Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-08

pad tribute to the medicine DEITY an.
nave finished a self-inHcted penanc.
"hich mas won for them glory in theil
trlbe and favor with the great sun god
says the Salt Lake Tribune.
! They have been touched with The
wing OF the holy eagle, consecratee
with the sacred sand, and hencefort,
! me bodies of these sixty shall be fre.
/ from ailment. and the great buffalo
| mas told them that in October their
ponies shall groan under the weight OF
deer hides which they will carry from
me hunting grounds in Colorado.
from Price to White Rocks. the
headquarters Of the Uintah Indian
agency. the distance is 10 miles. The
means OF conveyance is by stage or
blackboard. Tourists. who are not M
Ihci ous, ana travelling men who make
Vernal have been known to declare on
their first trip that the road was more
than 300 miles in length. They were
mistaken. They had simply crossed n
portion of the grtat American dcccr,
ittle OF the worst portion, ara their
judgment had been warped.
When the wheels Of ones rig nIouoh
and sand. and when every revolution
hurls enough of the same to obscure the
horses from view. and which same dust
bufns ana blinds the eyes, parches the
lips and throat, and Sits through every
stitch, 1t has a tendency to lengthen dis
tances and partit ularly are distances
deceiving if the greater portion of the
scenery is made up of barren. arid.
sandy waste. Here and there an oc
casional patch Of salt sage and ever the
sharp. quick bark of that desert senti-
mel. the prairie dog. Not enough like to
make death terrible Partly in such
surroundings, but be il also understood.
amidst some Of the finest land in Utah.
mas the government placed 10" and
here on their reservation they yearly
meet on the 18th of June. and for three
days and nights the sun dln,e.s 70
through their weird movements ara
incantations.
a description Of the dance may not be
amiSs. OFF to the west ana south or
WHIT" Rocks and about two and one
half miles from the agency. stretches a
level mesa, carpeted with buffalo grass
and dotted with sagebrush. Here are to
be seen number Of clrcuarinciosures
built Of poles and partly tumbled down.
These are "reminiscences to the Indian
mind and recall where former sun
dances We're held.
Prior 10 the dance many days have
been spent by the bucks who are to
take part in the ceremonies in selecting
ana preparing the timber that is TO BE-
used in the building OF their worship
pavilion.
IL IS generally known that work don't
strongly appeal to the Indian fancy. but
1t Is also part Of his religious belief
that no hand shall assist in the con
struction Of his crude place Of worship
but the hands OF those who are 10 take
part In the dance. The timber selected
ana brought to the place that has been
chosen near the scene of former dane
IS. n circular Enclosure assumes shape
by setting in the ground at regular in
t, rivals of a few feet n number of posts
between which is interlaced a thick
hedge made from the branches Of the
willow auti uuaking sh. In the cen
ter of the Enclosure. which is about sew
cnty feet in diameter, tall pole is
placed. from which is suspended the
image Of a buffalo. This pole. painted
with yellow ucher and vermillion. would
make BARRIERS sign look like a cheap
stick Were they to be compared. From
the top Of this pole. which is forked.
extend A number Of smaller ones, which
reach ana are bound to the circular
wall.
Within the Enclosure and to the rear
Of the dancers j. hung curtain Of
white cloth. upon which is painted in
crude heir0glyphics the animals which
the Indians and his forefathers have
been wont to hunt ana trap. together
with representations of the sun. moon
and stars. triangles, circles. etc.
The music. which constitutes no small
factor in this event, is furnished by
about :! dozen bucks who are success
ful in producing Il mighty din on q box
covered with bull hide. and these in
turn are ably seconded by more Indians
az work with notched sticks upon tin
cover ed instruments.
The choir is composed of squaws
and numbers about 100 highly shril
voices and their "Hi-Yi. ki-Yi. Hi-Ki"
becomes more impressive. if such a
term is permissible. when it is aug
mented by the sound produced in the
sWishinl ana waving of the green
branches which they hold in their
hands
Slowly the music commences. the
choir make ready and the dance be
gins. With SLOW movement the bucks.
naked from waist up. their bodies
covered with yellow and red paint.
commence their shufliing movement
toward the center Of the circle. which
is marked by the pole upon which is
SUSPENDED the buffalo image
Faster play the players upon their
mproNiSed iddles and rum ana louder
chants the hundred voices of the
squawS: forward and back. with
rapid movement in keeping with the
music, the dancers continue to and
from the pole. and never once do their
eyes shift from the image Of the
buffalo. Forward and back. forward
and back, they go. and to the music
furnished by those who are not dancing
IS added the shrill whistle produced by
that is hung by ~ cord around his neck
Three days AND nights does this keep
up the same repetition. the same cere-
mony. with hardly an iniermission.
though not always the same dancers, 70"
at no time did hnore than twenty dance
at once. Physical endurance. even in an
indian, must COME to an end, and whei.
10 their eXertioK is added the fact that