kadin] the peyote cult 415 



Jesse Clay's Account of the Akapaho Manner of Giving the 

 Peyote Ceremony Which He Introduced Among the Win- 

 nebago IN 1912 



I went to Oklahoma once as the guest of an Arapaho Indian. 

 While there I witnessed the Arapaho manner of holding a peyote . 

 meeting and was very much impressed with it. A 3-ear later this 

 Arapaho came to visit me in Winnebago, and while he was with us 

 a few of my friends urged me to hold the peyote ceremonj' according 

 to the Arapaho method. I held several meetings at which my 

 Arapaho friend led. 



Now thtse are the instructions that Arapaho Bull gave me. . 



The person giving the ceremony must get up at sunrise so that 

 he can tell exactly where the sun is going to rise. He must place a 

 stick and make the drawing of a cross on the earth just in that 

 direction from which the sun is about to rise. He does this in order 

 to get the correct location for the tipi and the fireplace. Then he 

 marks a circle around the cross. Then he makes a diagonal mark 

 through the center of the circle, thus making the circle resemble a 

 star. The circle is the outline of the tipi. Tlien another diagonal 

 mark is made so that the drawing resembles, to their minds, a pe- 

 yote. A fireplace which resembles a half-moon is placed right in 

 the center of the lodge. After that the tipi poles are raised, 12 in 

 number. Finally the whole is inclosed in canvas. Wlien finished 

 it is supposed to represent the earth. It is then ready to be 

 entered. Special preparations are made for entering. The drum- 

 mer with his drum and the leader and those behind him with 

 all their regalia march up to the door. Before these enter, how- 

 ever, an attendant, called the fireman, spreads sage all over the 

 lodge, from the seat of the leader to the door and back again. Then 

 he starts a fire, always placing the left fire sticks first. When they 

 are all thus lined up outside of the door the leader offers a prayer. 



"May the Creator be with us when we enter this lodge." 



The leader now enters and, proceeding along the left side of the 

 lodge, marches to his seat, and there he stands with his drum until 

 the lodge is filled. After all have entered they sit down. Then the 

 fireman who sits to the right rekindles the fire. The leader now 

 spreads out his articles — a gourd, a drumstick, a staff, and the 

 feathers. He then takes 12 sage leaves and lays them out in the 

 form of a star, first making a cross-shaped object and then filling 

 this into the desired form. On top he places the peyote, and, leaning 

 against that, he places a flute made of an eagle bone, the mouth of 

 the flute resting against the peyote. Then he puts an otter-skin cap 

 at the foot of the flute. After a while the leader takes the pe3'ote 

 he is going to use in one hand and some cedar needles in the other, 



