The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-07-26
AN INDIAN SUN DANCE.

the Indians Of the Far West, writes the |
following interesting account Of Sun
Dance, which he witnessed among the I
Sioux Indians, to the Keokuk Gate
city:
FoRr arLLY, June "a, 1903.
The whole of the three thousand /
Sioux camped about us gave me early
information of their design to have their /
annual sun dance at this time and place, |
the season Of the year, the trees IN full
leaf, having now arrived; and they wish
ed me to inform Col. Reeor, the COM
mander of the soldiers, that however
boisterous their demonstrations might |
be, they would oil be peaceahle and Of = |
pious character. ..-.. s.
A herald rode or ran through camp on
the evening of the 10Th, calling on the
tribes to unite in the religious ceremoni-
ais that were to commence on the day
following. A spot was selected near the
central part of the great Indian camp,
which extends some three miles along
the river, and lodges were removed 50 as
to give ample room for the erection Of
the great lodge or tent which they after
wards erected.
On the 3Oth procession on foot bear
ing poles for the tent, escorted by hum
dred horsemen covered with bushes, the
whole looking like a moving forest COM
ing down from the green high hills that
skirt the eastern side of the plains. As
they arrived on the plains the horsemen
started at full speed running through
camp, swinging their green boughs, and
yelling and gesticulating as none but
painted, half-naked Indians can. This
riding and running was attended with
singing and bowling through camp for
about on hour, when the large and small
bushes and poles were deposited at the
place designated for the great meeting.
During the night and early next morn
ing, new riding and racing feats went
on; and tho big teut was erected. A tall
pole in the center, with bushes and red
streamers near the top, about thirty feet
tree. Around this q circle Of bushes
about six feet high, with an opening to
the East, was carefully arranged, and a
partial roof from this bush wall was
spread over in a round tent form, maxi
ing pavilion about sixty feet In diam
eter.
About twelve o'clock the musicians
seated themselves on the south side;
they were about fifteen in number. They
had large Indian drum and large
bulls hide for instruments, upon which
, they began their nonotonous usual In
dian notes by pounding with clubs ant
sticks and all singing the usual sorrow
ful indian dirge. Twenty-Five men and
women facing the sun, began the reli-
gious dance. The men were decorated
with head dresses of feathers and strings
of furs, their naked bodies painted gene
rally blue clay color, and from their
waists down they wore a skirt made OF
: deer or antelope skins. Each had lit
lie whistle made Of bone in his mouth
The women were more modest in their
costume, but all were painted bideously
in the face, and all with eyes upturned
, towards the scorching MONDAY sun be-
gan their dance, each keeping time with
the drums by short hitch of the body
raising the heel and uttering a squeak
squeak, squeak, with the whistle as the
drum went tum, tum, tum. Occasion
ally they would stop and smoke, bu
? were not to eat or drink, and did not du
ring the twenty-four hours Of the per
, formance.
On yesterday, June 1st, the dancing
was delayed at intervals to allow torture
to be inflicted. Two or three men stoot
t very quietly performing penance accord
ing to the customs Of all those sacredo
tai riYh as follows:
First they cut the arms in several pla
. ces by striking an awl in the skin, rails
ing it and cutting out about half an inch
:, This is done on both arms, and some
n times on the breast and back. The
IS wooden setons, sticks about the thick
{, ness of a common lead pencil ARE inserte
= through hole i'm the skin and flesh.-
y Then cords or ropes are attached to thes
It sticks by one end; the victim pulling o
! the rope till the seton stick tears out tn
:. flesh and skin. l saw one with two 81
/. tons thus attached to his breast, pullin
l. till it seemed to draw the skin out thre
= inches, and finally requiring nearly hi
n whole might to tear out the seton. On
r painted black had four ropes attached
If once. The pulling out is done in th
., ., dance, the pulling carried on in the tim
!. % of the music by jerk, jerk, and the ey'
( head and front all facing the sun in
re form of supplication. One had four 9
- - tons attached to four dry buffalo hea
At bones. These were all strung and su
ta randed RI hiS flesh bv rODeS that raise