, 1866-07-11
THENORTHWES INDIAN
COMMISSION.
The Great Sioux Sun Dance.

I 9I1EN n1IS1Vt1AAs buuE 4o3 4l'1. !
The Northwestern Indian Commission, cou-
tai, AIaj. Gen. 8. r. Curtis, Hon. Orrin Gueru-
s,,y, Of Wisconsin, and Rev. q. W. Reed, Of
10 wa, assembled for the first time in full
here, the lndinns held what they term the
great "sun Dancc," which is OF so rare an
occur7e. ucc TINT persons who lave spent
long ttr11 OF years in tho Indian country uev-
CT w!tnes< ed lt-n description VI which,
hayc no doubt, will be Interesting to the MI
ulesous readers Of your paper,
IS.o1Ax "suN DANCE"
Nine or tcu t'ihcrcnt tribes Of the Sioux nj.
tion Of Indians Lad gathered togcthcr &: Fort
Sulfy to meet tho Commissioners, mud had
spread their cnmp.' on tho plain surrounding
the Fort, numbering nearly 800 lodges,
ul,d about 5000 SOILS They wcrrengased III
their usual routing Of Indian cnmp-lllc-
the ntn lonlny, smoking. sporting and eat
lnE; while tho squaws vera dung thu work
nt collecting iuel, bringing water, hertting
tlc,s numerous ponies, o r to!ltnc al tic still
more lnhohous drutgcry oi dressing bu.talo
rubes or other hktns.
tn tho aClA tay OF May, VIC were dnly In.
formed by the Indians that a religious pclfbr-
Manre wns to conlmcnce, which would he at-
tended by so11e l,otstcroHs but cItircty luno-
cent demonstrations. alid We informed tbs
commandant Of tho Fort WHO. the 1uttians
wcrc utsufal, might mistake thsir movements
for actual host!tltias. Preparatory to the
occasion, lodges were removed, 50 Al tu make
clear tlcld of several ncrcs In extent, where
1t vas proposed to locate thCgreat assembly.
On the day appointed, large numbers Went to
grovc SONS miles distant to gather poles
and bushes for the accommodations and; dec
oratIons oi great lodge, which was to be
the temple In which they were to dedltslte
themselves to their sacred services. About
! noon. two horseinen on the bare hills that
overlook the river and Fort, we're seen ridIn.
| rcuEa in small clfcla ut tull speed to sfvp
warning Of the approaching procession. Soon
a great dust arose from the valley Of Cherry
Creek, sud the heads OF a moving forest Of
bushes borne by men oa foot and. on horse
back, merged from the hills and approached
\ the stented ilcld," where several thousand
Indlnns, old aud young, had assembled to sec
the wonderful sight. The foatnen bore
top, and many heavy wooden fnrks, aanked
By hundreds, now bearing bushes, and all
singing the Indian dirge, so universal through
/ out all Indian tribes from the Rio Grnnde to
the British possessions, anu apparently only
varied with a few extra yclls to suit this
slowly till tue procession had strung out
several hundred yards on the plains, the
| scene suddenly changed. The men on horse
| back, covered with bushes. especially on
their heads and backs, dashed forward at
fill speed toward and through the Indian
calnp, scrcecling and yelling and gesticula-
ting as none but sayages can do. sw.1t
and onward, the swarm proceeded down
the miles Of l'dgcs md back, dashlng over
obstacles. throwing horses and riders. and
4 finally taking swift, circular motion In line,
| round the pluce dcsignatcd Tor their temple.
licIc those on foot lad now assembled, and,
sooner than have written this description,
thcy lud erected circular wall o. green
diameter. open about twenty feet on the east.
Tho horseWen deposited their boughs, aud
all retired. closing the first days arraugc-
mcnt for the great worship, OF the Sun.
Early Tn the next morning the horaen1eu
again rode ut tEishttal speed through tue
whole camp, yelling. firing guns, daslling at
the for. as In tuil charge, and again retiring,
after horsts and men seemed exhausted with
their violent cSertions. In the meantime the
great role was erected in the centre Of their
payilions, aud with the mid Of their wooden
forks md poles. partial roofing Of lodge
tkins has. been spread as n slopiue 1oof,
giving the whole the general appearance
Of q neat round tent. decorated
brsI,y top OF the erected pole. This centre
everything. H-s*c,ued sort Of sacred rod,
eyerIcd as tic heEo.lcnal centre OF all their
lc1tos: s:nances. Isr:oua skins, beaver, bear, wolf
ord other lntt,u ornaments were suspended
u, this stall aus s:rewn around It. On tue
south side ot tue tent largo number Of mu-
sicians, With large anl small Indian drums,
and tight dry bulls hide, were seated, and
at The proper tme Y beating csan;. TIL s.sS,
hldeous and boistcrous music during tho long
, continued oyations.
