The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-30
Their Corn Dance Will Cost
Like a Coronation.
ENTERTAINING ROYALTY
DR.. Mayhem Tells About the
Great Dance.

the Indian sun dance at White Eagle
and they tell a very interesting story
which is repeated in substance in the
Daily News. as follows:
THE government has decreed that the
indians shall never hold another sun
dance" said Dr. T a. Mayhem. today.
with Mrs Mayhew he went TO Blackwell
Sunday and from there drove 70 the
Ponca agency in company with Mr.. and
Mrs. Elmer Layne, Mr.. and Mrs Green
Dowis and Mr.. and Mrs. Willard Foster
where the famous sun dance given BY
the Indians each year, was in full sway
on the Ponca reservation. The dance was
being held at White Eagle. a settlement
twenty-five miles due south Of Blackwell.
No" resumed the doctor, there viii
be no more sun dances. Even this year
the goverUment denied the Indians the
right to torture themselves In former
times they slashed themselves with
knives and gouged OFT pieces of flesh
with blunt stones, etc. The result Of the
dance is that the Indians are led into the
greatest Of excitement imaginable and it
requires weeks for them to become calm
and settled again. Often the later day
outbreaks among the Indians have been
attributed to these sun dances. If an In
dian can dance all day in the rays of the
sun. looking all the time into its face.
without tiring or showing signs Of ex-
haustion, he has conquered the sun. Such
an achievement allows him privileges in
the tribe that makes him a great man or
woman
The dance is of course the outcome
OF q superstitious belief among the IN
dams. yet an Indian never becomes too
old nor too educated to forego this belief
II the mob OF seventy or eighty bucks
or squaws who took part in the Ponca
sun dance this year were several gradu-
ates Of Haskell, Carlisle and Chiliocco
Indian schools. Their paint and their
equipage for the dance was just as bright
and gaudy as those worn by the most
ignorant Of the tribe. In the mob of
dancers were representatives of a dozen
or more tribes. namely the Poncas, Paw
nees- Otoes Tonkawas. Omahas, from
Nebraska. and Sacs and Foxes.
The sun dance is a religious function
and is not done for the mere sport Of the
thing or for the benefit Of the white spec
tators The Indian believes just as much
in the tiresome ordeal as the white man
does in joining the Masons, Odd Fellows.
or any secret order. And a part of the
business Of the dance is done in secret.
not even the Indians who are not eligible
to become dancers being permitted 10
have audience to what is going forward.
Some kind OF herb is stewed and eaten.
some kind of narcotic is burned and in
hailed from long pipes and many mys-
ferrous passes are made in as many DIFF
ferent ways.
When the dancer appears for the day
he is adorned with paint. feathers.
blanket. or whatever il is his office to
wear. just as his degree betokens. If il
IS the first OF the oriental degree he wears
such and such. If he is thirty third
degree. he appears with more elaborate
bib and tucker
Some Of the Indians wore red paint.
some red and yellow paint. some red
paint with white spots on their bodies.
some carried shields. some wreaths OF
sage brush and some only eagle feathers
and a bell. There were passwords and
grips and to the outsider it looked not
unlike a meeting OF the old fashioned
Farmers alliance.
''The Indians have many ideals that
control the dance. one being the giving
of expensive presents. Only the dancers
have the privilege OF selecting to whom
the presents be given. Everything from
-, ~.
Indians received money and some silk
and broadcloth dress patterns. ponies.
tents. and even sewing machines The
custom is for the squaw to appear with
a roll OF money that would choke a COW.
some horses. many Of which were led
with halters made from silk or broad
cloth dress patterns and their tails and
mains tied up with the same expensive
harness. and select which Of the visiting
tribes was to be llonored. Chief White
Ea gle would then advance, singing or
N umbling a crude song and at the sug-
estion Of some OF the dancers OF the
Ponca tribe, single out buck or squaw.
as the case might be, from the visiting
tribe and present the gift.
If the sift was TO be money he would
skin Eve or ten or a twenty from the
roll furnished him and hand it over. The
same way if the gift was cattle IN char
setter Thea the dance would proceed.
There are fully ISo0 Indians attending
the dance and they are the guests Of tAe
Poncas who are going broke keeping
them and giving them presents. They
have sold their land and arc Just now roll
ing in wealth. Merchants In Ponca City
and other towns adjoining the reserva-
ton are setting rich en- the sale Of ma
terial TO the Poncas as they get several
prices. II makes no difference 10 the In
dian Il II has color. White Essla
Standing Elk and watonga are the dis
psnsing chiefs and they seem to have the
dance 10 charge II ends tonight after
weeks duration. Friday night the green
corn dance is held and then the festi.i-
ties viii come 10 a close.
None or the dancers can keer III, his
work continuously all day The festival
T7ins from sun up 10 sun down but the
dancers repair TO tents az intervals 10 re-
fresh themselves with stew and narcotics.
part OF the ceremony is held the nisht
before the dance begins and is secret In
the morning Of the first day the chief
mounts a knoll and with a large cross
made OF tree limbs. tells how the tribe
has endured. once he said. The tribe