OCTOBEB 2, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



483 



fields, preventing their constant wandering 

 after the wild animals, and so inaugurating 

 village life and developing an appreciation 

 of tribal unity. 



The first act in the preparation of this 

 ceremony was the cutting, by the Leader 

 having it in charge, of seven cotton wood or 

 willow sticks which were stripped of leaves, 

 with the exception of a small spray at the 

 end, thus making a miniature pole. These 

 were sent to the chiefs of the seven original 

 gentes, who, in their turn, sent out the men 

 of their gentes to cut similar sticks, which 

 were to be painted red and carried in the 

 great tribal dance about the Pole. 



While this was being done, the Leader 

 selected runners to represent warriors, who 

 were to go out, as a scouting party would go 

 in search of an enemy, and when they found 

 the tree which was to be cut for the Pole 

 they were to charge upon it and strike it as 

 they would strike a foe. In this ceremony 

 of selection, where war is so simulated, the 

 recognition of the power and authority of 

 Thunder is manifest, for no man could be- 

 come a warrior except through his conse- 

 cration to Thunder, the god of war. More- 

 over, it was believed that no man could fall 

 in battle through human agency alone ; he 

 fell because Thunder had designated him to 

 fall. So the tree, which had been struck as 

 a foe, fell because Thunder had selected it. 

 The tree thus chosen was now approached 

 by the Leader, who said, " I have come for 

 you that you may see the people, who are 

 beautiful to behold." Then with elaborate 

 ceremonies, in which the Four Directions 

 were recognized, the tree was cut down ; 

 the bark and branches, all but a tuft at the 

 top, were removed and buried at the foot of 

 the stump, and the Pole, with much cere- 

 mony, was carried to the camp, where it 

 was painted by the Leader in alternate 

 bands of red and black, symbolic of Life 

 and of Thunder. When this was. done the 

 Leader said, " It is finished ; raise him up 



that your Grandfather (^. e.. Thunder) may 

 see him. "* The Pole then, being placed in 

 position in a hole prepared for it, stood be- 

 fore the people as approved by the ancient 

 Thunder Beings. Then the Herald went 

 forth to call the people to make ready to 

 welcome the Pole with dancing and gifts. 



Now the camp is astir with preparation ; 

 every one dons his gala dress and hastens 

 to take his place with his gens in the tribal 

 order, forming an immense circle around 

 the Pole. The singers, seated at the foot 

 of the Pole, strike up the first of the ritual 

 songs ; at its close the war cry is given by 

 all the people, who then advance a short 

 distance and halt. Four times the soug is 

 sung, four times the cry is given, four times 

 the people advance and halt, and at the 

 last pause they are near the Pole. At this 

 point the men of the In-ke-tha-ba gens, led 

 by two pipe bearers, face about to the west, 

 their right side to the Pole, and the women 

 face to the east, with their left to the Pole. 

 Each of the other gentes falls into like 

 order behind the In-ke-tha-ba men and 

 women, and when the second ritual song is 

 begun the entire double circle begins to 

 dance around the Pole. During the dance 

 four halts are made, and at these halts if 

 any dancer has passed beyond the line of 

 his gens he must return to it. The songs 

 become more and more rapid in measure 

 and the dance fuller of mirth and gaiety. 

 At the close of the ceremony the men^ 

 women and children throw their sticks at 

 the foot of the Pole, to which they are tied 

 and left for the sun and wind to dispose of. 



The manner in which the Pole was ap- 

 proached by the whole people in the order 

 of the tribal circle, with war cry and 

 charge, was a recognition of the victories 

 gained through the war god, Thunder. The 

 entire ceremony was a dramatic teaching, 

 to old and young, of the necessity of union 



* These words, in the original, are of the nature of 

 an invocation and consecration. 