At high noon, the dancers, twcuty-four Ia
4 number, lad taken their Stallion In single line
/ on the north side Of the centro pnlc. They
! were decorated with strips Of beaver nnd
! weazel skins. Each had his whistle or little
!. I trumpet, that uttered sharp, harsh sound
They were naked down to their waists, and
generally painted dull blush clay color, cx
one, who was painted black. with red fHDscs
shirt made of antelope skin, which hum
down 10 tleEr ankles. Thus standing close u
lnic, with their tncca and eyes 1xcd on thu
!. burning noontay sun, the Music began, ant
;ey MoynG to ts sss,ay nn'S: eessn 'he
); Like all Indian dances, this consists Q
short jerking, jumping motions By morsl,
raleiDs the heel, and As tue drum coul
mcnccd, with each stroke OF the stick, the,
i vent up and down, ntteIlnG q ;onna @ VIII VIII
offering, stretched ont toward tho etin tn sol
l.; emu token Of alteration. OCCASIONALLY, a
nature seemed exhausted, they would sto]
and smoke, but no water or food conld touc
!, tleir lips and their rests were short. an'
y soon the dance was resumed 1y tho rene%a
Al DIV anti a!l Right the coat,uucl exercise VIE
faithfully pcriormad by all who could endur
ID the toil:o,ne excrtions..
On the ncxt day, June LIST, tha service
n. near the, sacred eenire pole to andesg =;
With an anil, and the other VIZ
r I. butcher knIte, were feated on esther sia' ,
" piecc which the man with tGo butcher knt
would Gu; about one-half or thrce'fouttt
70: Of an Inch long. These cuts wei
ads X 6,S zach l.rc1, 9,n' above sa
~ below each nrn,. The devote" must show 2
emotion, and II was surprising to see u
pc fidelity aud endurance exhibited In this r
70: gard. One uttered q u,ournlui cry. ont @ o.
70 Interpreter informed mc that tncse cI,es We
no 10 % he aGood Spirit" But many Of 4
Ia DANGERS were further tortured By cuts on II
,s: breast and back. Tho awl was thrust IN at
the flesh and skin ralscd, and seton or cor
rally triangular stick about the size Of
~ lead pencil was stuck through. = cord
H. rope was attached to the stick, and the rop
were attached 10 the center pole. II
dancer would pull on the ropes :.
he danced d.. s' s sns Mols nisn Sometime. snm t.
ps: hours Of daEcing and much hard pulling,
~ tear AWAY the strong flesh aud tough Ski
One who had two attached 10 bis two bIeas
lu- leaned back, dancing aud pulling, tul =
/, Or flesh seemed to be drawn out three INCL
..tx from lis bones Finally he leaned hac
1eo ss throwing nearly his wholc weight, beio
~. ~ thew tore ont. The Indian painted bla
oai. was the most Intense performer lie b
.ub- four OF these setons arranged. two on
beast and two on his back, attached BY 10
:op- ropc5 to the pole above his head. He dane
nme Ineessantly., In the afternoon he seem
~. much exhausted, hut Ettli. With eyes turn
toward the SUI, and uttering faint SCUM
ain with his whistle, he danced on, pulling
The four ropes till he tore them all loo
y: Bnt he looked pale and exhausted, and $
cut without change Of position or form. cont
- ucd his weary performance. announcer
four setons attached to the breast anu pa
eu- and to the ropes were attac!
four old dry, buffalo heads, includ
the NTH Of the horns These lie
olus 80 attached, Eere suspended so
to haur about his hins and shake as Ae dnu
an1 In q vain effort to shake them ou. Altho1
fzee, they were large and probably :wonld We
luts, twenty pounds, he continued to dance "
lon. out tearing ont the setons. Finally he z
nisn a friend Aorse to take them 1,y the III
.cn., and tenEthcm out.
'epa' is these victims thus Displayed t
heatlenish feryor, their female friends c.
In and had their arms cut in several places
show their devotional sympathy with t
'o3a. o deyotces. But the ism dance" which
= W. thus continued more than twenty hours,
wing the whole exhibition three days. Eas III