Chapter XIV. Forming the Sun-Dance Camp

The Old North Trail, by Walter McClintock, [1910], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER XIV

FORMING THE SUN-DANCE CAMP

Mad Wolf announces time for moving to the Sun-dance camp.—Care of the sacred woman and the loading of her travois.—My journey with Mad Wolf and his clan.—An interesting and impressive procession.—Mad Wolf selects a site for the Sun-dance camp.—Formation of the camp according to clans.—Origin of clan names.—Pitching the Sacred Tipi.—Guests in my tipi.—Arrival of Running Crane with prominent chiefs from the south.—Visitors from many Indian tribes.—Mad Dog society as police.

IN response to the summons to prepare for the Sun-dance, the Indians north of Willow Creek continued to gather around the lodge of Mad Wolf, until the camp was widely spread upon the plain. For many days the sun had been hot, and the people waited impatiently for the signal to move to the fourth and last camp. Finally, when the evening sun was approaching the summits of the Rockies, Mad Wolf stepped from the sacred tipi. His strong voice rang far out over the quiet plain with the announcement:

"Hear, my children! The grass is now green and long upon the prairies, and the time has come, when we should move together to the big flat near Willow Creek for the Sun-dance. Be prepared to start at the rising of the sun! Let everyone go!

He sent a messenger to Badger Creek, where the southern division of the tribe had assembled, and were waiting under Seco-mo-muckon (Running Crane), to instruct them also to move at the appointed time to Willow Creek. On the following morning, the occupants

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of the sacred tipi were astir before daybreak. All the labour of moving was performed by the chosen assistants of Gives-to-the-Sun. She sat apart, behind the sacred travois, ¹ on a buffalo robe and a pillow stuffed with antelope hair. With head bowed in prayer, she faced towards the south, the direction in which they would move for the last camp. I heard Natokoma

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“GIVES-TO-THE-SUN SAT APART, BEHIND THE SACRED TRAVOIS, HER HEAD BOWED IN PRAYER.”

uttering a prayer, while placing the sacred travois before her, and then again while loading it with the ceremonial clothes of Gives-to-the-Sun. These were a buckskin dress, decorated with elk tusks, beaded leggings and moccasins, the medicine bonnet and robe of soft-tanned elk skin; together with parfleches of sacred tongues, juniper branches and the medicine

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bundles to be used in the Sun-dance ceremonial. Gives-to-the-Sun's own saddle horse was hitched to the sacred travois, which, as well as the harness, was painted red. She had become so weak and exhausted by fasting and close confinement that it was necessary for O-mis-tai-pokah and his wife to lift her into the saddle. The fasting of those who took a prominent part in the

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GIVES-TO-THE-SUN MOUNTED ON THE TRAVOIS HORSE.

ceremonial was believed to excite the pity of the Great Spirit and to be of the greatest importance for securing a favourable answer to prayer.

All eyes were now fixed upon Mad Wolf's lodge, waiting for the signal to move. When it was taken down, the entire camp became a scene of confusion. Mad Wolf mounted his horse, singing a chant. He rode with O-mis-tai-pokah to a ridge near by and was closely followed by Natokoma and Gives-to-the-Sun with the

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sacred travois. There they waited till the rest were ready to start. Then Mad Wolf slowly led the way,

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NATOKEMA AND GIVES-TO-THE-SUN WAITING WITH THE SACRED TRAVOIS.

following no trail, but directing his course southward across the open plains. He was followed by many well-known chiefs, among whom I recognised White Grass, Isso-koyi-kinni (Heavy Breast),

Click to enlarge “O-MIS-TAI-PO-KAH WITH LONG GREY HAIR FALLING OVER HIS SHOULDERS.”

