Indian Games and Danceswith Native Songs

Arranged from American IndianCeremonials and Sports

BYALICE C. FLETCHER

Holder of the Thaw Fellowship, Peabody Museum, Harvard University

_Author of The Hako, The Omaha Tribe, Indian Stories and Song, etc. _

1915

Dedicated to

THE YOUTH OF AMERICA

PREFACE

This little book took its rise in the following experience that came to memany years ago when living with the Indians in their homes and pursuing myethnological studies:

One day I suddenly realized with a rude shock that, unlike my Indianfriends, I was an alien, a stranger in my native land; its fauna and florahad no fond, familiar place amid my mental imagery, nor did any thoughts ofhuman aspiration or love give to its hills and valleys the charm ofpersonal companionship. I was alone, even in my loneliness. 

Time went on. The outward aspect of nature remained the same, butimperceptibly a change had been wrought in me until I no longer felt alonein a strange, silent country. I had learned to hear the echoes of a timewhen every living thing upon this land and even the varied overshadowingskies had its voice, a voice that was attentively heard and devoutly heededby the ancient people of America. Henceforth, to me the plants, the trees, the clouds and all things had become vocal with human hopes, fears andsupplications. 

When I realized how much closer because of this change I had been drawn toour land, how much greater had become my enjoyment of nature, the desirearose to find some way by which I could help to make audible to others thevoice I had heard, and thereby restore to our hills and valleys their losthuman element. Impelled by this purpose I have arranged these dances andgames with native songs in order that our young people may recognize, enjoyand share in the spirit of the olden life upon this continent. 

My obligations are due to Mr. Francis La Flesche of the U. S. Bureau ofAmerican Ethnology and to Mr. Edwin S. Tracy, Musical Director of theMorris High School of New York City, for assistance in the preparation ofthis book. 

ALICE C. FLETCHER

CONTENTS

PrefaceIntroductionSong and Dance Among the Indians

PART IDANCES AND SONGS

The Life of the Corn (a Drama in Five Dances) Introduction Dance I. The Corn Speaks Dance II. Planting the Corn Dance III. The Corn Springs Up Dance IV. The Fields are Ready Dance V. Honor to Mother CornCalling the FlowersAppeal for Clear SkyThe Hé-de Wa-chi (An Omaha Festival of Joy)

PART IIGAMES

Introduction

HAZARD GAMESIntroductory NotePa-tol StickPlum Stone

GUESSING GAMESIntroductory NotePu-inAtá-a-kutHand GameHiding the DisksI-ou'-tin

BALL GAMESIntroductionBall and RacketTa-béDouble-ballHoop and JavelinFollow My Leader

PART IIIINDIAN NAMES

IntroductionPresenting the Child to the CosmosGiving the Child a NameBestowing a New NameTaking and Indian Name in CampIndian Names for BoysIndian Names for GirlsIndian Names for Camps

PART I

DANCES

INDIAN GAMES AND DANCES WITH NATIVE SONGS

INTRODUCTION

The adaptations from Indian ceremonies and sports here offered will enablethose who take part in them to follow in happy mood some of the paths ofexpression that were opened long ago by thoughtful men and women as theylived, worked and played on this land in undisturbed intimacy with nature. Some of the thoughts bred of this intimacy find their expression in thesedances and games, and it may help toward a better understanding of them andtheir spirit to tell briefly how the Indian looked upon and regarded hisrelation to nature. 

The natives of America thought of the cosmos as a unit that was throbbingwith the same life-force of which they were conscious within themselves; aforce that gave to the rocks and hills their stable, unchanging character;to every living thing on land or water the power of growth and of movement;to man the ability to think, to will and to bring to pass. This universaland permeating life-force was always thought of as sacred, powerful, like agod. To it a name was given that varied in the different languages; in theOmaha tongue it was called Wakon'da. Through Wakon'da all things in naturewere related and more or less interdependent, the sky, the earth, theanimals and men. Nature was, in a sense, the manifestation of Wakon'da, consequently it was regarded as something more than the means by whichphysical life was sustained and became the religious and ethical instructorof man. 

All food came from the earth; the wild fruits, the roots, the cultivatedmaize, these and the animals all derived their living power from Wakon'daand yielded their life to man that he might live and be strong. Therefore, the hunt was conducted with ceremonies in which the bounty of Wakon'da wasformally recognized, and when food was eaten thanks were offered to thisunseen power. The Indian lived in the open and watched with reverentattention the changing aspects of his environment. To him nothing waswithout significance, for all things were imbued with powers from Wakon'daand could convey lessons or admonitions to be heeded by the individual andby the people in their social life. 

For example: the Indian noted the unfailing recurrence of day and night andthat upon the regularity with which one followed the other all creaturesrelied, while man depended upon this constancy to carry out any givenpurpose. From thoughts upon this natural phenomenon and its effects on theactions of men, ideas arose that led the Indian to the conception of truth, that something, as between man and man, that can be depended on both inword and in deed. "Thus, " the old men said, "Wakon'da taught us thenecessity of truthfulness, if we would live peacefully together. " Othernatural aspects, as the storm, with its terrifying thunder and destructivelightning, and the passing of the clouds revealing the blue sky, when thebirds renewed their song, seemed to picture to the Indian the devastationof war and the happiness of peace. Again, the tree, compacted of manyparts, suggested how the tribe could be made to stand and become strong. 

So it came to pass that as the ancient people looked about and thought onwhat they saw, they gradually formulated ceremonies and adopted symbols inorder to express what they came to believe. All their rites, theirvocations, their pleasures were born, practiced and enjoyed under thearching skies, and were permeated, as by a vital spirit, with anunquestioning consciousness of oneness with nature. 

We shall not be false to any great truths that have been revealed to usconcerning the world in which we live, if we listen to the olden voice, anunseen heritage of our bounteous land, as it sings of man's unity withnature. May they who join in these dances and games catch their vitalspirit and learn to feel at home with the winds, the clouds, the fields andthe woods. 

SONG AND DANCE AMONG THE INDIANS

THE SONG

While studying Indian life and thought through the sharing, as far aspossible, of native conditions, I discovered Indian music. In theloneliness that naturally belonged to my circumstances this discovery waslike finding a flower hidden in a tangle hard to penetrate. I had heardIndians "singing, " but the noise of the drum, the singers' stress of voice, so overlaid the little song that its very existence was not even suspected. Circumstances at length arose, incident to my convalescence after a longillness, when, to give me pleasure, my Indian friends came and sang softlyto me, without the drum. Great was my surprise to hear music; to be toldthat I was listening to the same songs that the earnest men and women hadpreviously sung but which for me had been buried under a tumultuous din. Thenceforth my ears were opened and never again, no matter how confusingthe conditions, did I fail to catch the hidden melody. As my appreciationof the value of Indian music grew, I determined to gather and to preservethese wild flowers of song. I wanted them not merely as a contribution tothe study of music but that they might help to vibrate the chords thatbelong to a common humanity. 

Of the songs I heard in solitude, some were published over thirty yearsago. Since then many of my gleaning have been used by different composersand the musical message sent far and wide. 

With the Indian, words hold a secondary or an unimportant place in a song. The music and accompanying action, ceremonial or otherwise, convey themeaning or purpose. When words are used they are few, fragmentary andgenerally eked out with vocables. Frequently only vocables are attached toa melody. To the Indian, song holds a place similar to that filled for usby wordless instrumental music. In ceremonies, rituals occur that arealways rhythmically intoned; each line generally terminates in a refrain. Songs have a place in these rituals, breaking in on the recitalparticularly when an emotion is evoked, for music is the medium ofemotional expression. An old Indian priest explained this peculiarity bysaying: "Harmonious sounds unite the people. "

Unaccustomed as we are to the use of songs that have no words, we would notonly find it difficult to understand their meaning but we would lose muchpleasure when singing them. To obviate the perplexities arising from theIndian's peculiar treatment of words and to make clear the meaning of asong, words have been supplied. These words are in no instance a literaltranslation, for the few broken words that belong to some of the melodiesused in these Dances and Games, because of their fragmentary character, would have no value as an interpretation either of the music or of theaction. In a number of instances the original vocables are retained, wherethe music is merely a rhythmical accompaniment to a simple, easilyunderstood movement. Where words are given to a song, they follow closelyboth the accents and the rhythm of the music. The written stanzas are notmeant to be read but to be sung. They express the thought or the feelingthat gave rise to the music, they aim to make its meaning understood sothat the song can be intelligently sung. In arranging these words, care hasbeen taken never to forget or to change the natural and the psychicalenvironment that belongs to the melody. 

