356 CALENDAR HISTORY OF THE KIOWA [ethasxIT 



SUMMEE 1SS8 



By a mistake Set-t'an depicts a medicine lodge for this summer 

 iustead of for the one preceding. No sun dance was held this year, 

 owing to the opposition of the new agent. In his official report he 

 states that early in May the chiefs and Jjead men of the Kiowa had 

 called to request permission for the holding of the dance at the regular 

 season, but that on investigation he became convinced that it should 

 not be allowed and so informed the Doi>artment, which instructed him 

 to prevent it, even by calling on the military if necessary. He says: 



On receipt of tliis information I at once commnnicatetl the fact to tLe Indians, 

 Ijnt conkl not get them to jiromise to abandon it. I informed them that on the 

 slishtest intimation that .any preiiaratioii was being made for the celebration of the 

 dance I wonld be compelled to call on the military and cause the arrest of every 

 Indian who expressed a determination to participate in the same. Many of the 

 voimg men, belonging to the worst element, privately declared their intention of 

 holding the dance, but as yet nothing has been done in that direction. I am tirmly 

 of I he opinion I will be able to prevent it without the aid of the troops {Report, 110). 



The Auko calendar records for this summer the preaching of the 

 prophet Pa-iugya. It is indicated by a figure intended 

 to represent a flying bullet, referring to his claim of in- 

 vulnerability. 



Pa-iugya, "lu-the-middle," had commenced preach- 

 ing during the previous winter, reviving the doctrine 

 of the return of the buttalo. which had been taught 

 by Pa tepte several years before (see summer 1882). 

 He continued to preach and make medicine for several 

 months, adding to his predecessor's prophecies another 



Fig. 184 - Snramer i o i x i 



1888-sun dance of the iuvuluerability of his followers and the speedy 

 (.'»; Pi-iugyas destruction of the whites, so that for a while the ex- 

 citement assumed a dangerous form. In the official 

 report for 18S7 the agent briefly notes that — 



The Kiowas were troiiblesome in the e.arly spring, owing to the bad advice of their 

 niedieine-men and chief Lone-wolf, and refused to plant their seed and took 

 their children from school. Later on they went to work, but would have made a 

 much better showing in their crops had they planted earlier {Sepori, 111). 



According to Pa-iiigya's pretensions, he was the legitimate successor 

 of Pa-tepte. witb all of his predecessor's powers and considerably more 

 of his own. He predicted the near approach of a mighty whirlwind, 

 which would blow away the whites and all Indians living among them 

 or following their customs. After the whirlwind would come a great 

 jirairie lire, which would burn for four days and consume the agency 

 buildings, schools, and all that the white man had established in the 

 couutry, together with any whites left by the whirlwind. Having thus 

 cleared the way. he would then restore the buffalo and game, with all 

 the old Indian life. His followers were commanded to resume at once 

 their aboriginal dress and weapons, with all the old habits. He made 



