Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-11-07
Tobacco Planting Rites Among the Cro,u
Designed to Bring Good Luck to Those Taking Part

preparations consist Of raking it over
and removing clOds. A feast is held
while the ground is laid of for the
planting. The ground is divided up be-
tween the different chapters and then
the mixer for each chapter marks off
the space that each person is allotted.
In planting the tobacco. a husband
and wife work together. The woman
punches a hole in the ground with q
sharpened stick and the mar then
drops the seed and covers it. Songs
are sung as the planting goes on. After
the work is completed, another group
OF four songs is drummed and sung
While the women dance. Then all go
home except the mixers and their
wives, who remain to make nor medi-
cine. AT night, there is another dance.
After the planting. the garden is in
spected at regular intervals to see if
the tobacco is coming along we'll. If
the inspectors find weeds they notify
the members who go and emove them.
During the time between the plant
ing and harvesting, there are many
tabOoS to be observed. The members
must abstain from eating certain foods
and certain kinds Of songs must not be
sung. They do not point at the stars
during that period.
The planting is done when the choke
cherries are in blossom and harvest
comes when the choke cherries are
ripe.
Rites at Harvest Season
The harvest Is also attended with
certain rites and preparations. The
mixer and several members of each
chapter pluck the tobacco for their
chapter and then divide it among the
other members. 1t may also be dis
tributed to non-members for charms
or medicine but in such cases a horse
or other present is given for it. There
are also feastS and dances in connec-
ton with the harvest. Sometimes sew
eral harvesting trips must be made to
the garden if all Of it is not ripe the
first time.
While the tobacco was growing, it
was formerly the custom for those de-
string a vision to sleep at the garden.
In some cases, the seeker after a vision
would fast during the ceremonies and
then go into the garden after the
planting was over. 1t was on such &C.
casions that many of the devotees
learned new tobacco songs which they
heard in their dreams. Many of the
charters OF the society originated from
dreams Of certain objects or animals
which became the emblem of the new
chapter.
One of the chiefs of the tribe who
died a few years ago was Medicine
Grow, who had a fine record as a war
riOr but was more particularly famed
as a medicine man and religious lead
er. Medicine Grow was the originator
of the Strawberry chapter which be-
ron1o ono IF tho rnOct in, mort ut nrdorc
Medicine Grow had seen q vision of
a young man and yOuno woman, each
carrying a crown of Strawberries. They
wore red feathers. The red-headed
woodpecker was also an emblem of the
chapter. In the vision he was told
that if he wore these emblemS in the
tobacco ceremony. he would own all
the horses he had seen in the same
dream.
Choosing the Officers
The various offices in the tobacco
chapters were assigned originally by
the originator, but could be obtained
from the owner by gift or purchase.
Members were received into the So
ciety by adoption and the adopter was
regarded as the father of the novice
while other members were his brothers
and sisters. This relationship often in
Guided a protective and fraternal at
titude much after the of fra
ternal lodges among white people.
The adoption into the society and
chapter also bears a resemblance to
limitations into fraternal organizations.
The candidate is prepared over a peri
cd which may last several months dur
ing which he learns four tobacco songs
and is instructed in other ceremonies
and attends the dances held during
that time by his chapter. Gifts are
made to other members by the novice
and he also receives presents from
them.
A special adoption lodge Is prepared
for the initiation. The wner Of this
lodge is one of the principal leaders
in the chapter. Members and novices
are painted for the initiation. There
is a procession to the adoption lodge
and tobacco Is smoked in ceremonial
fashion. There are various chants and
dances in which instructors join with
the novices. Some of the old women
do most Of the dancing, holding in their
hands various medicines in the form
Of stuffed skins, and rOing through
their performance IN a very earnest
manner. limitations of the planting OF
the tobacco form the theme for some
Of the dances, which continue many
hours.
The novice also goes through a puri-
flcation ritual in a sWeat-lodge. The
novice enters the sweat-lodge with the
singers and other members Of the chap
ter. Water is poured on the hot rocks
four different times and four songs are
sung and then all come out and take
a bath. Medicine bags are hung IN the
sweat lodge while this ceremony is 60
ing on. After this the initiate is pre-
Uour~r!x