Indian songs are very short. They have no preliminary measures, but at oncevoice the actuating emotion; that done, they come to a close. Although theyare so short, they have form and in their structure follow in simple linesthe rules of phrasing and motivization taught in our schools. These songs, speaking in general terms, partake more of the character of motifs than ofmusical compositions. They do not stand alone or apart from the ceremonialsor pleasures of which they form an essential feature. 

THE DANCE

The different Indian tribes vary in their modes of dancing; moreover, thesame theme is not interpreted by all the tribes in the same manner. In somesections of our country the dancers wear costumes and masks that aresymbolic, both in color and form; in other regions, feathers are theprincipal and emblematic decoration; elsewhere, the men may dance verynearly nude. However diverse the dancing regalia may be or how marked itsabsence, the Indian dance always presents two characteristics, namely:Dramatic Action and Rhythmic Precision. 

Every Indian dance has a meaning. The dance is generally either the actingout of some mythic story or a presentation of a personal experience. Everymovement of the body, arms, hands, feet and head is always in strict timewith the songs that invariably accompany the dance. Indian dances arecomplex rather than simple. Their "spontaneous activity" is not the resultof "a dominating emotion" but of a desire to present dramatically certainmental pictures. This is particularly true of dances which form a part ofreligious ceremonials. As a consequence, none of these dances areimprovised. All follow forms that have been handed down through generationsand have become more or less conventionalized. 

When the dance portrays a personal experience the dancer is allowed afreedom of invention not elsewhere permitted. Even in this case the danceris obliged to follow certain conventional forms, as in the sign language;otherwise his story would not be understood. 

On the eastern continent the peoples from whom we are descended had songsand dances peculiar to their different vocations, so on this westerncontinent the song and dance were the accompaniment of the Nativeindustries. 

A study of the Indian dramatic dances shows that by means of them thevocations of men and women were lifted out of drudgery, made types ofactivity and allied to the forces recognized in the religious beliefs ofthe people. The dances here given, those relative to the Corn and also theHéde-wache, not only illustrate what has been said above but they reflectback a light upon the religious dances that obtained among the easternnations of antiquity. 

When the Indian dances, he dances with freedom; his whole body becomesexpressive of the actuating emotion of the scene he intends to portray. Because of his freedom, his remarkable sense of rhythm and the strongmental picture he aims to present, whether it be the flight of the eagle, the sportive pleasure of birds, the movements of animals, the alertness ofthe warrior in attack, or in eluding a blow, his motions are always sharplyvivid and natural. 

It is a pleasure to be able to offer in the following pages a number ofIndian songs with their original accompaniment of action, as the twocomplement each other for the expression of certain native thoughts andaspirations. 

Whoever takes part in the dances here presented should never attempt toimitate what is supposed to be the Indian's manner of singing or hisdancing steps and postures; in either case the result would probably be anunmeaning burlesque. Each dancer should have a clear mental picture of thescene to be enacted and then give free play to bodily movements for itsexpression, always keeping in rhythm with the song, so as to make sound andmotion a rhythmic unit. 

THE LIFE OF THE CORN

A DRAMA IN FIVE DANCES

INTRODUCTION. --These Dances in their purport and music are taken from thesacred rituals of the Omaha, the Osage and the Pawnee tribes. The richnessand beauty of symbolism in the original language suffer a loss of nativenaïveté in their English interpretation. 

The American food plant known by the general term "Corn" was developed agesago from certain native grasses. The _Euchlaena luxurians_ found inGuatemala is probably an ancestor of the maize. The word "maize" belongs tothe language of a people living by the Caribbean Sea and never was auniversal term for corn among the Indians of our country. The tribes towhich maize was known gave it a name derived from their own languages. Sovery many centuries have passed since corn was a grass that there is no waynow of finding out when in the remote past the natives of this continentbegan the task of developing from a grass a staple article of food like thecorn. The process required years of careful observation, manipulation andculture. Not only did the Indians accomplish this task but they took theplant from its tropical surroundings and acclimated it throughout theregion east of the Rocky Mountains up to the country of short summers inthe North; Cartier, in 1534, found it growing where the city of Montrealnow stands. 

From this hasty glance at the long history of the maize we can discern thenatural sequence of its close relation to the thought and to the life ofthe Indian, and to a degree understand the love and the reverence withwhich the corn was held and regarded as a gift from God. Every stage of itsgrowth was ceremonially observed and mentioned in rituals and songs. 

Among the Omaha tribe when the time came for planting, four kernels from ared ear of corn were given to each family by the keeper of this sacredrite. These four red kernels were mixed with the ordinary seed corn, thatit might be vivified by them and made to yield an ample harvest. Red is thesymbolic color of life. In this ceremony is preserved a trace of thefar-away time when all the precious seed corn was in the care of priestlykeepers. The ceremony of giving out the four red kernels served to turn thethoughts of the people from a dependence solely on their own labor incultivating corn to the life-giving power of Wakon'da dwelling within themaize. 

In the Omaha Ritual Song of twenty-six stanzas which preceded thedistribution of the four red kernels, the Corn speaks. It tells of itsroots reaching in the four directions (where dwell the messengers thatbring life), of the growth of its jointed stalk, of the unfolding of itsleaves, of the changing color of the silk and of the tassel, of theripening of the fruit, of the bidding of the people to come, to pluck andto eat. 

The music of this Ritual Song is simple. It is here given with a very briefparaphrase of the words of the Ritual Song. 

DANCE I

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This ceremonial dance touches upon the mystery of thegiving of life that life may be maintained; an exchange that links togetherthe different forms of life and enhances the joy of living. 

_Properties_. --Thin green mantles; yellow plumes like the corn tassel; boneclips; as many of these articles as there are dancers. 

_Directions_. --This dance belongs to both sexes and a number of each shouldtake part, if that is possible. Should there be trees near the open spacewhere the dance takes place, one-half of the dancers, closely wrapped intheir green mantles, should be grouped at one side among the trees and theother half similarly placed at the other side. In the center of the space asingle dancer stands facing the rear, wrapped about the head and body withthe green mantle, leaving only the face exposed. 

All being in readiness, the central figure turns slowly, lifts a draped armand says slowly and impressively:

"Harken! The Corn speaks!"

The group of dancers on the right then sing softly the _first_ line only ofthe Ritual Song in which the Corn speaks. The group of dancers on the leftrepeat the _same_ line like an echo of the first group. Both groups ofdancers now begin to move slowly and in rhythm with the following songtoward the figure standing in the center of the space, singing, as theymove, the Ritual Song _from the beginning_:

Ritual Song No. 1

 Fourfold deep lie my roots within the land; Clad in green, bearing fruit, Lo! here I stand! Pluck and eat, life for life, behold, I give! Shout with joy, dance and sing with all that live. 

[Music]

At the words "Lo! here I stand!" the company of dancers should all bestanding in a semi-circle. As the words in the third line, "Behold, Igive!" are sung, the draped arms should be slightly extended forward as ina presentation. The fourth line requires some dramatic action, but itshould be restrained rather than free. The arms, still draped with thegreen mantles, should be raised a little as the words "Shout with joy" aresung, and during the singing of the remainder of the line swayed from sideto side in rhythm with the song, always with a reserve in the movements, because of the mystery mentioned in the words of the song, that life ismaintained by the giving of life. A pause of about two beats should followthis Ritual Song. 

As "Ho-o! Ho-o!" the opening of the next song, is given, every dancershould suddenly turn half-way round, give a movement of the head such aswould cause the mantle to fall back and leave the head with the corn tasselexposed; the ends of the mantle should be gathered in the hands so that themantle can wave with the dance as the following song is sung:

Song No. 2

 Ho-o! Ho-o! Dance we singing, Promise bringing Of the wealth of summer fair; Hearts beat lightly, Skies shine brightly, Youth and Hope are ev'rywhere. 

_Refrain_: Ho-o! Ho-o! Ho! Ho! Ho!