Ear Rings, Bull Child, Double Runner, Three Bears, Morning Plume, Bear Child, Maka, Stock-stchi, Blessed Weasel, Cream Antelope and Medicine Weasel. I rode with the clan of Hard Top Knots, the relatives and friends of Mad Wolf. Near by were Kionama and Menake; also Onesta and Nitana with their families. Directly in front rode Anatapsa, my pretty Indian niece (Mad Wolf's granddaughter), with Dives-under-water,

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a granddaughter of the head chief. They were both astride the same horse and greatly interested me, because of their vigorous conversation in the sign language. Anatapsa, gaily dressed, sat in front, her long black hair flying in the wind. Her blanket of brilliant scarlet fell loosely from her shoulders,

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GIVES-TO-THE-SUN'S OWN HORSE WAS HITCHED TO THE SACRED TRAVOIS.

confined at the waist by a belt heavily beaded. Her small feet, clad in dainty moccasins, were continually kicking the horse's sides to urge him forward. Dives-under-water, clothed in a robe of soft-tanned fawn skin with beaded stripes, was seated behind. She was deaf and dumb but full of life and skilled in the sign language. Her busy hands moved gracefully

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while talking with Anatapsa. From their mischievous looks and frequent peals of laughter, I knew their jokes were at the expense of those around them.

I passed a travois bearing three aged squaws. They were berating their horse, a raw-boned, old cripple,

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ANATAPSA AND DIVES-UNDER-WATER RODE ASTRIDE THE SAME HORSE.

trying to urge him from a slow walk, so that they could keep pace with the procession. One was vigorously beating him with a stick, but it was in vain, for he hobbled placidly along, with eyes closed and head

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hanging down, unmindful both of the stick and their execrations. The way led across rich meadows brilliant with roses and wild flowers, winding in and out among the ridges and through deep ravines.

Leaving the line, I rode ahead and climbed a high ridge, where I could have a better view of the interesting and impressive procession of Mad Wolf and his

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“THE TWO NOBLE CHIEFS WERE IN THE LEAD AND WERE FOLLOWED BY THE MEDICINE WOMEN WITH THE SACRED TRAVOIS.”

tribe, moving slowly across the plains. When the line crossed the summit of the ridge, the dark forms outlined against the sky made a striking picture. The two noble chiefs were in the lead, Mad Wolf gazing straight ahead, tall, erect, and with head thrown proudly back, and O-mis-tai-po-kah at his side, much older, somewhat stooped, his long grey hair falling over his shoulders. They were closely followed by the medicine women, with the sacred travois and its mysterious bundles, the

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poles crossing in front, high above the horse's head and their butt ends dragging behind on the ground. There was a long line of warriors, with rifles and war bonnets of eagles’ feathers, and bearing the sacred Spear and Shield and also the Medicine Pipe. Bells fastened to the legs of the riders and around their horses’ necks

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THE THREE CHIEFS.

jingled at every step. Then came a number of travois, laden with lodges and supplies in charge of squaws. In the rear were groups of old men, women, children and young girls. Each family had its pack of dogs, all as gaunt and hungry-looking as prairie wolves. To the south lay Willow Creek and the broad plain selected by Mad Wolf for the camp, resembling an enormous

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arena with hills rising on all sides. It was covered with long prairie grass, still green from the many rains of spring. At one end was a small lake, and beyond, as far as the eye could reach, were green rounded ridges, closely following each other like great billows of the ocean. I overtook the procession while it was stopping

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“THERE WAS A LONG LINE OF WARRIORS WITH RIFLES AND WAR-BONNETS AND BEARING THE SACRED SPEAR AND SHIELD.”

at Willow Creek for the fourth and last time, as required by the Sun ceremonial.

Mad Wolf slowly advanced to the centre of the plain and all waited while he selected a site for the Sun lodge. There was no confusion. The site having been chosen, the camp circle was formed in an orderly manner, according to the different clans or blood relatives. Each family knew where they belonged, and took their accustomed positions. Mad Wolf as leader of the Nee-ah-kinna clan (Hard Top Knots), with his followers, occupied the north side of the plain. The

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[paragraph continues] Hard Top Knots were so named because of the peculiar arrangement of the hair of the chief, who founded the clan.

Click to enlarge MOUNTAIN CHIEF. (A noted warrior.)

There were also the Small Robes, Worm People, and Grease Melters, the last so called because they covered their roasted meats with melted grease. The Lone Eaters were so named, because one of their chiefs had been accustomed to rise early with his family and finish breakfast, before the rest of the tribe were astir, to avoid inviting guests. When his peculiarity was noticed, his clan became known as the Lone

Click to enlarge BIG MOON.

