October 2, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



485 



througli torture to render its accomplisTi- 

 ment certain. Even in the Hanm- de-pi 

 there are indications of foreign influence 

 which tended not only to keep alive, but to 

 intensify the more primitive forms connec- 

 ted with Thunder worship — forms which 

 had almost died out in the more southern 

 tribes, surviving only in certain modified 

 rites observed in mourning for the dead 

 -and the leading of a war party. 



In the absence of agricultural avocations 

 xind their attendant corn ceremonies, the 

 belief that the Pole was selected and conse- 

 crated by Thunder came to be more and 

 more pronounced, as is indicated by the 

 fact that the Thunder men only could take 

 •charge of the Sun Dance, whereas, in the 

 He-di-wa-chi it was the red corn people 

 who were the Keepers of the ritual and 

 Leaders of the ceremony. It is easy to see 

 how, through the influence of Thunder, 

 originally represented in the consecration 

 of the Pole and augmented by the domi- 

 nance of the Thunder men, the torture 

 rites came to be grafted upon the ceremony, 

 which, owing to environment, had lost 

 something of its early significance. 



When witnessing the Sun Dance its 

 composite character was impressed upon 

 me, and the lack of unity between the parts 

 was evident. Further study has shown 

 how different rites have been united, and 

 what are some of the influences which have 

 brought about this grouping. 



The Dah-pi-ke or Nah-pi-ke of the 

 Hidatsas resembles the Sun Dance. It 

 takes place at the same season of the year. 

 The Cottonwood Pole is selected and cut 

 with similar ceremonies ; about it the com- 

 munal tabernacle of willow boughs is 

 erected, and all the people must gather to 

 the rites. Like the Sun Dance, it bears 

 evidence of the same influences, which have 

 •overlaid a tribal ceremony '■ that grew up 

 with the corn,' with those other rites where- 

 in self torture was practiced. 



As in the He-di-wa-chi, the tree or Pole 

 of the Sun Dance, and of the Dah-pi-ke, is 

 left at the close of the ceremony to the de- 

 struction of the elements, or powers, to 

 which, in the mind of the people, it be- 

 longed. 



In the Sacred Pole of the Omaha tribe 

 we have another ofi'-shoot from the same 

 parent stem. In its rites, however, the fun- 

 damental ideas embodied in the ceremonies 

 already considered have been still further 

 developed and specialized. The selection 

 of the Pole, its cutting, decoration, etc., the 

 season when its ceremonies took place, and 

 the compulsory attendance of the people, 

 were all practically the same as in the He- 

 di-wa-chi, the Sun Dance and the Dah-pi-ke. 



In a paper read before this Section last 

 year the Sacred Pole was described. Your 

 attention at this time will be called only to 

 a peculiar function in reference to the tribal 

 autonomy. 



A tradition in the tribe says : "At one 

 time the seven original bands wandered 

 about independent of each other ; each 

 band had a pipe and a leader. The Hun- 

 gagens thought that if this continued 

 there would be fueds between the bands.* 

 * * So the Sacred Pole was made, around 

 which the dificrent bands might gather. 

 The seven chiefs were called together, and 

 they all united and have been so ever 

 since." The Legend corroborates the tra- 

 dition, for it says : '' The ceremonies of the 

 Sacred Pole was devised to hold the people 

 together." 



The institution of the Sacred Pole marked 

 a political change in the tribe, from the 

 government by hereditary chieftians to an 

 oligarchy of the seven chiefs who attained 

 their position by personal ability to perform 

 certain deeds, called Wa-dhin-e-dhe. The 

 name of the old cedar Pole of the Sacred 

 Tent of War, Wa-ghdhe-ghe, which, as we 

 have seen, meant 'the power to bestow 

 honors,' was given to the new Sacred Pole, 