[Music]

As each "Ho-o!" of the refrain is sung, the dancers should whirl like merrysprites, twine and untwine their green mantles about their forms until thesong begins again. Then they should all skip off with springing, rhythmicsteps in open Indian file, letting their mantles float and wave about themas they wind in and out over the camp ground carrying "Youth and Hopeev'rywhere. " Every time the refrain is reached, the dancers should stop andwhirl, then as the song begins again move off in line, dancing as before. When they are ready to stop (that can only be done during the singing andwhirling of the refrain), each dancer should whirl from the line and keepup that movement, singing "Ho!" until his or her tent is reached. 

DANCE II

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --The rituals and ceremonies from which this dramaticdance with its accompanying songs are taken have been handed down throughnumberless generations. They deal with the perpetuation of the vocations ofthe people and also with the duties of the warrior, who must so protect thepeople that these vocations can be pursued in peace and safety. The portionof the ritual that relates to the planting of the maize is here given. Itis practical in character. The ground is to be cleared of the débris ofwinter's storms and the dead leaves and twigs gathered into heaps andconsumed by fire. When the brown earth is uncovered on the sunny slope itis to be mellowed and made into little hills with flattened tops to receivethe kernels of the corn. The first seven of these hills must beceremonially planted. Into the first hill one kernel of corn is dropped, two kernels are put into the second hill, three in the third, and so on tothe seventh, in which are placed seven kernels. The product of these sevenlittle hills must be kept separate, for it is to constitute the "firstfruit offering" made to Wakon'da, through the priest, in recognition of thegift of corn as food. After the seven hills are completed, then the rest ofthe field is similarly prepared and planted. When the kernels are put inthe loosened ground they are covered and stamped with the foot, so thateach little hill beards the mark, the footprint, of the planter. The RitualSong depicts the task of planting to its completion and compares the rowsof little brown hills to lines of buffalo following one another down theslope. With this vision, suggesting the promise of abundant food, theworkers joyfully turn toward the home fireside. 

The words given for the first song are a brief paraphrase of the manystanzas of the original Ritual Song, which so touches the necessary acts ofthe planter as to lift them above a merely prosaic level. 

_Properties_. --As this dance represents work, no scarfs or mantles areused. The garments should be plain and the arms free for the necessarydramatic motions in portraying the various acts connected with clearing, preparing and planting the ground. In ancient times the hoe used for thiswork was made from the shoulder blade of the elk, or a stick three or fourfeet long shaped at one end like a wedge. Similarly shaped sticks of woodshould be used in this dance, one for each dancer. Pouches are requiredmade of brown cloth, with broad bands or straps long enough to pass overthe shoulder and chest and to let the pouches hang at the back. Bothpouches and straps should be ornamented with geometric designs painted inred, yellow, blue or green; two or three of these colors should be combinedin each design. The corn carried within the pouches can be represented byrounded chips, little stones or, when possible, by the corn kernelsthemselves. 

The boys must wear head-bands, carry bows and have quivers hung at theirbacks. They must scatter around the border of the "field, " move watchfullyabout, peer into the distance and act as if on the alert to detect or tomeet any prowling enemy. 

_Directions_. --A space should be set apart to represent the "field" wherethe dramatic action takes place. This dance requires considerable dramaticpantomime. The words in the two lines of each stanza of the song serve as aprelude to the action which follows. Sometimes the action may be confinedto the refrain, but generally there must be acting throughout the singingboth of the words and the refrain. Much in this dance must be left to theimagination and skill of the group of dancers, who should rehearse togetherand decide how best to make a clear, strong picture. The native music heregiven belongs to the act of preparing the ground and planting the kernelsof corn. Attention is called to the second, fourth, sixth and eighthmeasures of the song. The three-quarter notes and the eighth and restshould be accented by movements of the hoe, the foot or both. The rhythm ofthe first measure is a little different from that of the third, fifth andseventh, caused by the third note being a quarter note, denoting a definiteact or pause; the remaining four notes of the first measure are flowing, aswell as all the notes of the third, fifth and seventh measures. Byobserving these little points in the music the drama will be given varietyand made more picturesque and effective. 

At the beginning of the song the dancers should be at a little distancefrom the space set apart to represent the "field, " so that they will beable at the proper time to go toward it. As the first line of the firststanza is sung the dancers should stand in a loose group, adjust their hoesand pouches to be ready to go to the "field"; during the singing of thesecond line they should break into a file and move off. All these movementsof body, hands and feet must be in strict time and rhythm with the music. 

Song No. 1

1

 Here we stand ready now to go on our way To the field, buried under leaves dead and gray. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha! Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha!

[Music]

By the end of the first line of the refrain the dancers will have reachedthe "field" and have begun to dispose themselves over the space. Seven muststand in the first row, where they are to make the seven ceremonial hills. These seven dancers should lead the motions of all the others, so that themovements may present even lines, as in the bowing of violins in anorchestra. The refrain should be repeated as many times as is necessarywhile the dancers are taking position, clearing the field, etc. The numberof repeats must be determined upon at the rehearsals of the dancers. Sufficient time should be taken to bring out the picture and to give it inperfect rhythm with the music. When the refrain closes, the dead leaves andtwigs are supposed to be gathered into heaps ready to be burned. 

2

See the fire send its "word of flame" mounting high, Now the smoke rolls about the earth, shuts out sky. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha! Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha!

The action for this stanza should indicate the heat of the fire; shieldingthe face, pushing back stray leaves or twigs to the burning heap; therolling smoke follows the dancers, who here and there try to escape it. This scene will require study to bring out the picture rhythmically. Itshould form a contrast to the preceding and the following scene, in both ofwhich the movements are more or less uniform. In this scene groups shouldemphasize certain conditions: the fire, the smoke, the work of keeping theheaps together, so that the picture will be one of action diverse to adegree and yet every movement dominated by the rhythm of the song; thepicture will thus be made a unit. 

3

 Mellow earth, make the little, hills smooth on top, On the earth softly the kernels we drop. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha! Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha!

In the action of this stanza the seven dancers in the front row make sevenceremonial hills, mellowing the earth with the wooden hoes and gathering itinto little hills made smooth on top. The pouches are swung to the front, the corn taken out with one hand while the other holds the hoe at rest, andthe kernels are dropped on the softened earth. The dancers should becareful to remember that in the ceremonial row of seven hills but onekernel is to be dropped in the first hill, two in the second, and so on upto seven in the seventh hill. All the dancers scattered over the "field"must follow the movements of the seven in charge of the seven ceremonialhills. 

4

 Cover all gently, leave the print of our feet On the earth mellowed fine, so brown, so sweet. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha! Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha!

In the action for this stanza the hoe and the feet of the dancers have aspecial part. The movements of the dancers should represent the covering ofthe dropped seed with the mellowed earth and the making of the footprint onthe top of the little hill within which the seed is now hidden. In thenative Ritual Song the term "footprint" is used symbolically; it representsa person--in this instance the one who had done the work--also the workitself that has been accomplished. The dancers should be careful toremember the rhythm of the second, fourth, sixth and eighth measures, asthese can be used to emphasize "footprints" and also the completion of thetask. During a repeat of the refrain the dancers should drop their hoes andgather in groups as if to look at the field; this action will bring theminto the position required for the fifth stanza. 

5

 How like lines of buffalo upon the slope, Lie our little brown hills, so full now of hope. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha! Ah hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they ha!

The motions of the hands and the movements of the body should indicate thatin looking over the field one is struck by the striped appearance made bythe rows of little hills, recalling the resemblance to the buffalodescending the slope. The final "ha!" of the refrain should indicatepleasure. A brief silence should follow, during which the dancers pick uptheir hoes, adjust their pouches, fall into line and sing the followingsong:

Song No. 2

 Light our hearts and gay As we homeward take our way, While the winds about us play, Singing as we go. Hy-ya hy-ya hy-ya ho! Hy-ya hy-ya hy-ya ho! Hy-ya ho! Ho! Hy-ya ho!

[Music]

This song should be repeated many times as all the dancers, with rhythmic, springing steps, wind about the camp ground before they finally disperse. 

DANCE III

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This dance is from the Corn Ritual Song and is adramatization of a visit to the planted field after the lapse of a fewweeks. Life has been stirring in the kernels of corn that had been hiddenwithin the little hills, and the kernels now call to those who had plantedthem to come and see what was taking place. 

