The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27

these sign conversations during the dance
are. outbursts of wit and sarcasm, which
are received by the onlookers with great
shouts OF laughter and applause as the lit
tie thrusts are sent home
THEY PLAY MANY FRANKS.
There is also lots of merriment and fun
IA the kissing figure. The leading woman
dances up to her selected partner and after
taking him through the maze as before,
they separate and each chooses another
partner, and so on until the requisite num-
Der of couples are on the floor. At given
signal all hands go to their proper partners
and the leading woman returns TO the man
she first selected. the two selected by him
and her go together. Those chosen by these
go together, and so on. Then all seat them
selves on the ground, couple facing each
other, when the man deliberately kisses the
woman Sometimes the more modest
couples will draw shawl over the head
during this performance. One feature of
this dance that causes much amusement is
that while the leader can kiss the man she
chooses 10, she and he can select those
persons who would be less likely to want
TO kiss each other. He may take love-
sick boy and make him kiss toothless
old woman OF take the ugliest squaw in the
bunch and make a handsome buck kiss her.
Some OF the mischievous ones cause no end
OF merriment and complications, for fire.
quently a buck is made to kiss the wife he
has sold or traded off.
The 'eating dance is another figure full
of fun and merriment. After the leader has
danced round or two with the partner of
her selection, they go to the 'refreshment
table and, after helping themselves, pick
up something for the next partner to eat;
sometimes it is good, at others bad and
still again absolutely worthless, but the
next partner must eat it whether or no.
This is continued with every change OF
partners until the floor is crowded, and
much fun is had watching a dance where
everybody is trying to get as much as pos
sible or something they either do or do not
like. 1t would be a breach of good man.
ners for any one not to appear to enjoy the
morsei that was offered as a favor"
Sometimes toothless old squaw will be
munching away at bone with absolutely
nothing on ii, while a buck with a motor
iously large appetite will be nibbling at a
small cracker with apparent relish.
1 have been told that the Indians some
times have masquerade parties, but have
never witnessed one. 1 judge, however, they
are pretty well on the same lines as those
given by the whites.
THE BEGGING DANCE.
Probably the most curious of all the In
dian social dances is what was known as
the begging Dance" which required the
active participation of two separate and
distinct tribes who had become friends
after having been on hostile terms. This
dance was somewhat in the nature of a
surprise party, when the fighting men OF a
tribe dressed i'm their ordinary clothes
would swoop down on camp shooting and
shouting as though they were making a
hostile attack. Those Indians that were
apparently attacked, recognizing the nature
OF the surprise, would throw down their
arms and form themselves in wide circle
in the center OF the camp. The attacking
Indians made believe as if they intended TO
destroy the camp, but at a given signal
would throw aside their arms and form
inside the circle where a ceremonial dance
would be held. 1t is supposed to be purely
dance of reconciliation, and the sat
tackled Indians are supposed to make pres
ents to the raiders" A begging dance is
often as grave calamity to the Indian
tribe as a real hostile attack. for the
! raiders" usually carry off in presents
everything of value in the camp.
There is not a race of people on earth
more carried away by excitement than the
Indian, but at the same time he enjoys the
mild form OF the social dance in a manner
that it is hard for the whites to appreci-
ate.
No matter how the figures in the In
dian dances may vary, the step is generally
the same, and contains little grace The
feet are kept together, the entire weight
of the body resting on the balls, the heels
not touching the ground. The dancing
consists Of springing both feet at the
same time. The movement is accompanied
by corresponding rise and fall of the
shoulders and nervous jerking of the body,
which communicates a motion to nearly
every muscle. The calves Of the legs come
in for the hardest work and with half an
evenings exertion of this sort a white man
would be laid up for a week, yet the Indian
can continue it almost without stopping
from dark to daylight.
ANDREW s. BURT