Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 457 



My parents gave me most of the instructions, for they had both participated 

 in former rites, and Bobtail Bull merely outlined the events as they would occur. 

 Since I was not buying the bundle, only giving the feast to the buffaloes, I did not 

 have to wait so long. My clan and society, the Kit Foxes, helped me get the 

 food, especially the roasted corn that the buffaloes preferred. 



On the morning of the evening that the ceremony was to begin. Bobtail Bull's 

 father. Guts, went through the village and called that all the young men and 

 women should go to the forest and bring in cottonwood branches and poles for the 

 lodge. I appointed 10 clan sisters to bring in the dry wood for the fires. Those 

 who were to carry the red sticks to represent the buffaloes dug the holes for the 

 lodge posts and set the posts. The lodge was built just south of the Mandan 

 Sacred Cedar with the entrance to the south. It was roughly circular in outline 

 and was not completed until late afternoon. 



All the officers met at Bobtail Bull's lodge and I was instructed to listen for 

 them when they came out singing just after sundown and to bring the pipe. 



I heard singing and went out to meet them in the village. They sang, "The 

 land belongs to us; we are walking along." 



This meant that the buffaloes had the right to walk on their own land. At the 

 end of the song, Bobtail Bull prayed for me and handed the pipe back to me. 



At the second stop the carriers of the red sticks again sang one of the buffalo 

 songs, "Whenever I want to walk, I always walk." 



This song meant that whenever the buffaloes wanted to "walk" [have inter- 

 course] with their daughters-in-law, there were always some who wanted to walk 

 with them. I took the pipe to Bobtail Bull and he prayed for me again. 



The third stop was at the northeast side of the open circle where they sang, 

 "The land belongs to us; we are walking along." Again I offered Bobtail Bull 

 the pipe and he prayed to the buffaloes to send me good luck. 



The fourth stop was at the lodge entrance. Poor Wolf, representing the Sun 

 and bad luck, entered the lodge alone and sang the song. He did not come to the 

 lodge with the others as he was the "enemy" to be overcome. He sang, "When 

 I want to walk, I always walk." 



The holders of the red sticks occupied places along the east side of the lodge, 

 while those who were offering their wives occupied places at the head of the lodge 

 along the north side. Poor Wolf sat just west of the entrance with the bull skull 

 and folded buffalo robe in front of him. The "drum of protection" was on the 

 east side of the entrance with the 12 red sticks placed in front of it. Originally 

 only one fire was used, and that was near the head of the lodge, but later two addi- 

 tional fires were built; one on the east side and the other on the west side [fig. 10]. 



It was customary for clan brothers of the same age as the giver to bring their 

 wives. It was also the practice for the Kit Fox Society men to bring their wives 

 when a member of that society was giving the ceremony. Poor Wolf, representing 

 bad luck or the Sun, sat on the west side of the door with the announcer [fig. 1]."^ 



Poor Wolf entered first. He was known as patuki or "savior of the village." ^^ 

 He would pray for success over the enemies and for protection for the people. 

 He would say, "If any are to be killed, I turn the matter over to my enemies; 

 they are the ones who should be killed." Then he prayed at four points outside 

 the ceremonial lodge in this order: north; east; south; west. He was painted 



»• Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the ground plans of the two variations of the ceremony. Plan One was 

 followed when the giver had little assistance except from a few clan brothers; Plan Two was followed when 

 a member of the Kit Fox society gave the ceremony to the Black Mouths. 



»' Bears Arm explained that it also meant "closed" and referred to the custom of Sun Impersonator to 

 return to the ceremonial lodge late in the night, when all were supposed to be asleep, to pray that the popu- 

 lation might increase rapidly. 