_Properties_. --The same as those used in the preceding dance. Both the boysand the girls should wear the same costume as in Dance II. 

_Directions_. --The scene should be the same as in Dance II. The "field" tobe visited should be in the same place as the space set apart for the"field" where the little hills were made and planted. 

A part of the boys should act as guards of the "field" as before. A fewshould scatter among the girls and join in looking at the sprouting corn asit breaks through the soil, and these should join in singing the song. 

At the opening of the dance the dancers should be discovered standing ingroups as though they had accidentally met as neighbors of the samevillage. They should stand at the same place whence they had started to goto the "field" in the preceding dance. The groups should be talking in dumbshow. Suddenly each group should act as if its attention had been arrestedby a sound, and while in this attitude of arrested attention all shouldbegin to sing the following song:

Song

1

 A call I hear! Hark! soft the tones and weak. Again the call! Come! our feet that call must seek. 

_Refrain_: Hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Again the call! Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

[Music]

This dramatic dance will require to be rehearsed and the details planned bythe dancers, so that a clear picture may be brought out and also the nativepoetic thought embodied in the Ritual Song from which it is taken. A fewhints can be given, but much of the action must depend upon the imaginationand dramatic feeling of the dancers. 

As the first line, "A call I hear!" is sung some one should raise the handtoward the ear, another raise it as a warning to keep quiet. The line"Hark! soft the tones and weak" is an address to one another in the groups. Then comes another sudden arrest, "Again the call!" These three linesshould be sung without any change of position either by the groups or bythe individuals. Action should be confined to the hands and the head. Whensinging the fourth line all should begin to stir, to adjust their pouches, tighten their hold on the wooden hoes and, as if moved by a common impulse, should prepare to go and seek the source of the call. In their going thegroups should not fall into one line but each group move by itself. Duringthe refrain the dancers should act as if in doubt which way to go. At theline "Again the call!" all should stop as if arrested, and then move offagain when the refrain is taken up. All the groups should keep the rhythmof the music. There should be a good deal of by-play and the action shouldindicate bewilderment, both as to the meaning of the call and the localitywhence it comes. It should appear as though some of the groups are baffledin their attempt to locate the call. 

2

 A call I hear! Hark! it is near at hand, The call! The call! Floats to us where we now stand. 

_Refrain_: Hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Again the call! Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

The action of this stanza shows the dancers being led by the call to the"field, " where the call seems to become clearer and at last is therelocated. The dancers should scatter in groups, while different individualsshould look about searchingly but without breaking the groups. These shouldmove here and there seeking for the "footprints" that had been left on thesmooth tops of the little hills, and so lead to the action required for thenext stanza. Whenever in the song the line "The call! The call!" occurs, there should be an apparent arrest of movement among the dancers as if tolisten. 

3

 Again the call! Forth to the light of day They come! They come! Come pushing upward their way. 

_Refrain_: Hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, They call! They come! Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

"Day" is the symbol of life; the kernels are coming "into the light of day"in the original Ritual Song, meaning they are entering into life. They callas they come, struggling and pushing their way through the breaking earth. This life movement should be indicated by the motions of the dancers asthey pass in groups with rhythmic steps from one little hill to another. Directions as to how these motions should be made would hardly be helpful;the dancers can best plan this pantomime. 

4

 Again the call! Two feeble leaves are seen, They call! They call! Soon shall we stand clad with green!

_Refrain_: Hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, They call! They call! Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

The original Ritual Song tells that the feeble leaves, the first shoots, cannot stand or support themselves; they are helpless as infants. But theyhave come to the "light of day, " "have entered into life, " and they willgrow, become strong and stand, stretching ever higher into the light. Thenative stanzas portray the progressive movements of the corn from feeblehelplessness into the power of life. The action of the dancers shouldconvey this meaning by appropriate pantomime. 

5

 They call! They call! Up springs our jointed stem, They call! They call! Golden fruit shall grow on them. 

_Refrain_: Hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, They call! They call! Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

In this stanza the promise of fruit is given. The dancers should showexcitement not only at the wonderful spectacle they observe but because ofthe promise given. 

They should still keep in groups as they move about and exult in theresults that have come from the little hills where they left their"footprints. "

In the original Ritual Song there are more than a score of stanzas in whichthe various occurrences of the growth of the corn are mentioned, mingledwith symbolic imagery. "Footprints" represent both labor and ownership. Those who planted the kernels look for these marks and rejoice over whatthey find. They had begun their planting "like a game, " a venture; whetherit would be successful or not no one could tell. But success had come. Theaction for the last stanza should indicate an abandonment to delight; hoesshould be dropped as the groups mingle and act out pleasure not only atwhat is seen but what is promised. 

A pause should follow, then the hoes should be picked up and the dancersgather by twos and threes in a line to return home; as they start theybreak into the same song which they sang on the return from making andplanting the little hills:

[Music]

The dancers should keep up the song and rhythmic dance until theirindividual tents are reached. 

DANCE IV

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This dance, taken from the Corn Ritual, represents avisit to the field later in the season when the harvest time is near athand. The keynote of this visit is in a line of one of the many stanzas ofthe original Ritual Song, "I go in readiness of mind. " The mind is assured, prepared to find in the place where the "footprints" had been made, wherethe little kernels had broken the covering of earth to reach "the light ofday, " that these have now grown tall and strong under the summer sun andare "standing in the fulness of day. " This assurance is justified, for thecorn is found ready to pluck, and some of its ears are joyously carried tothe people at home. 

_Properties_. --The same costumes as those worn by the boys and girls inDance II and III. The green scarfs used in Dance I will be needed in thelatter part of this dance; these can be folded and carried in the pouchesand pockets. 

_Directions_. --The scene should be laid in the same place as the twopreceding dances and the dancers should gather at the same spot whence theystarted to the "field" in Dance II and III. 

The dancers, both boys and girls, should be discovered standing in an opengroup talking together in dumb show, evidently discussing the probabilitiesas to the ripening of the corn. They may have been saying: "Already theboys are shouting, The cattail is in bloom!" This was a sign that the timehad come for the corn to be ripe. Some one whose mind was "in readiness"makes the suggestion (in pantomime) to go to the "field"; to this allagree, and the group breaks into lines as the boy and girl dancers sing thefollowing song:

Song

1

 In readiness of mind to the field we go, Where we footprints made, there stately jointed stalks grow. Loud rustle the long leaves, bright the tassels wave o'er each row. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

[Music]

The steps of the dancers must be in rhythm with the song and all movementsshould indicate a feeling of assurance. When the "field" is reached certainmotions of the feet should suggest a memory of the "footprints. " The"field" is now covered by rows of tall cornstalks; therefore, when the"field" is reached the dancers should move in parallel lines, as if theywere passing between these rows. Some lines should cross at right angles, giving the effect of walking between high barriers, along pathways thatintersect each other at right angles. When the dancers pass along thesealleys, so to speak, movements should be made to indicate brushing againstor pushing out of the way the "long rustling leaves" of the corn, and topoint to the "waving tassels" far above their heads. This pantomime, withits rhythmic movements suggesting long lines of cornstalks, the brushingaside with the hands of the long leaves of the stalks, should make aneffective picture. 

2

 Strongly the ears shoot out, fill'd with golden grain, Up into the full light, life flowing in each vein, Sacred the corn now stands ready to give its strength full fain. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

The length of the original Ritual Song, together with the picturesquequality of the native language, permits the bringing out in full detail ofthis scene of the cornfield: the ears standing at angles from the stalk, and the husks full of kernels replete with life-giving power. Because ofthis power the corn has now "become sacred, " filled with life fromWakon'da, thereby related to that great power and through it linked to thelife of mankind. The idea of this unity throughout all nature, includingman, is fundamental to Indian thought and belief. It is expressed in allhis religious ceremonies and also in his vocations, both serious andplayful. In the present instance it appeals to him through the planting, the growth, the maturing and the use of the corn, giving its life to man. 

To convey the picture of the cornfield, and to suggest the thoughts thatimbue the scene as expressed in the native rituals, will require somestudy, but the effort will be well worth while. These thoughts were vitalupon this continent centuries before the land became our home. The maize inall its richness and beauty has become ours to enjoy, and while we acceptthis gift let us not fail to catch and to hold the lingering vibrations ofits native teaching that aimed to lift the thoughts of the worker in thecornfield to the Great Giver of Life and Beauty. 

