Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-01-21
INDIAN DANCES.
Ceremonious and Social ,Observ.
ances of the Red Man.


o i'"s ehal tne lndlan dances and
ceremonies are almost obsolete. II i,
true that on rare occasions the savaoe
tribes indulge in some ceremonial dance
but the round of pleasure that few
years ago marked the Indians year ia
gone forever, and many dances that were
formerly often seen will never be wit.
messed again, for while there are still
many Wild Indians, each tribe has It's
distinctive dances, and with the civiliza-
tlon OF a tribe or its extinction came the
loss Of its peculiar dances.
The Cheyenne, Arapahoe and Sioux In
olans were the most noted among the red
men Tor their dances, both as regards the
variety and number Of good dancers. An
investigation reveals the fact that now
dances are of rare occurrence. and when
they are performed it is done in per-
functory manner, as though it was all
duty and no pleasure. The contrast with
the conditions Of things in the same
tribes ten years ago is striking, and this
decadence OF Indian ceremonial has
caused an inquiry into the old rites.
Living near Leavenworth is an old
Arapahoe chief, who is peacefully end
ing his days in a good, civilized man.
ner. He was noted for his great agility
In the dance, and TO such an extent
were his performances remarkable that
his name of Black Wolf had been trans
formed by the French trappers into l..
Loup Cuvier, or the Leaping Wolf.
Knowing his former fame he was
sought and asked to give some informa-
ton regarding the dances in which he
took part. The old Indian was slow to
start, but as he became interested, he
was animated with the recollections of
his youthful days, and, with flashing
eyes, he almost seemed to renew his
youth as he recounted the achievements
of his race The substance of his talk
was CLEANED and is here given.
| There are three kinds OF Indian
[ dances; Religious ceremonial secular
| ceremonial and social The hoch-e-a-
/ yum or medicine dance of the Cheyennes
/ and Arapahoes is identical with the IA
nous sun dance of the Sioux, and all the
/ wild tribes had dance which repre-
sented the same idea, but in the more
warlike tribes the dance was followed
by horrible tortures. These fortunes
were accepted as the tests of endurance,
which is looked upon as the Hottest
human virtue. These tortures are not
part Of the hoch-e-a-yum, but take place
at the close of that ceremony. Twenty
years ago when an Indian youth desired
to leave the ranks of childhood he was
obliged 10 go through an ordeal as brutal
and bloody as it was possible for Indian
ingenuity to conceive. At that time
there were volunteers for torture at the
close Of every medicine dance. They
were generally young men, but on rare
occasions an older warrior would desire
to expiate some wrong and would do SC
through self-torture. Those who vol
unteered for the torture did not join the
dance, but spent the few days immedi-
ately preceding the trial in fasting and
seclusion.
The old men and the medicine CHIEF
decided when the proper time had ar
rived, and sent for the volunteers one
by one. They were stripped to the
breech-clout and were examined care
fully to ascertain what amount OF SUI
fering they could endure without fata
consequences. When all had beef
looked over certain religious ceremo
MES were performed, and the medicine
chief took broad-bladed knife an'
approached the line. On some he wouI'
make two vertical incisions on eacl
. breast. about two inches apart, passing
the knife through the pectoral muscles
The portion between the inclslon
I would be lifted up and the ends Q
horse-hair rope passed through an
fastened to pieces OF wood. The fire
end of the rope was then fastened t
the top of the lodge pole, giving tn
, Indian about ten feet play. Some
, times the incisions were made throug
the muscles of the back and the rope
attached to blocks of wood or ouHaI
skulls. Others were dragged up Int
I the air and left to hang until thel
, weiobt and struggles tore out the mes
5 and released them.
, In this condition the sufferers II
( manned without food or water unuI
their own effort, or the sottening
their tissues, they were able TO te'
Z themselves loose from the ropes Fac
a man would make most strenuous eHor
;. TO free himself They realized that
a was best to tear loose as soon as poSS
ble not only as quicker end OF the
! torture, but also from religious PoA'
Y of view, as it was good meuIelhe
:, tear loose at once. but bad medicine
;. he a long time about it AS soon as q
victim was freed he was examined
4 the medicine chief and religious Ger
:, monies were gone through with an
y which the wounds were dressed anu u
Il warrior received the congratulations
;. his friends. ~, hi
l. Should any one finch from the Anl
} or cry out or show any signs OF suHeili
n during the progress OF the tria! ne "
l. released atonce and was Thereafter !
1t rroced man. He was held III gr"A' -
,ewrt could neither hold property n
-, and was made to do women "o'
~ .,,,ose ceremonies were common !"
~ Wild Indians. although under olhere
a names. At times some "a'i'V' -,
announce that on certain o"S
;, undergo the torture in expiration "a ~
- dsea which he had committed p'4S
- nola was PLANTED. and after the rope
run through the incisions the o'. .sa -,
:, would be tied to the top OF sne p
81 which was bent over for the pu, rp,
ms T Is tbe most exasperating form
De the torture, for the pole would CIV! I've. "
w his struggles. but q. tie same VIZ