Eaters. The Don't Laughs name had its origin in the eccentricity of one of their women who shunned men and was never known to smile. But to the astonishment of the tribe she suddenly fell in love with a young man and eloped with him. After this incident, the clan took the name, Don't Laughs. The name of the Skunks had its rise in an occurrence which caused much

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amusement in the tribe. A young man wanted to marry an Indian maiden, but his suit was refused, because of his slovenly habits. She made a song and sang it publicly with the words, "Young men appear well at a distance, but when you are close to them, they smell like skunks." From that time his band

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PITCHING THE SACRED TIPI.

was named Ah-pi-ki-yix = Bad Smelling Animals (or Skunks).

Mad Wolf sat apart smoking, until everything was finished, but speaking to no one. Gives-to-the-Sun, too weak from fasting and the exertion of the journey to sit upright, leaned with bowed head and covered face against Natokema. The women assistants pitched her sacred tipi, before they attended to the wants of their own families. They scattered green branches

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around the outside as a sign that Gives-to-the-Sun, the sacred woman, must not i)e disturbed. The medicine

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ARRIVAL OF RUNNING CRANE LEADING THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE TRIBE.

bundles were placed inside and the sacred travois, with cottonwood branches, against the back of the lodge.

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TEARS-IN-HER-EYES IN HER BLACKFOOT CRADLE.

[paragraph continues] My tipi was shared by Kionama and Menake, Indian friends, who later went with me on my expedition into

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the north, with their daughter Sinopa (Kit-fox), two sons, Emonissi (Otter) and Seeyea, and Isto-kopena (Tears-in-her-eyes), a baby six months old. Tears-in-her-eyes was a niece of Mad Wolf's.

When her mother died, soon after her birth, she was nursed by sympathetic squaws, but continued to waste

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CHIEF OF THE MAD DOGS.

away, and would have died, had it not been for the motherly Menake. Under her watchful care she changed into a happy, healthy child, so pretty and lovable, that everyone was delighted to show her attention. Her cradle was a little hammock made of blankets, ingeniously folded over buckskin thongs and swung from the lodge poles. In the evening Menake rocked her to sleep, singing a Blackfoot cradle song.

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[paragraph continues] When buffaloes were numerous, the udders from dead buffalo cows have been taken for suckling babies, which had lost their mothers. There is a Blackfoot woman, now living, who was thus kept alive on buffalo milk.

Seco-mo-muckon (Running Crane) appeared later in the morning, leading the Indians from the south. He

Click to enlarge
MAD DOG LODGES (BLACKFEET POLICE).

took his position on the south side of the plain, opposite to Mad Wolf. With him were Neno-kyio (Bear Chief), Morning Eagle, Little Plume, Nena-estoke (Mountain Chief), Little Dog, Spotted Eagle, O-muck-ah-tose (Big Moon), Shoots-in-the-air, Brocky, Big Beaver, Flat Tail, Curly Bear, Stomick-onesta (Bull Calf), Elk Horn, Black Bear, Strangling Wolf, Kattana (No Chief), and

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[paragraph continues] White Man. During the day, the Indians continued to come from all directions, until they numbered about two thousand. There were representatives from many leading tribes of the north-west, the Nez Perce, Sarcees, North Blackfeet, Bloods, Crees, Assinniboines, Gros Ventres, Flatheads, Bannocks, Kutenai, Pend d’Oreilles, Mandans and Sioux. The camp was formed in an enormous circle, with the site for the sacred Sun-lodge in the centre. Many tipis of the leading chiefs were strikingly decorated. They were pitched, for the most part, in the inner circle, the most conspicuous part of the encampment, while the small and inferior tipis were relegated to the outskirts of the great circle. The three lodges of the Mad Dog Society (Blackfeet police) were grouped near the centre of the great circle. To them the chiefs looked for the enforcement of their orders and the policing of the encampment. In moving camp, they saw that none lagged behind, and in making camp, that every lodge was in its proper place, and that the great circle was symmetrically formed. I have never seen an equally large gathering of white men where there was as little disturbance. Although I was continually present, I saw no fighting in the great encampment, and it was a rare occurrence to hear even angry words. In their largest lodge, the Mad Dogs kept their weapons and society clothes, and assembled to feast and to dress for their dances, which took place both day and night.

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INNER CIRCLE OF PAINTED TIPIS

Footnotes

193:1 See Appendix.