In planning the pantomime for this stanza the dancers should not forget therhythm of the song and to keep the lines as though they were walkingbetween rows of tall cornstalks. 

3

 Where'er we look wide fields wait harvest to meet; Ripe are the ears we pluck, juicy the corn we eat; Filling our arms, we go homeward, happy hearts there we meet. 

_Refrain_: Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey hey hey they, Ah hey hey they, Ah hey they. 

The action requisite for the interpretation of this stanza by pantomime iscomparatively easy, as looking over the field ready for harvest, andplucking a few ears of the corn. Care should be taken not to appear totouch the row where the seven hills were made, for the product of these areto be used as the "first-fruit offering. " During the singing of the firstline of the third stanza a few of the dancers should slip behind some ofthe others and there take out their scarfs from the pouches or pockets, make each scarf into a loose bundle and carry it upon the folded arms asthough it was filled with ears of corn. In this way, a few at a time, thedancers can secure their scarfs, and arrange them to look like bundles ofcorn to be taken homeward. 

All the lines that have been moving as between rows of corn should now cometogether and form a long line and with dancing, rhythmic steps, and armsfilled with corn, return to the starting place, and from there wind aboutthe camp ground singing the refrain, which can be repeated _ad lib_. Untilthey finally disperse and go to their tents. 

DANCE V

Introductory Note. --This dance represents the bringing of the "first-fruitoffering" of the corn from the seven little hills that were ceremoniallyplanted after the dead leaves of winter had been cleared away. The dancerswho follow the seven leaders carrying the cornstalks represent the peoplein triumphal procession in honor of Corn as "Mother breathing forth life. "Both words and music of the song for this procession are taken from a greatreligious ceremony of the Pawnee wherein Corn is spoken of as A-ti-ra, Mother, with the prefix H' signifying breath, the sign of life. "H'A-ti-ra"("Mother breathing forth life") is repeated over and over and is the onlyword used in this song. The repetition is not an idle procedure but anawakening of echoes in the native mind, of all that Corn has meant to hisancestors and race during the centuries. The repeated words implycontemplation on the subject. This song when heard sung by a hundred ormore could not fail to impress one with its majestic fervor. The beautiful, bountiful maize giving its life that others might enjoy life, on anotherplane, is here reverently and joyously proclaimed "Mother. "

_Properties_. --Green and other bright colored scarfs or mantles, as many asthere are dancers, boys and girls, also wreaths made of long leaves likethose of the cornstalk; these can be manufactured from green paper. Tallyellow plumes, similar to the tassel of the corn, and fastened to thewreath in such manner that when the wreath is worn the plume will standabove the forehead. Seven cornstalks, or wands so wound with green as toappear like the stalk of the corn with its tassel. 

_Directions_. --All the dancers should be wrapped in their mantles and haveon their wreaths, the erect tassel plume standing directly over the middleof the forehead. Boys and girls must mingle in this dance. All dress asbefore, with the addition of the mantles. Implements, pouches and bows andarrows are not used. Of the seven who are to lead, four should be boys andthree girls. When leading the procession and carrying the cornstalks, thefirst line of four should be a boy, two girls, a boy; the second line ofthree should be a boy, a girl, a boy. These seven must wear green robes ormantles and hold the cornstalks, with their hands draped by the mantle. Theother dancers can wear green or other colored mantles or scarfs. The boysmust sing the songs, for the volume of sound must be full in order toproduce the true effect of this impressive ceremony. The seven dancers whohave been selected to act as leaders should stand in a group by themselvesin front of the other dancers, who are in loose groups at the rear. On thespace which heretofore in these dances has represented the "field, " theseven cornstalks or wands should be laid in a windrow on the ground. Whenready to begin the dance the dancers should be discovered in the two groupsas already described, talking quietly in dumb show. 

The seven leaders, who are in the front group by themselves, appear toconsult together; then, led by one of their number, sing the followingsong:

Song No. 1

1

 Golden on ev'ry hand, Waving, the cornfields stand, Calling us thither; Calling us thither, First-fruits to cull and bring Our sacred offering To great Wakon'da, Giver of Corn. 

[Music]

During the singing the seven leaders stand together wrapped in their greenmantles. All the other dancers are grouped at a little distance back, stilltalking as at first in dumb show. At the third line they stop talking, atthe fourth line they give attention to the seven leaders, at the fifth linethey join in the song. During the singing of this stanza there should be nochange in the relative positions of the two groups, but during the singingall who sing should keep up a gentle rhythmic swaying of the body. 

2

 Now to the field we hie, Where stands the corn so high, Calling us thither; Calling us thither, First-fruits to cull and bring Our sacred offering To great Wakon'da, Giver of Corn. 

The seven leaders, at the beginning of the first line of the second stanza, slowly fall into line and with deliberate rhythmic steps move toward the"field, " reaching it by the fifth line, and while singing that line theyshould pick up the cornstalks and hold them, with their hands draped withtheir green mantles, high to the front. 

At the close of the first stanza the other group of dancers should resume adumb show of speaking to one another until the third line of the secondstanza, when they change their attitude and give attention; at the fourthline they join in the song, and at the fifth move toward the "field" whereare the seven leaders. By the close of the second stanza all the dancersshould be in one group at the "field. "

All the dancers stand there at the "field" a moment in silence. Then theseven leaders sing the introduction to the following Processional Song:

Song No. 2

_Introduction_: Follow Mother Corn, Who breathes forth life!

_Chorus_: H'A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra. 

[Music]

This song is retained as sung in the original Pawnee ceremony; the meaninghas already been explained. 

The introduction is sung by the seven leaders, who advance in two rows, four in the first, three in the second, and in this manner they lead theProcessional Dance. At the chorus all the other dancers fall in behind theleaders, either in couples or singly, every one singing. All steps must berhythmic and in time with the music. The seven leaders move steadily, alsoin time with the music, as they hold the cornstalks high, while thefollowers wave their scarfs or mantles and dance happily and lightly, butwith dignity. The picture should be one of contrast as the procession takesits way among trees and through the sunny fields, the seven moving evenly, with the corn held high, and the joyous, fluttering group of dancersfollowing. 

The Life of the Corn culminates in a delight of color, movement and song. 

CALLING THE FLOWERS

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This dance is derived from a ceremony, observed amongthe Indians of the North Pacific Coast, in which the spirits dwellingbeneath the ground are called to come and join those who are dancing. Thedancer who calls the spirits moves with gliding steps, the armsoutstretched, the hands beckoning upward in a gentle, enticing manner. Thegrace, dignity and earnestness of this dance linger with the writer as abeautiful memory after the lapse of many years. 

_Properties_. --A green scarf for the Caller. Blue, white and rosy scarfsfor as many dancers as will personate the three Flowers that respond to thecall: Violets, Wild-roses and Daisies. A twisted rope of green to link thedancing Flowers together in the final dance. 

_Directions_. --A clear space will be required large enough for all thedancers to move about in the final dance. Those who personate the Flowersshould be hidden from view until the time when they are to respond to thecall. In the properties enumerated above, mention is made only of scarfs. The picturesqueness of the dance would be enhanced if the dancers woreheaddresses shaped somewhat like the flowers and made of appropriatecolored paper; blue or lilac for the Violets, with a touch of yellow; deeppink or pale red for the Wild-roses, with a little yellow for the stamens;white with yellow for the Daisies. The twisted rope of green paper shouldbe made over heavy twine, so as to be strong enough for the dancers tograsp in the final dance. All these decorative articles should be made inthe camp. 

The dancer who acts as the Caller should wear the green scarf looselythrown about the head and body. If the voice of this dancer is not strongenough to be clearly heard by those who look on at a little distance, thentwo other persons should stand one at each side of the open space and singwith the dancer who is the Caller. These two extra singers should bewrapped in green scarfs and stand quietly as interested spectators whilethe dancer calls. Care should be taken to give the words of the songs withclearness and distinctness, so that every person within hearing distancecan catch them easily. 

