Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-16
! THE SIOUX SUN DANCE.

a THE SIOUX SUN DANCE. ,
Gathering of $4,000 Indians Mt =
'a-1t Rosebud Agency. |,
of the st. Paul Pioneer-Press. t
The Sioux Indians assemble in council at I
, Sun dance on Rosebud agency. 1t is the 4
assembly of Sioux Indians held for
years, all the tribes and agencies on {
he Missouri river having representatives
here, and also Red Cloud and Sisseton agen.
cies being represented by a large number Of
Indians, supposed to be 10000.
They first held a large council, which met
on the 29th of June, and was principally for
peace. This was followed by a grand horse
race. of four miles, an Indian pony against
an American horse. They run for sixteen
ponies, eight on aside, and the Indian pony
distanced the American horse, although the
latter led for the first mile and a half. The
Indians rode out to shoot the American
horse, when he came in so far behind, but
the owner begged off. The next day, June
80, they began preparations for the dance,
which lasted three Gays. This dance, called
the Sun dance, is considered rs kind Of a
religious ~cerennpny-as Spotted Tail re-
marked to me- THE whites have their
churches, and weshave this performance"
1t also serves to make young men braves,
and show their power Of enduring pain and
fatigue without showing it.
There are about two huodred chiefs and
headmen selected, who send out scouts to
find a tree suitable for the Medicine pole,
to which the dancers are to be tied. Up
on the return Of the scouts they all ride out
- -h,,o &l,o o11a 10 ooH rctnrn Union fhau'
! make a grand charge on a bush stuck in the
ground, and strike at it as they pass, until
they came to an old man, who rode around
it four times and then dismounted and broke
a piece off the top of it, when they all gave
a yell of delight as this meant he had killed
an enemy in battle. This was followed by
giving away about two hundred ponies.
The next day they were 10 cut the pole,
and these two hundred braves, mounted on
their ponies, ride out at about II q. m, but
no one is allowed, to follow them. for half
an hour, as they are going to make medi-
cine, and do not allow anyone to witness
It; blu. after this time had elapsed they were
| followed q distance of about five miles by
1.-The whole camp to witness the: cutting of
the tree, which was done by a squaw. The
privilege of cutting the tree is considered a
great honor among them. and the person
who cuts it gives away q pony or two, after
which these 200 selected ones form q circle
and bring in the drum (Which was a big
bass drum presented to them by one Of the
traders at the agency and commence to
dance and give away ponies. This contin.
ues for about three hours, when they load
the tree on a wagon and start for camp, but
will not allow any one to go into camp
ahead of the tree. Quite q number tried it,
xr,4 ~ %hroo .tinooo h,,f u,oro oovouo dviVop
back by q party OF Indians stationed on
one of the hills, and ii the party persist in
going into camp they will kill their horses.
This they call soldering on one another.
and is much dreaded by them.
When the party were just outside of the
camp, they all came to a halt and gave a
great shout, when the young men charged
into camp, and We all followed. The pole
is taken to where they are building the cir
Gle, and placed in the center when it is
raised. They having tied several pieces Of
cloth on it and an image Of a buffalo and a
man cut out of rawhide. These are offer
ings to the Great Spirit. Then they all
commence to build q large circle of boughs
on the outside and a row of poles about
twenty feet from this, with braces from one
to another, and they place other tepee poles
from the outside to these, and spread their
tepee cloth over them for a shelter.
In the meantime they are baptising or
christening their children. A buck and his
squaw enter the circle with a child on a
pony. The child is covered with fancy
bead-work and Shells. and the pony il
painted just as their fancy may dictate
Sometimes they have two or three ponies
They all advance to one side of the ring
and some old man steps out to annoupc
whom they will give the pony and all tn
, child's ornaments to, and he announces til
persons nam who'comes, out to. whereth
child is, and assists in the ceremony whicl
consists in Sitting the child's ears in tn
upper third, when he is taken out. Hi
appearance as he goes out is quite a contras
to when he entered. He comes in on
pony and is covered with ornaments, br
goes out with nothing on but a breech-clou
1t is a good comparison to Niagara Falls
Q it costs you nothing to- see them, but the
a manage to skin you before you leave. Jut
!. at night all the persons who were going I
dance enter the circle, each one wearin
! a buffalo robe, which they leave
one side and advance to the wigwal
. pole and offer up a prayer, then the
commence dancing, which they have
keep up for twenty-four hours without foo
or drink. Just.at this time it commences
;. rain, and Spotted Tail said to me the Gre,
] Father is going to baptize US all, and such
STORM AZ We had warranted the idea, for t
PEGS were blown down all over the cam,
Two Eagles, the man who keeps the gho
lodge, said they never had rain before du
log ! Sun dance, and it was because II
Great Father was angry because they d
not commence right, and that there we
four murderers among the dancers who di
not ooma n,,t Then they ought 10.