The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1908-06-17
The Indian Sun Dance
The Bankers Will See
By Jennie F. Brock


Maidens Of blameless life often are
permitted to assist. The tree must
not be touched by any one while be-
ing removed to the U-ma-ne. where
il is carried on primitive stretcher
like affair. or cart and when safely
brought it is erected in a pit dug
down to virgin earth and fragrant
with sweet smelling leaves.
All night before the real dance be-
gins the candidate is decorated, FUN
igated and prepared in the tent u
preparation. He prays, sings the
sun dance song and chews leaves from
an herb that hangs about his neck
which prevents hunger.
The pole is raised by the chiefs
and distinguished men Of the tribe,
it is decorated near the top with nu-
merous gifts of treasures bestowed
by friends. mostly women, of the de-
voice. The dance lodge is left open
at the top so that the candidate may
look constantly at the sun by day
and the moon by night, this being
always required.
The aged men and chiefs now cir
Gle about, tell of their victories and
shoot the objects from the pole,
which are distributed among the peo-
pie. While crier with wand keeps
back the crowd the candidate with
PAINTED palms extended toward the
sun enters He is nude to the waist,
with hair loose and flowing and a
skirt falling from his belt. He cries,
4 dances and blows whistle made
4 from the bone of an eagle as he is
/ led between four posts. Here the
/ flesh on mis- back is scarifed in two
/ places and thongs run through and
/ fastened to the poles behind him
4 His chest is then served in like man
ner and attached to the posts in
front. Skewers are then run hor-
\ izontally through the cuts attached
to thongs which. in turn, are fastened
10 the sun pole.
! Sometimes he is lifted from the
earth and angs thus attached to the
pole until the flesh breaks away and
he falls One authority states he saw
young Indian hang one hour and
seven minutes before his weight
broke the flesh and released him and
that he tainted four times during the
process.
Sometimes sllewers of wood are
run through these wounds and kept
as souvenirs of the tragedy, for such
i it seems to be. At times they carry
buffalo's head on their backs to
increase the torture.
Any of the friends who desire to
show their sympathy and desire to
aid in the good work, bare their
backs and allow pieces to be cut from
their shoulders as offerings to the
sun god One woman, on the special
occasion described, had her arms
scarified from shoulder to elbow
All day and all night the devotec
dances around the pole, turning ever
with the sun and keeping his eyes
fastened ON its burning glare, and
on the moon at night. Then he is
released. Gradually bits of food and
sips of water are administered until
he can eat once more as he may de-
sire.
This vision is related to his people
and ever after he is revered and hon
ored in his tribe, and we'll has he paid
for such honors. Now we know that
bankers are sometimes accused of
being very rapacious individuals but
we much doubt if they wish to serve
us up such dish at their festal gath
ering. Nor do we believe the people
of Yakima are DESTROYS of witnessing
such a ceremonial. Let us be con-
tent with the Indian games, and an
occasional pow WOW of more modern
simplification / think we may as
well dispense with expectations IT
a real old fashioned sun dance 1T
least, as our Indians have learned
something of the self preservation
which belongs to the general make
up OF their white brother.
There Are Few
people who know how to take care
! of themselYes-the majority do not