THE DANCE

The scene opens with the one who is to call the Flowers standing in thecenter, looking about in different directions. Suddenly, as if the thoughtoccurred to call for companions, the following song is begun:

Song No. 1

CALL TO THE FLOWERS

 Hither come, come to me, flowers! Wake from your sleep. Oh, hither come, hither come, flowers! Hear me calling, Wake from your sleep, O flowers! Hark! some one comes. 

[Music]

With the song, movement begins. The steps taken should be gentle andgliding, the arms outstretched as in entreaty, the hands moved as inbeckoning, not with one finger but all the fingers slowly bending towardthe open palm. The dancer should think what the action means as she glidesabout the open space, and strive to carry out the picture of awakening thesleeping flowers, of bidding them to "come hither. " It is possible thatmore time may be required by some dancers to produce the picture thanmerely singing the song once through would give; in that case, that portionof the song having the words "Hear me calling, Wake from your sleep, Oflowers!" can be repeated once or twice, to meet the requirements of thedancer. The last line, "Hark! some one comes!" should be given withdramatic action. 

These words are the cue for those who are to represent the Violets toprepare to enter from different points on the right, and to make a soft, stirring sound before they come into view, singing the following song:

Song No. 2

SONG OF THE VIOLETS

 Violets have come in heav'nly hue; With fragrance sweet they bring to you Love from the dell where they grew Close to the earth so true. 

[Music]

The Violets dance with quiet steps in rhythm with the song. They slowlyadvance and gather in a loose circle about the Caller, whom, as they comenear, each one lightly touches, to give "Love from the dell where theygrew. " Then they retire to the edge of the open space at the right and siton the ground in little groups. When they are quiet and in their places, the Caller moves toward them, then turns, stops, looks at the empty side atthe left and sings:

Song No. 1

CALL TO THE FLOWERS

[See page 42]

The last line gives the cue to those who represent the Wild-roses to make arustling sound where they are hidden on the left. They enter with lightspringing steps, singing:

Song No. 3

SONG OF THE WILD-ROSES

 Wild-roses come all bright and gay, Blushing red like dawn of day; Dancing come they, full of play, Hiding all their thorns away. Wild-roses come all bright and gay, Blushing red like dawn of day, Dancing come they, full of play. 

[Music]

The Wild-roses dance about gaily; they circle the quiet little clumps ofViolets that remain seated. The Wild-roses frolic around the Caller, capering about in wild freedom but keeping their steps in exact time withtheir song. Finally they pause in groups at the left. 

After a moment, the Caller moves toward the rear of the open space andwhile there once again sings:

Song No. 1

CALL TO THE FLOWERS

[See page 42]

At the close of the song the dancers who are to represent the Daisies givea trilling shout and appear from the rear of the open space, skipping;their leader holds the end of a long green rope, which is caught hold of byeach dancer who follows, all singing:

Song No. 4

SONG OF THE DAISIES

 Up from meadows free, Coming full of glee, Troop the Daisies white, Dancing in the light, All skipping blithe and gay. Now we make a chain, Singing as we twine Then back into line-- Merry at play!

[Music]

As the Daisies skip in the open space, the dancers are widely separated asthey hold on to the rope; at the words "Now we make a chain" the Violets, who had risen as the Daisies entered, move toward the string of dancers;the Wild-roses also come toward the chain and grasp the green rope. Thecolors of the flowers should alternate and all the Flowers should have holdof the rope and cling to it as to a great green stem. Then all circlearound the Caller, who is the last to grasp the stem. As all the Flowersdance they repeat Song No. 4, beginning at the words "Troop the Daisieswhite, " etc. 

This chain of flowers should make, as they dance, interweaving figures. These can be left to the fancy of the dancers, but just what they are to bemust be decided upon beforehand and rehearsed; otherwise the dance will notbe successful and pleasing. 

The dances for each kind of flower will require practice, for the characterof each flower should be well brought out; the gentleness of the Violetscan make a charming contrast to the waywardness of the Wild-roses and thepliant Daisies who are at home everywhere. 

APPEAL FOR CLEAR SKY

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --Among those Indian tribes that lived outside thesemi-arid sections of our country, the storm with its destructive force wasthe representative of war, and thunder was a war god. 

Warfare was widespread among the tribes dwelling in the Mississippi valley;yet among these people the desirability and value of peace were recognized. Honors won in a defensive fight gave the warrior higher rank than thosegained in wars of aggression. Rituals belonging to religious ceremonies, and also to war rites, taught that the first duty of the warrior was toprotect the women and children, the fields and the food supply, for hisstrong arm and ready courage made the tribe's only wall of defence againstenemies. 

These tribes had ceremonies relating to the maintenance of peace not onlywithin the tribe but for the purpose of forming peaceful relations withother tribes. The clear sky was the symbol of peace, of happiness and ofprosperity, conditions the very opposite of those that attended war. 

When a peace ceremony was in progress, if a storm arose it was looked uponas an omen of disaster. At such a time, when clouds gathered, the peoplejoined in ceremonial songs and appeals for clear sky, the symbol of peace. 

The following dramatic dance and the accompanying songs are employed onsuch an occasion. The songs are taken from ceremonies used to promotepeace. 

_Properties_. --Staffs, about three feet long, with small blue flags, asmany as there are dancers, the same number of blue head-bands and bluesashes. The latter are to be worn from the right shoulder across the breastand tied at the waist under the left arm. A drum. 

_Directions_. --This dance belongs to both sexes and boys and girls should, if possible, join in it. 

THE DANCE

All the dancers stand facing the East, in one or more rows deep, accordingto the number, their staffs held in the right hand so that the flags willhang in front of each dancer, covering the chest, as they begin thefollowing song:

Song No. 1

 Away, away, dark clouds, away! Leave the sky! Go far away, dark clouds, to-day! Leave the sky! Stormy clouds, go far away, far away, Stormy clouds, no longer stay! Leave the sky! Go far away, dark clouds, to-day! Leave the sky! Stormy clouds, go far way, far away! Stormy clouds, begone!

[Music]

FIRST APPEAL

In the first line at each "away" the dancers should look up toward the Eastand move a step forward in that direction. At the line "Leave the sky!"they should point their flags toward the East, keeping the staff out on alevel with the body, and accent it by thrusting it forward as if pointingto the East, being careful not to change the level of the staff. At thesecond "Leave the sky!" the level of the staffs must be raised to about thechin of the dancer and the same pointing motion repeated at this level. Atthe third "Leave the sky!" the staffs are raised to the level of thedancers' eyes and the same pointing movement repeated. At the fourth "Leavethe sky!" the level of the staffs is raised to a line with the top of thehead and the pointing motions again given. At the last line, "Stormyclouds, begone!" the staffs and flags should be raised aloft and waved withprecision to the rhythm of the song. The steps and movements of the bodyshould be that of backward and forward, to give a pulsating effect, all inexact time with the music. The drum should be beaten in 4/8 time, the firstand third stroke heavier than the second and fourth. This series ofmovements constitutes the Appeal to the East. 

The dancers next turn to the North, repeat the song and all the movementsof staff and body in exactly the same manner. 

The dancers now turn toward the West and go through the song and movementswithout any variation. 

They then turn toward the South and repeat song and movements as before. This brings the First Appeal to a close. 

SECOND APPEAL

All the dancers gather in a loose group in the center of the open space, where they divide into two lines that must cross each other at rightangles. When this cross-figure is formed, all, as they stand, should facethe East. The staffs should be held at an angle similar to that of a batonand then swayed to the rhythm of the following song of pleading and of hope:

Song No. 2

 Come, soft skies of blue, O'er the earth of verdant hue Bend in peace! Clouds by thy sunny breath all are gone, Blue Sky! Joy now fills our hearts anew, Sorrows cease; Songs of birds sing of thy peace, Blue Sky!

[Music]

As the dancers sing they should take a step sidewise to the right, thenreturn to the first position; then a step to the left and return, so thatthe whole cross-figure has a swaying motion accentuating the rhythm of thesong, which should be sung smoothly and flowingly. When the words "BlueSky!" are sung the flags should be raised aloft and waved in rhythm andthen returned to the previous level. The song should be repeated severaltimes and the figure maintained as the singers face the North, West, Southand back to the East. Then the dancers should break into groups and, stillsinging the song and dancing rhythmically, disperse to their tents. 

