Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 319 



to undertake personal privations, but fathers usually did not speak 

 sharply to sons unless driven to such extreme measures by their joldng 

 relatives. When a young man announced that he wished to be tor- 

 tured at the post, the parents sang their sacred songs and praised 

 their son publicly before bringing the food, calicoes, robes, and horses 

 which were to be given to the "father" inserting the thongs. The 

 "father" selected — always an eminent man with a good war record — 

 would go to the young man and lead him to the post, all the while 

 singing his sacred songs and relating the successes that his "son" too 

 would achieve. He would say, "My son, this is a great thing you are 

 undertaking. You will be lucky. This will make your people lucky 

 too." 



The "father" would then select two men to do the actual flesh- 

 cutting for the insertion of the sticks. When the Long Arm imper- 

 sonator was selected as "father," it was customary to name two men 

 who had the high military honor of striking and killing a single enemy 

 when out alone. When such individuals were not available, men 

 with the next higher honors were selected. The "father" would pay 

 his assistants with part of the goods, give the food to the singers, and 

 keep the balance of the goods. The man was tied to the rawhide strip 

 by means of the thongs and left to run and swing around the post 

 while the relatives cried and prayed for him. When he was exhausted, 

 he was untied from the hide; the thongs were removed by the Long 

 Arm impersonator who pressed the flesh down and covered the cuts 

 with white clay. Then another candidate submitted to the torture 

 ordeal. As each candidate completed the torture ordeal, he picked 

 up his sacred bundle and robe and left the ceremonial grounds to eat, 

 bathe, and rest. He frequently sought a quiet place beyond the vil- 

 lage limits to rest in the hope that he would receive a good dream. 



Third day. — This day was a repetition of the second. Long Arm 

 impersonator painted and dressed the pledger as before. This was 

 the principal torture day and the activities began as soon as the singers 

 arrived. Each candidate selected a "father" to conduct the rites at 

 the post. Large crowds would gather to see what goods each faster 

 gave to his "father" and to observe the responses each faster made to 

 the infliction of pain. The parents would cry as their sons ran around 

 the post. Sometimes the sticks would tear out and the candidate 

 would be thrown across the shed or even fly through the wall. Since 

 a young man was not freed until he was exhausted or showed fear, it 

 was frequently impossible to accommodate all candidates. 



Fourth day. — The pledger was painted as before. NormaUy there 

 was no torturing on this day but Wolf Chief submitted to torture and 

 recalled that it was not unusual. The dancing continued all day. 

 Fasters could leave any time they wished. As before, the parents 



