The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-25
SIOUX LOVEMAKING.
How a Young Indian Warrior Makes
Known His Passion.

Maiden or his CnOlce Win hidnAet OF
Sings to Her In the Dead of Night.
Although the Sioux Indian is, under
all other circumstances, as stoical as
stone, his heart softens under the touch
of love, and he is as romantic in his
courtship as the most sentimental eau
casian. The old custom of selling a
maiden to her lover by her father has
fallen into disrepute. 1t is one OF the
savage customs successfully eradicated
by missionary teachers. In those days
squaw was considered beast of bur-
den, while her condition is now much
improved.
There are two characteristic methods
Of Sioux courtship commonly practiced,
though it must be admitted that with
the gradual education of the young men
and women in the schools there is an
apparent tendency to ape the ways OF
their white brothers and sisters and to
consume the fuel Of their parents in the
pursuance of their lovemaking, but with
those from whose natures it seems i'm
possible to eradicate the traits of their
forefathers the customs followed by their
ancestors are still CONNIE il fault, and to
these they stubbornly adhere.
Ration day is seized upon by these
sstrue Indians" for lovemaking, and the
sport of it is as heartily enjoyed by the
old as by the young. When brave
finds upon the agency grounds the maid
en- of his choice. he manifests his prefer
ence for her by taking the blanket from
his shoulders and stretching it out before
him, rushing at her with the intention
of throwing it over her head and Shout
der IF the brave doesn't succeed in cap
turing the girl at the first attempt, he
tries again and persists in his efforts I'M
til he is satisfied by her action that his
suit is not approved. If his advances are
favored, the maiden, after brief period
coquetry, allows the blanket to settle
over her head, and thus enveloped she
listens as well as she can to a verbal ac
counting of his deeds of prowess as a
hunter, of his possessions in ponies and
skins, and the low chanting of song in
which he pledges his love eternally.
If after listening to this the maiden
is still willing to become his squaw, she
tells him So The blanket is removed
from her shoulders and together they go
to the maiden's parents, or, if they are
dead, to her nearest relatives. to whom
they declare their desire The match is
speedily sanctioned, and when they leave
the agency the bride carries on her shout
ders a portion of her husbands rations.
There is less romance in this method of
winning wife than in the custom of
woeing with the aid of flute. Such
courtship as this must be carried on IN
the spring when the sap is running in
the trees, for only at this time can the
wooer make his tuneful instrument
The manufacture of flute is not a diff
cult piece of work. A section of willow
or any other wood with smooth bark is
CT. ,sen. 1t must be about is inches long
and half an inch in diameter. With a
smooth stick this piece of wood is vigor-
ously rubbed until the bark has been
loosened on the wood. 1t is then twisted
off. A row Of holes is cut through the
bark, and it is when completed exactly
like fife, though less shrill in tone.
The brave invariably chooses pleas
ant night for his lovemaking. When
the conditions are favorable, he locates
himself a short distance from the tepee
in which the object of his affection is
sleeping and blows on his bark flute
weird chant, probably an impromptu
composition:
Of course the sound of the flute at
tracts the attention Of the people in the
village, who gather around the ardent
swain and indulge in good natured badi-
mage at his expense. If he is true lover
and desirable man for a husband, he
will continue his playing, Indifferent to
the presence of his tormentors.
The test sometimes lasts two hours be-
fore the father of the maiden who is thus
being wooed issues from the tepee and
ascertains who the serenader is. He re-
ports to his daughter, and if she ap-
proves the sutton she goes forth to meet
him and leads him to her tepee for the
sanction of her parents. If, she doesn't
approve the man. she tells her father to
dismiss him, which he does, and the I'M
successful lover disconsolately pockets
his flute and leaves, followed by the
jeers of the crowd.
It not infrequently occurs that the
lovemaker is unable to keep his temper
while the crowd is rallying him. He
sometimes even throws down his flute
and attacks his prosecutors. Such mani
festation is considered an evidence of bad
taste and indicating defect In the WOO
er's character. 1t is useless for the I'M
fortunate fellow to press his suit further
after such a breach of etiquette.
Sioux parents of manageable daugh-
ter use good deal of diplomacy in dis
posing of her hand in marriage. They
are always ambitious to find husband
who has considerable wealth, for accord
ing to tribal law they are entitled to a
certain portion of the possessions of the
son-in-law. It sometimes happens that
the hand of the same maiden is sought
by several braves. When this is the case,
the will of the father rises superior to
that of the daughter, and she is compelled
to consider his choice, which he does not