Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-19
A sun Dance Among the Sioux.

A sun Dance Among the Sioux.
A letter received at the Interior De.
partment from DR.. T.. Woodbridge,
agency physician for the Fort Peck
Agency, gives the following graphic
description OF the annual "sun dance
of the Sioux Nation, which took place
near Poplar River, in Montana Ter
ritory, about three weeks ago.
/ have just witnessed the great In
dian festival of the "sun Dance" or
worship of the sun. Great prepare
tons had been made for it, and every
thing was on the grandest scale. The
city Of lodges was moved, and the In
dams encamped on a beautiful plain
enclosing hollow square, large
enough for the movements of thou
sands of horsemen. In the center the
great pavilion or medicine lodge was
erected, $50 feet in diameter, the out
poplar and willow, thickly interviewer
with green branches. Resting on this
and on rude framework within, all
around for about twenty feet the space
was covered with buffalo skins, forming
the "dress CIRCLE" with places as
signed to the musicians and actors or
dancers. In the center was the great
medicine pole fifty feet high. The
diameter of the central space, about
100 feet, was open to the broad sun
light.
Only the men occupied the deep cir
Gle, where they were feasted during the
performance of twenty eight continu-
Gus hours, during which timo about
forty dogs were inundated and eaten,
besides large quantities of buffalo
meat, wild turnip heads and hot cal
drons of other eatables that are name
less. The audience was composed of
about 5000 Indians, but as only the
men occupied the circle within. the
common people, women and boys, had
to be satisfied by viewing the perfor
nance through the wide entrance or
through the interstices in the lesfy bar
riers. All had on their holiday attire.
The dresses of some of the chiefs, and
those acting as directors or priests,
were gorgeous.
When all was prepared, amid the
waving of banners, music, and the
loud shouting of the assembled throng,
over fifty braves entered-each an
Apoilo-psinted and naked to the waist,
except a profusion of ornaments, with
headdresses of beautiful feathers, their
black, glossy hair reaching down to
their lower garments, which were most
beautifully and artistically arranged.
Each carried in his hand an orna-
mented whistle. made from the bone of
an eagles wing, which was blown
shrilly during the dancing. Each also
carried bouquet composed mostly of
the wild sage. Their appearance and
reception we're grand and imposing.
The first afternoons performance
would have been called wonderful for
display of heroism and power to en-
dure and suffer. Many had from fifty
to two hundred pieces cut out of the
living flesh from their arms and back.
The dance was kept up all night with
undated fervor, every performance
having something new and startling.
But in the morning torture reigned su-
preme, men dancing with two, three
and four buffalo heads suspended from
holes cut in their flesh. One Indian
dragged on the ground eight buffalo
heads fastened to the flesh of his back,
and in the STOPPING posture he was
forced to assume they had lacerated or
torn the cuts in his back to the extent
OF three inches. Others were held by
four different cords, two in the breast
and two in the bsck-fastened to four
stakes; and still others we're fastened to
tue center pole with ropes which were
fastened to the breast and back. Some
in addition to being fastened by the
Aesh of their brea.ts had buffalo heads
suspended from the back, and they
would be seized by the hanging heals
and jerked until one would think their
life would be forfeited; others made
frantic efforts to break loose, aud l Of
ten noticed the integunent to be
stretched three or four inches from the
body. Some fell faint and exhausted,
and with wild shouts, the din of music
and weird songs, made OF it perfect
pandemonium.
The dancers neither took food, sleep
nor water during the festival Their
dancing, their invocations and their
prayers were fervent. They laid their
faces on the buffalo heads while pray
ing for success in hunting. and the
priest wept AMI asked the Great Spirit
to give them success in the chase and
let them have food for their wives and
children; also, to give them plenty of
horses, to prosper them and help them
| to subdue their enemies. The sod was
carefully removed in spot four feet
square, and within white cross was
made. Their lberality was unbounded.
Over 200 horses were given away. be-
sides great Quantities ~ o{bar ort;