION. 67 



firmly fixed in the minds of the people that Wa-ko"'-da would give 

 the desired natm-al increase, and also that the defense of the life thus 

 granted must be made by the people themselves. In order to meet 

 and successfully overcome the enemies that beset life's pathway 

 there must be a complete unity of purpose and of action between the 

 men of the two great tribal divisions, and all the people must share 

 alike in the fortunes and misfortunes of the common defense. 



Having thus determined upon a principle by wliich the people must 

 govern themselves in order to guard and protect their tribal life by the 

 strong arm of valor, the No"'-ho°-zhi"-ga, to give vital force to that 

 principle, added a symbolic figure to the complex life s3m;bol for 

 which the two tribal divisions stand. The symbol was the figure of a 

 man perfect in all his physical structure, well prepared to take life's 

 long journey, and confident in his ability to combat the perils that 

 might arise to impede his progress. 



It is this figure or principle that the Xo'-ka is to impersonate in the 

 initiatory rite which is dramatic in form. Symbolically the two pairs 

 of moccasins ceremonially prepared for him as a part of his sacerdotal 

 attire represent the long and hazardous journey contemplated; the 

 nights and days that mark the division of time; the strength, the 

 courage, and the ability of the people as an organized body to crush 

 the "harmful grasses'' (figuratively, enemies), as they step forth 

 upon life's perilous journey. 



When the symbolic moccasins have been finished another distri- 

 bution of provisions is made to the No"'-ho"-zhi"-ga from the stores 

 of the candidate. 



The Wa'-do^-be. 



At the close of the ceremonies relating to the making of the sym- 

 bolic moccasins for the Xo'-ka and the Sho'-ka, the No"'-ho"-zhi"-ga 

 await with interest the choice to be made by the candidate of a man 

 to act as Wa'-do"-be. The literal translation of the title of this 

 office is, Wa, over; do°-be, to see or to guard. When used in connec- 

 tion with the tribal war rites the word is understood to mean, a 

 protector of the tribal life. 



If the candidate happens to be a young man who is not familiar 

 with the details of the ceremony he may be prompted by the Xo'-ka 

 or by the A'-ki-ho" Xo'ka as to the proper man to nominate for the 

 office of Wa'-do"-be. The man to be nominated must be one who 

 has won certain prescribed military honors. He must have won 

 thirteen military honors, seven to be counted for the Ho"'-ga division 

 and six for the Tsi'-zhu. 



One of the tliirteen military honors to be counted must be of those 

 classed as U-fko^'-fka I Ga-^a-gi, a term which, freely translated, 

 means a blow given to the enemy who comes within the limits of the 