The Hé-de Wa-chi

AN OMAHA FESTIVAL OF JOY

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --For centuries the home of the Omaha tribe has been inthe region now known as the State of Nebraska, north of the city whichbears their name. There they dwelt in permanent villages, surrounded bytheir garden plots of corn, beans, squashes, etc. From these villages everyyear in June all the tribes except the sick and infirm went forth to followthe buffalo herds in order to obtain their supply of meat and pelts. Asthis tribal hunt was essential to the needs of the life of the people, itwas a very serious affair, initiated with religious ceremonies andconducted under strict rules enforced by duly appointed officers. It was atthe close of this great tribal hunt, when food and clothing had beensecured, while Summer lingered and the leaves had not yet begun to fall, sothat brightness was still over the land, that this Festival of Joy tookplace. Like all Indian ceremonies, the Hé-de Wa-chi embodied a teachingthat was for the welfare of the tribe, a teaching drawn from nature anddramatically enacted by the people. The Omaha tribe was made up of tendistinct groups, each one having its own name, a set of names for thoseborn within the group, and certain religious symbols and ceremoniescommitted to its care. By tribal rites and regulations these ten distinctgroups were welded together to form the tribe, whose strength andprosperity depended upon internal harmony and unity. 

The Hé-de Wa-chi taught the people what this unity really stood for. Thecentral object of the ceremony was a tree, which was the symbol of thetribe; its branches were as the different groups composing the tribe, thetwigs that made up the branches were as the individuals that formed thegroups. 

The Omaha had special ceremonies for the preparation of the central object. They cut a tree, left a tuft of branches at the top and painted the trunkin alternate bands of red and black. The red bands represented day, theblack, night; the decoration as a whole stood for the continuity of life. This pole was planted in a broad open space. As the melodious Call to theCeremony echoed over the land, the people gathered from their tents. Eachone of the ten groups took its respective place and all the groups formed awide circle about the tree. Every one, down to the little children, carrieda twig with leaves. These they held aloft as they made their rhythmic, ceremonial approaches to the tree, and afterward danced about the sacredsymbol. 

It was a wonderful and a beautiful scene that took place on the prairiesyears ago, when hundreds of Omahas moved to the rhythm of the sacred songs, waving the green sprays as they danced up to the symbolic tree and circledabout it with thanksgiving and joy. It was thus they exemplified tribalunity, wherein every one was a part of the living whole. 

This ancient American ceremony should live anew with us wherever we gatherto enjoy the delights of nature in goodly company. 

_Directions_. --It may be difficult to prepare a young tree for the centralpole after the manner of the Omaha; if so, a space around a single tree canbe made to serve. Bands of red and black muslin or paper should be putabout the tree trunk; these are to symbolize the days and nights enjoyedduring the camp life. The members of the camp should be divided into groupsand each group have a name and a color. Small branches should be gathered, equal in number to those who will take part in the dance. If actualbranches are not available, wands can be used; to these flutteringdecorations of green paper should be attached, also a streamer the color ofthe group. Each group should be assigned a place in the wide circle that isto be made about the tree. 

When all are ready the following Call should be sung. The Indian words areretained, as they are easy to pronounce and fit the meaning, and areadapted to the long echoing cadences of the Call. 

Song No. 1

THE CALL

 Zha-wa i-ba i-ba e-he, Zha-wa i-ba i-ba ha e-he. 

[Music]

[Words: Zha-wa = to rejoice; i-ba = come; ha = vowel prolongation of thesyllable ba; e-he = I bid you. "I bid you come to rejoice. "]

This English translation of the native words does not convey the stirringappeal of the Omaha: "To rejoice! Come! I bid you. " The stress of the musicof the Call is on "Zha-wa, " to rejoice; the notes which carry the words"e-he, " "I bid you, " seem to float afar as if to reach the most distantmember of the tribe with the summons. The cadence of the Call echoesitself, as the second line is like the first, only lower in tones. 

When all of the camp have gathered in response to the Call, each group muststand in its appointed place and every member hold a decorated wand. Fourbeats of the drum are now to be given; the beats must not be loud or rapid. When the reverberations of the drum cease, absolute quiet must bemaintained, each one's wand must hang downward from his right hand, whilethe following chant is given, sung by the leaders of the groups. The wordsare by John B. Tabb, the music is arranged from the Omaha invocation. 

Song No. 2

INVOCATION

 All that springeth from the sod, Tendeth upward unto God; All that cometh from the skies, Urging it anon to rise. 

[Music]

This chant takes the place of the prayer sung at this point of the ceremonyby the Omaha Keepers of the Tribal Sacred Pipes. The prayer in the originalhas no words, vocables only are used, for the music is what carries theappeal to Wakon'da (God). 

At the close of the chant two strokes of the drum should be given. Then theleaders should sing the first line of the following song; all the camprespond at the beginning of the second measure, and the song follows. Thismusic is the dance song of the ceremony when all the Omaha tribe made fourrhythmic advances toward the sacred tree, stopping at the close of eachadvance. The song was sung four times, once for each forward movement. 

Song No. 3

APPROACH TO THE TREE

_Leaders_: Ev'ry one lift up the branch!

_Response by all:_ Up it goes!

_Song by all:_ Dancing, singing, we like leaves sway to and fro. Happy leaves! Dancing leaves! Swinging as the breezes blow, So will we ever be Blithe and joyous as we go. Hi-o!

[Music]

"Hi-o!" is the call given by the leaders for the dancers to pause. Whenthis call is heard, all the branches must be at once lowered and everyperson stand still. After a brief pause the leaders will again sing thecommand, "Ev'ry one lift up the branch!" then comes the response, "Up itgoes!" The song immediately follows, all the wands held high and waving inrhythm to the melody while the second advance is made. Each one of theseadvances should be but a few steps, on account of the limitations of space. The dancing steps, the rhythmic movements of the body and the swaying wandsshould give an undulating line suggestive of waving branches. The availablespace on the grounds should be calculated so as to permit the fourapproaches accompanied by the dance-song to reach a point near the tree, yet far enough to permit the forming of two circles of dancers around itsbase. At this point the company should divide into two parts, one part toform an inner circle and the other to form an outer circle. These twocircles are now to dance around the tree, one to go from right to left, theother from left to right. At this time the leaders tie their wands to thetrunk of the tree, but all the others retain their wands while they dancein these concentric circles. All should sing the dance-song, keeping timewith the feet and waving the wands to the rhythm of the music. As the dancegoes on, the time can be accelerated and the circles become wider andnarrower, but in all these movements the rhythm of song and dance mustnever be broken--for the rhythm stands for the binding force of a common, social and loving life. 

Song No. 4

DANCE AROUND THE TREE

1

 Dance the leaves in sunlight, Dance the leaves in dark night, Leaves ever, ever dance on the tree, The Tree!

[Music]

2

 High we lift the green branch, Dance and wave our green branch, Each one is a green branch of the tree, The Tree!

3

 Now we all return them, Bind them to the tree stem, While we sing the glad word, Unity! O Tree!

4

 Strong our hearts in daylight, Strong our hearts in still night, Thus the Hé-de Wa-chi bids us be, O Tree!

This dance-song can be repeated as often as desired. When at last theleaders wish it to stop they must give the call, "Hi-o!" as they did forthe pause in the Dance of Approach to the Tree. 

When this signal is given, the members should toss their wands at the footof the tree from the place where they had stopped dancing. 

In the ancient Omaha ceremony the people had the vast expanse of theprairie at their disposal, yet each tribal group kept its appointed place, not only during the dance, wherein they made four approaches toward thesacred tree, but when all the groups formed into two great circles thetribal order of their relative positions was still preserved. The twocircles were made up according to sex. The women and girls danced in onedirection next to the pole; the men and boys formed the outer circle anddanced in the opposite direction. This dance was the occasion of muchhilarity and fun. Old and young danced with vigor, and great was thedelight of the tribe as it spun around the emblematic tree, carryingbranches. At the close of the dance all tossed the branches at the foot ofthe pole, leaving a mound of green on the widespreading plain. 

If boys and girls take part, as they should, in this ceremony, let thegirls form the inner circle and the boys the outer circle as they danceabout the tree in true Omaha fashion. 

