The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-03-16
THE sioux sun-oANcE.
One Of the Most carIous Customs Of =
WarlIke Indian Tribe.

Lieutenant SchwatIka coltributes to
she Century q curious custom OF the
Sioux. From this article we quote the
following: "When all had assembled
and the medicine-men had set the date
for the beginning of the great dance
dedicated to the sun. the 'sun-pole' was
selected. A handsome young pine or fir,
forty or fifty feet high, with the straight
est and most uniformly tepering trunk
that could be found within a reasonable
distance, was chosen. The selection is
always made by some old woman, gem
orally the Oldest one in the camp. If
there is any way of determining, who
leads a number of inaidcns gayly
dressed in the beautiful beaded buck
skin gowns they wear on state occa-
sions; the part of the maidcns is to strip
the tree OF its limbs as high as possible
without telling it, Woe to tho girl who
claims to be G'maiden and joins the pro-
cession tho cd squaw forms, against
whose claims any reputable warrior or
squaw may publicly proclaim. Fer pun
isbment is swift and sure, and hor deg
radiation moro cruel than interesting.
''The selection Of the tree is tho only
special feature Of the first days celebra-
ton. After it has been stripped of its
branches nearly TO the top, the brush
wood ana troes for o considerable dis
tgnce about it are removed, and 1t is
left standing for the ceremony of the
second day.
''Long before sunrise the eager par
tioipants in the noxt great step were
preparing themselves for the ordeal;,
and quarter OF an hour before the sun
rose above the broken hills OF white
clay long line of naked young warri-
ors, in gorgeous war-palnt and feathers,
with rifles, bows and arrows, and war
lances in hand, faced the east and
the sun-pole, which was from five to
six hundred yards away. Ordinarily
This group of warriors numbers from
iifty to possibly two hundred men. An
Interpreter near me estimated the line I.
beheld as from a thousand to twelve
hundred strong. Not far away, on a
high hill overlooking the barbaric
scene, was an old warrior, medicine
man of the tribe, think, whose solemn
dpty it was to announce by shout that
could be heard by every ono of the ex-
peetano throng the exact moment when
the tin Of the morning sun appeared
abo ST5he eastern hills. Perfect quiet
rested upon the line of young warriors
and upon the great throng of savage
spectators that blacl1ed the green hills
overlooking the arena. Suddenly the
oil warrior, who had been knecling on
one knee, with his extended palm shad-
ing his scraggyf eyebrows, arose 10 his
full height, and in a slow, dignifled
Inanner waved his blanketed arm above
his head. The few warriors who were
still unmounted now jumped hurriedly
upon their ponies; the broken, wavering
line rapidly took on more regular APP
peara -; and then the old man, who
had & iered himself for the great eff
fort, hafled forth yell that could be
heard to the uttermost limits of the
great throng. The morning sun had
sent its commands to its warriors on
earth to charge
"T'No 0Noot from the hin was re-
ecAoeu ~ the tnO44sulla iaen a. Gue val
ley; it was caught up by the spectators
on the hills as the long line OF warriors
hurled themselves forward towards the
sun-pole, the objective point of every
armed and naked savage in the yelling
line. AS they conyerged towards it the
slower ponies dropped out and the
weaker ones were crushed to the rear.
Nearer and nearer they came, the long
line becoming massed until it was but q
surging crowd Of plunging horses and
yelling, gesticulating riders. When tho
leading warriors had reached point
within q hundred yards of tho sun-pole
q sharp report of rifles sounded along
the line, and moment later the rush
inc mass was a sheet of flame. and the
rattle-shots was like the rapid beat of q
drum rcsounding among tho hills.
Every shot, every arrow and every lance
was directed at the pole, and bark and
chips we're flying from its sidos like
sbavings from the rotary bit Of plaRer.
When ovcry bullot had been discharged
ard overy arrow and lance had been
hurled tho riders crowded around the
polc'and SHOUTED as only excited savages
can shout.
"Had it fallen in this onslaughtaioth-
or polo would have been chosen and an
other morning devoted to this perform
alce. Though this seldom happens, it
was thought that the humorous assail-
ants Of this pole might bring i to the
ground. They did not, however, al
though it looked like ragged scare
crow, with chips and bark hanging from
its mutilatcd. sides.
"That such vast, tumultuous throng
could escape accident in all that wild
charging, firing of shots, hurting Of
lances and arrows and great excitement
would be bordering on miracle, end NO
miracle happened. One of the great
warriors was trarnpled upon in the
charge and died late that evening, and
another Indian was shot. The bruises.