316 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



grounds, each time on a signal of Long Arm impersonator. The fourth 

 stop was at the shelter.** The pledger's wife, eight Holy Women, and 

 the berdache *^ must be on the grounds when the log arrived. The 

 instructor delivered a buffalo head with a strip of hide along the back 

 and the tail to the berdache who fastened the head to the fork in the 

 log and then tied sandbar willow brush and buckbrush to the head. 

 Young men raised the post into place and the berdache tamped the soil 

 around it. The eight Holy Women meanwhile put the side posts in 

 place and tamped them securely. The young men then cut and 

 brought in the roof poles. There was rivalry between the young men 

 to see which side would be first to complete its section with cottonwood 

 branches. Unlike the Mandan in simUar competitive situations, 

 moiety division was not employed. They would say that the first 

 person to reach the central post would be lucky. The lodge was com- 

 pleted that day before sunset. 



Long Arm impersonator would devote the next day to arranging 

 things in the lodge. First he would mark the location of the doorway 

 to the west of south. Then he erected two small mounds, north of 

 the central post and near the edge of the lodge, from earth already 

 brought in. A bundle of buckbrush was placed upright on each 

 mound. During the ceremony. Long Arm impersonator's place was 

 to the west of these mounds. While Long Arm impersonator was 

 fixing the lodge, the pledger brought in bedding and arranged his bed 

 behind the two mounds, placing buckbrush under his robes. 



The ceremony began that evening with "Cuts Hole in the Mouth" 

 dance. Four young men who had struck first coup on the enemy and 

 were noted for their bravery were selected by Long Aim impersonator 

 to be the first to enter the lodge. Meanwhile, Long Arm impersonator 

 had erected a small post and dressed it to make it appear like an enemy 

 standing there. The clothing, which had been provided by the pledger 

 and his wife, consisted of a man's complete outfit and fine robe 

 decorated with porcupine quillwork. The four warriors went to the 

 two mounds and sang, dancing back and forth toward the smaU 

 post dressed as an enemy. The fourth time they rushed the "enemy," 

 striking him. The first to strike took the robe while the three other 

 performers divided the remaining goods between them. This com- 

 pleted the Cuts Hole in the Mouth ceremony. As the dancers left 

 the lodge, they gave the clothing stripped from the post to old men 

 standing outside the door. The pledger paid the eight Holy Women 

 and the berdache in robes for their services and the ceremonial shelter 

 was ready for the fasters. 



4» This approach by four stages was a common pattern for Hldatsa ceremonies. 

 « Formerly all berdaches participated. 



