DENSMORE— TETON SIOUX MUSIC 



illustrating only the first, which seems to lie nearest to the beginning 

 of the entire series of phenomena. Eleven dreams were related to the 

 writer and their songs recorded by men who regarded them as sacred 

 things, portions of an experience which they seldom mentioned, so 

 reverently was it regarded. 



It was said that "all men could not have the same kind of a dream. 

 Thus the dream of a young man would be different from that of a 

 chief." This suggested a correspondence between the character of the 

 man and the nature of his dream. It is true that the dream probably 

 influenced the development of the character of the man if it came to 

 him in his youth, yet the following observations indicate that such 

 a correspondence actually existed to some extent. 



Three dreams will be presented, with their songs, the dreamers 

 being Siya'ka (commonly known by his Sioux name, the English 

 equivalent of which is "Teal Duck"), Charging Thunder (whose Sioux 

 name means literally "Charger of the Thunderbirds"), and Brave 

 Buffalo (whose Sioux name means "Furious Buffalo Bull"). These 

 men may be characterized as follows : 



Siya'ka, who dreamed of the crow, owl, and elk, was a gentle, 

 genial nature, ready with a jest among his companions, respected by 

 them all, but not an aggressive leader. Charging Thunder, who 

 dreamed of the thunderbirds, is a man with whom to will a thing 

 is to accomplish it, if it be humanly possible. Brave Buffalo, who 

 dreamed of the buffalo and the wolf, as well as of the mysterious 

 sacred stones, is a man of absolute independence who was engaged 

 in the practice of native medicine at the time of his conferences with 

 the writer. 



It is difficult for a member of the white race to realize what it 

 means to an Indian to tell his personal dream. A sanctity surrounds 

 these experiences which seems to justify the use of the term "religion", 

 the word being used in the sense of "that which is holy or sacred." 

 Siya'ka was deeply affected by the narration of his dream. Some 

 men fear that such an act will cause their death, but Siya'ka did not 

 speak of this. He took the writer's hand, saying that he had given 

 her his most cherished possession. In a little more than a year Siya'ka 

 was laid to rest in the prairie he loved. 



Narrating his dream Siya'ka (pi. i) said : 



When I was a young man I wanted a dream through which I could know what 

 to depend upon for help. Having this desire, I went to a medicine-man and told 

 him about it. He instructed me what to do, and I followed his instructions in 

 everything. He told me to get four well-tanned robes, with one for my own use, 

 also a decorated pipe and offerings of tobacco, and to appear before him on a 



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