80. The Adolescence Ceremony

They come to the holy girl early in the morning. When she is thus holy she becomes YoLkaiîsdzan. They also seek out a young boy and bring him there. An old man comes also. From different directions a

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number of old women come together who sit about and pray. Sitting outside they smoke and pray for the girl, Isdzannadlecî, saying, "May you be renewed. May I live happily. With strewed pollen may I live happily. This boy, too, Kûbatcîstcîne, may he become new. May I be well. May I live to old age. With strewed L'ectcîc, may I live to old age. May the pollen be on top of my feet."

The boy and girl sit this way back of the fire in the tipi; the girl on the south, the boy on the north side. The clothes with which they are to be dressed are placed in front. The priest sprinkles them with L'ectcîc and pollen. For the girl, there are moccasins, leggings, shirt, beads, bracelets, earrings, feathers, and yellow paint. For the boy, Kûbatcîstcîne, there are moccasins, leggings, shirt, feathers, arrows, quiver, and white paint. The priest puts her moccasins on the girl; he dresses her with her tough moccasins; he puts on her tough leggings; he puts on her tough shirt; he puts on her hard beads; he ties the tough feathers to the crown of her head; he puts about her shoulders the tough buckskin; and then paints her face yellow. He puts on the boy; tough moccasins, tough leggings, tough shirt, hard beads. He ties to his crown tough feathers and places across his breast the carrying strap of the quiver, and then paints his face white. The priest goes out with both of them toward the east. He has in his hand pollen and L'ectcîc. As the sun comes up he strews these toward it. Having strewed them out a little ways he strews more, forming the are of a circle. A little beyond he makes another are of a circle and beyond that another and still another. One of the women stands in front of the tent and calls out "Ready." The girl with the boy behind her runs forward a little way and then turns back. The woman whistles into the girl's mouth. Again, they run forward and turn back, the woman whistling into her mouth again. They run forward again and then turn back. The woman whistles in her mouth. Still again, they run forward, turn back, and the woman whistles in her mouth. They then return to the tent.

Outside the tent there is a pile of corn about so large (two bushels). The girl takes a horn spoon and distributes this among all the women.

Then the boy runs off this way (to the east), pulls out some grass, picks up horse manure and holding it in his hand, returns. He puts them down back of the fire in the tent. Next he runs to the south and returns in the same manner, putting the articles down back of the fire. He goes outside again and runs toward the west, returning from that direction in the same manner and puts the materials behind the fire. He goes out again and runs toward the north. He returns from that direction with the same articles and places them behind the fire.

The old man addresses him saying, "My grandson, you should practise

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herding horses on foot. Having roped a good horse, you will put your hand on him, saying, 'This sort, my horses will be, very fat. They will like me. They will not become poor. All sorts of property will like me.'" Thus the priest prays. At evening, the women prepare food. The priest comes again, smokes and prays. Other men also come into the tipi and smoking, pray for what they happen to need. The priest begins the singing and continues until the middle of the night. The boy and girl dance side by side back of the fire. All in attendance eat and then return home. The next day about noon, the people come again to eat and then return. In the evening, many people come there. The old man comes also, smokes and prays. The other men also, smoke and pray. The old man commences to sing, stopping about midnight. The people eat and return home in the morning. Many people come at noon for a meal and return home. In the evening, the old man comes again and many people gather outside. The old man smokes and prays and other men also smoke and pray. The old man sings until the middle of the night when they all eat and return home. The next day they return and spend the entire day eating. The old man returns in the evening, smokes and prays. Other men also come into the tipi, smoke and pray. The old man sings and all drink tiswin. There is dancing outside the tipi as well as within. The dancing and eating is continued until morning. At dawn, the priest unties the feathers from the heads of the boy and girl and takes them off. Their hair is washed with amole. He rubs red paint on the cheeks of the boy and girl and puts pollen on the crowns of their heads. He makes a cross, with L'ectcîc on their foreheads and in the center of their cheeks on both sides and also on their chins. The priest paints the faces of all the men and women present with red. Then it is over and they go home.