458 



BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bull. 194 



Wives of the Giver 

 ond Clon Brothers 



Giver of Ceremony 



Sun Impersonator 



Singer 

 Red Sticl(S 



A Buffalo Bull Skull 



D Protector Drum 



F Fire 



R Protector Robe 



S Spectotors 



Figure 10. — Painted Red Stick ceremony, plan one. 



red over his entire body, had a piece of rawhide tied around his head, and had 

 dark sage stuck in his hair. 



The Black Mouth society entered next, when the Kit Fox society was assisting 

 one of its members, otherwise there were 12 carriers of red sticks who followed 

 the Sun impersonator. The men whose wives were to be offered to the holy men 

 came in last, accompanied by their wives who were dressed only in their robes. 

 When the Kit Foxes were assisting a member, it was necessary to bring a wife. 

 Single members could come if they borrowed a wife of one of their clansmen. 

 My Mandan wife helped me 2 nights and then she ran away and hid. I did not 

 know what to do so I went to my clansman named Knife and asked for his wife 

 for the next 2 nights. 



Knife said, "My brother, you do not need to stop the ceremonJ^ All the women 

 married to us Prairie Chickens [clan] are eligible to go with you and help j^ou out. 

 You can use my wife for the next 2 nights." And I did. 



The holy men who represented all the gods, and especially the buffaloes, carried 

 the red sticks with them to the lodge. When they had taken their places, the 

 First Creator impersonator collected the red sticks and placed them in a pile 

 near the singer. 



