Dorset. I DANCES: WITCITA, WATCI-WACUPI, ETC. 351 



the men danced alone. This is said to be one of the ancient tribal 

 dances. 



§26G. Was6-jide a^i u/ -ina, Those whoha/oe the Red Paint or Medicine. — 

 This is a society of women dancers. They seldom meet. Their dance 

 is like that of the Watci-wa<fupi. < ja^i n -na n paji says that the dance is 

 sacred. La Fleche and Two Crows have never seen it. They invite the 

 members to a feast, as do the Wacicka a<fi n -ma ; but no shooting is done. 

 The men act as singers, while the women dance. All the women are 

 allowed to join in this dance, which is held when the grass is green in 

 the spring. Sometimes a man joins in the dance, but that is the ex- 

 ception. [Frank La Fleche says that men do take part in this dance, 

 and that the women do not carry the medicine.] 21 



This society has a medicine consisting of the bottoms of several joints 

 or stalks of a certain kind of grass, which are tied up in bundles. One 

 man carries a bundle in his belt, and the rest are put in a safe place. 

 This is the medicine, according to ( ja^i n na n paji, which warriors carry. 

 If they meet an enemy they open the bundles and rub the medicine over 

 their bodies to protect them from the missiles of the enemy. They think 

 that this medicine will cause the enemy's guns to miss fire, or else the 

 balls, when sent, will not hit them. The only painting is red, which is 

 on the cheeks, chin, and chest of the dancer. A line is drawn from 

 each corner of the mouth back to the cheek, and there is one made 

 from the lower lip down under the chin, and it is continued down the 

 chest until it is about as low as the heart. 



§ 267. The Ha n 'he watci (xoiwere, Ha n 'he waci) is not "The 

 Night Dance," as its name implies. It is an ancient dance, which is 

 not used now. According to < ja<fi Q -na D paji, it is "qube' ata," very 

 sacred (for persons), and it is danced in the later fall, when the people 

 have killed a great many deer, or many of the enemy. Two Grows and 

 La Fleche say that it is " uwah^haji, nua^a^ica 11 , a bravery dance, per- 

 taining to men;" but they do not know all the particulars. During the 

 day women danced, and the men sang for them. Occasionally a man 

 joined in the dance. At night the men danced alone. But only those 

 who had been captains, or had killed foes, or had brought back horses, 

 or had been warriors, had a right to take part in the dance. 



Mr. J. La Fleche said that there was some connection between this 

 society and the Ing<fa n -ifae<f:e-ina. 



The H6de-watci was a "nikie dance," which occurred on a festival, 

 and in which the whole tribe participated. (See §153.) 



The We- watci, or Scalp dance, is the women's dance, in which adjoin 

 who may so desire. (See War Customs, § 215.) 



The Mij[asi watci, or Coyote dance, is described in the chapter on 

 War Customs, § 203. 



-'The Kansas have the Maka" jiidje, Red Medicine, and the Osages the Maka n oujse 

 *vatsi n . Red Medicine Dance. The leader of the latter is a man. The Kansas used 

 to have the Wase jide a^;i n -ma. 



