The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-06-08
INDIAN "SNOW DANCE
SCENE At STANDING ROCK AGENCY.
FORT YATES, o. 7.


Half Naked Bucks Dancing to tho Heat
Of Tomtoms While tho Thermometer
Stands At 20 Dcgs. Below Zcro-Dog
Soup for Refrcshment.
I had long been wanting to see an In
dian "snow dance" when ono Saturday,
after tho usual bi-monthly issue of ratons,
1t was rumored that there was TO be an
unusually large one about four miles from
the post. 1t was clear, cold winter
night, with the mercury standing ut
~ dcgs below zero. The members of
our little party were soon snugly nesting
in the straw ut the bottom of a govern
ment sleigh. and we were travelling
toward the dance us fast us four good
mules could draw us.
The dance was held in q low log house,
about forty feet long and eighteen feet
wide. We alighted at the door, around
which were gathered quite crowd of un-
invited spectators. The door aud windows
were open and the house, which was not
divided into rooms, was lighted by two
kerosene lamps. We entered during u
lull in tho festivities. In one end of the
room, squatting on the ground close to
the wall, were thirty-five or forty squaws,
dressed in their usual calico dresses and
wooden shawls: Around the walls at the
other end sat the male guests, each with
his blanket or sheet drawn over him. In
one corner of the bucks end Of the room
was tOmtom, or Indian drum, around
which were seated Just us many old bucks
rs could crowd into the little circle. Near
the middle of the room ut the squaws'
end was another drum, equally well pro-
vidcd with musicians. Near these was n
small stove, in which n wrinkled old buck
was keeping up u fire by feeding it with
twigs. We ranged ourselves along the
wall near the door, and, although our en-
trance was noticed by all, they gave no
indication of it hy look or word.
CADENCE OF THE ToMToMs.
Soon after our entrance the old fellows
around the tomtoms began to beat them
with measured cadence, at the same time
accompanying the sound by grooming n
weird song. Suddenly one buck threw off
his sheet, and springing to his feet began
to dance. He was quickly followed by
the others, and i'll moment our brains
we've almost whirling ut the grotesque
sight. The dancing consisted of series
Of horrible contortions of body and face,
accompanied by the most blood curtllinc
shrcks and yells, the feet, meantime,
keeping accurately the cadence of tho
drums. Imagine my surprise when 1
noticed that Notwithstanding the extreme
cold of the night these men We're almost
entirely naked, most of them wearing no
clothing but II WOODEN brccchcloth and "a
pair Of beaded moccasins. They were
painted i'll the most striking manner from
head to foot. Each had II hcatdress or
bonnet of coloved buffalo hair, with IL
fringe of eagle feathers running down the
back. Brass bracelets and anklets and
strings of beds also adorned many of
them. The description of the decorations
of one Of them will serve for all.
In addition to the a'lornmcnts above
mentioned he had II double string of
sleigh bells running from hi, ankle to a
strap passed around the leg ut the knee.
AT the small Of his back, and attached to
his girtle, was an immense bunch of long,
colorcd buffalo hair. His face was painted
saffron yellow, with Il large red spot on
either check and horizontal red lines run
ming across the forehead. His eyebrows
and the edges Of the lids were painted u
dazzling white. His body was rcd and
his arms and legs were light blue, with
occasional bands of yellow. In one hand
he branNlished II tomahawk, highly orna-
mcntcd with colorcd horse hair and por-
cnpine quilts, and his appearance was
truly hdcous as he twisted himself into
almost impossible positions and gave his
blood curdlins yell. After the dancing
hal been going on for ten or fifteen min
lltcs the tomtoms ceased anil he retired
to his place by the wall and covered his
stcaming body with Il cotton sheet. lie
had probably walked II mile through the
snow with the Thermometer % dcgs.
below zero, with only that cotton sheet to
protect him from the cold. have seen
squaws walking through the SHOW in bare
feet and carrying their moccasns and
stockings in their hands. Each dance
was terminated by the old dime novel
war whoop, which the small boy initiates
by yelling, and mt the same time vibrat-
ing his hand before his mouth.
THE sQGAws TAKE PART.
Once i'll every hour the sqllaws are al
lowed to take part in the dancing while
the bucks rest. They join hands and
form n circle about their tomton, and
their dancing consists Of series OF rido
bitches to the left, accompanied by sing
ing. They slowly travel around the circle
Should any buck come near enough to the
circle, the squaw nearest sciZes his hand,
and he is compelled to join the squaw
dance ind make his captor present at its
close.
AT intervals during the dance we had
noticed two squaws enter, carrying be-
tween them an iron pot sluis on Il POLE
The pot was deposited near the stove, and
the squaws disappeared only to repeated
ly return with other similar burdens
The contents of the pots we discovered
constituted the refreshments. had the
curiosity to look into one of the pots, and
was mortified to find it filled with i, muddy
liquid out of which was protruding the
grinning head of Il good sized dog It had
been killed by a blow on the head and
thrown us it was into the pot tn boil,
Each guest brings with hin, 10 the dance
u tin cup with which he helps himself to
the soup at the proper time.
At these dances the Indians even now
work themselves into perfect frenzy, and
it has always been II custom with them to
engage in dance before going to war or
on the eve of battle. For this reason
they are allowed to dance only Oh certain
stated occasions.
SI'hS l'hS VI tIC OlHtIllcHtS VI ciiSlS
feathers. These are the half white, half
black feathers from the eagles wings, and
are greatly priced by the Indians, who
consider them "good medicine" But in
order to be acceptable to tine Indian, the
feathers must have been taken from an
eagle whose blood has not been spilled. In
order to accomplish this, the Indian goes
to II place near some eagles nest and digs
II cylindrical hole iii the ground just large
enough to hold him in a standing posi-
ton. He carefully removes all the earth
taken out, and then, placing the bodies of
few rabbits and birds around the OPEN
ing, he gets into the hole, pulling over
him the grass around the edges in order
to hide himself us much as possible. lie
will remain there sometimes for days at
time, until an eagle swoops down for the
bait. Then dusky hand is thrust out OF
the hole, and clutches tho birds LEG, and
another one is soon choking him to death.
--Cor. New York Sun.
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