In real Indian life every vocation has its accompaniment of song, no matterhow homely may be the employment. So, keeping faith with that ancientAmerican custom, let the camp be put in order after the ceremony while allsing the following song, which may be called the Clearing Up:

Song No. 5

THE CLEARING UP

[Music: Now is our dancing ended, Light are our hearts as our footsteps Turn at our leaders' bidding. Safely we gather together Branches that served our playtime, Setting our camp all in order Ere to our tents we betake us. ]

This scene, in which all should take part, can be made merry as well asuseful. 

PART II

GAMES

INDIAN GAMES

INTRODUCTION. --All the games here presented have been played in our landfor untold generations, while traces of the articles used for them havebeen found in the oldest remains on this continent. According to Dr. Stewart Culin, the well-known authority on Indian and other games, "Thereis no evidence that these games were imported into America at any timeeither before or after the conquest. On the other hand they appear to bethe direct and natural outgrowth of aboriginal institutions in America. "Dr. Culin calls attention to the reference to games in the myths of thevarious tribes. Among those of the Pueblo people mention is made of thedivine Twins who live in the east and the west, rule the day and the night, the Summer and the Winter, "Always contending they are the original patronsof play and their games are the games now played by men. " (Bureau ofAmerican Ethnology, Vol. 24, p. 32. ) It would lead too far afield to followthe interesting relation between ceremonials and games, a relation that isnot peculiar to the culture found on the American Continent but whichobtains the world around. The environment of man in general outline is muchthe same everywhere; the sun ever rises in the east and sets in the west;day and night always follow each other; the winds play gently or rend withforce; the rains descend in showers or fall in floods; flowers and treesspring up, come to maturity and then die. Therefore, when man hasquestioned Nature as to the why and the wherefore of life, similar answershave come from all parts of the earth; so it happens that man's games, which often sportively reflect his serious thoughts, show a strangesimilarity. 

Indian games that depend upon chance, according to Dr. Culin, may bedivided "into those in which the hazard depends upon the random fall ofcertain implements employed, like dice, and those in which it depends uponthe guess or choice of the player; one is objective, the other subjective. "Games of the first or objective class are generally played in silence, while those of the second or subjective class, called guessing games, areaccompanied by singing. (Ibid. , p. 44. )

In a game where the two sides contest, as in a ball game, the sides werefrequently played by two different tribes or by two villages in the sametribe. In such cases the players often went through a course of training inorder to prepare them for the contest. Bathing, exercise and diet had to befollowed according to prescribed custom. Among the Cherokee the partakingof rabbit was forbidden, because the animal is "timid, easily alarmed andliable to lose its wits"; so if the player ate of this dish, he mightbecome infected with like characteristics. Mystic rites were sometimesperformed to prepare the player so that he would be successful. (Ibid. , p. 575. )

According to the Indian belief, the pleasure of games was not restricted tomankind but was enjoyed by birds and animals. The following story from theCherokee is told by Mr. James Mooney and quoted by Dr. Culin (Ibid. , pp. 578, 579):

"The animals once challenged the birds to a great ball play. The wager wasaccepted, the preliminaries were arranged, and at last the contestantsassembled at the appointed spot--the animals on the ground, while the birdstook position in the tree-tops to await the throwing up of the ball. On theside of the animals were the bear, whose ponderous weight bore down allopposition; the deer, who excelled all others in running; and the terrapin, who was invulnerable to the stoutest blows. On the side of the birds werethe eagle, the hawk and the great Tlániwa--all noted for theirswiftness and power of flight. While the latter were preening theirfeathers and watching every motion of their adversaries below, they noticedtwo small creatures, hardly larger than mice, climbing up the tree on whichwas perched the leader of the birds. Finally they reached the top andhumbly asked the captain to be allowed to join in the game. The captainlooked at them a moment, and, seeing that they were four-footed, asked themwhy they did not go to the animals where they properly belonged. The littlethings explained that they had done so, but had been laughed at andrejected on account of their diminutive size. On hearing their story thebird captain was disposed to take pity on them, but there was one seriousdifficulty in the way--how could they join the birds when they had nowings? The eagle, the hawk and the rest now crowded around, and after somediscussion it was decided to try and make wings for the little fellows. Buthow to do it! All at once, by a happy inspiration, one bethought himself ofthe drum which was to be used in the dance. The head was made of ground-hogleather, and perhaps a corner could be cut off and utilized for wings. Nosooner suggested than done. Two pieces of leather taken from the drumheadwere cut into shape and attached to the legs of one of the small animals, and thus originated the bat. The ball was now tossed up and the bat wastold to catch it, and his expertness in dodging and circling about, keepingthe ball constantly in motion and never allowing it to fall to the ground, soon convinced the birds that they had gained a most valuable ally. Theynext turned their attention to the other little creature; and now behold aworse difficulty! All their leather had been used in making wings for thebat and there was no time to send for more. In this dilemma it wassuggested that perhaps wings might be made by stretching out the skin ofthe animal itself. So two large birds seized him from opposite sides withtheir strong bills, and by tugging and pulling at his fur for severalminutes succeeded in stretching the skin between the fore and hind feetuntil at last the thing was done, and there was the flying squirrel. Thenthe bird captain, to try him, threw up the ball, when the flying squirrel, with a graceful bound, sprang off the limb and, catching it in his teeth, carried it through the air to another tree-top a hundred feet away. 

"When all was ready the game began, but at the very outset the flyingsquirrel caught the ball and carried it up a tree, then threw it to thebirds, who kept it in the air for some time, when it dropped; but justbefore it reached the ground the bat seized it, and by his dodging anddoubling kept it out of the way of even the swiftest of the animals untilhe finally threw it in at the goal, and thus won the victory for thebirds. "

Hazard Games

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --The objects which are thrown or tossed in games ofhazard Dr. Culin for convenience has designated as "dice" and he calls thegames "dice games. " (Ibid. , pp. 44, 45. ) He found these games among onehundred and thirty tribes belonging to thirty different linguistic stocks. Throughout this wide distribution the "dice" are not only of differentforms but are made from a variety of materials: split-cane; wooden or bonestaves or blocks; pottery; beaver or muskrat teeth; walnut shells;persimmon, peach or plum stones. All the "dice" of whatever kind have thetwo sides different in color, in marking, or in both. Those of the smallertype are tossed in a basket or bowl. Those that are like long sticks, similar to arrow shafts, from which they are primarily derived, were thrownby hand. Myths of the Pueblo tribes speak of the game, in which "dice"shaped like a shaft were used, as being played by the War Gods. Thesplit-cane "dice" were "sacrificed" on the altar sacred to the Gods of War. In this connection it is interesting to find evidence that the "dice game"of hazard was associated with the thought of war among tribes verydifferent, both in language and customs, from the Pueblo Indians. Among thetribes living on the prairies the word used to indicate a "point" made in a"dice game" is derived from the same root as the word used to indicate anhonor won on the field of battle. 

Two examples of the class of games called "dice games" are here given: thefirst a Pueblo game played almost exclusively by men; the second a gamefound among the Omaha and kindred tribes and almost exclusively played bywomen. 

1

PA-TOL STICK GAME

_Properties_. --Three wooden billets; a flat stone about six inches indiameter or square; forty stones about as "big as a fist" or like pieces ofwood; as many sticks for markers as there are players; counters to scorethe game. 

_Directions_. --The three billets, called pa-tol sticks, are made four and ahalf inches long, one inch wide and half an inch in thickness; it isimportant that the wood from which they are made be firm and hard. Two ofthe billets are plain on one side, on the other side a diagonal line isincised from the left-hand upper corner to a point about two inches belowthe right-hand upper corner; another diagonal line is incised from theright-hand lower corner to about two inches above the left-hand lowercorner. The third pa-tol stick has the same design on one side, and on theother side the design is repeated and an additional diagonal line incisedfrom the right-hand upper corner to the left-hand lower corner. It would bewell to blacken all these incised lines in order that the designs can bereadily seen during the playing of the game. 

[Illustration]

A circle, called the Pa-tol House, about three or four feet in diameter, ismade by setting forty stones "about the size of a fist" so as to form thecircumference. Between every tenth and eleventh stone there must be anopening of four or five inches. These openings must face the north, east, south and west; they are spoken of as "rivers. " The flat stone is placed inthe middle of the circle. 

Each player has a marker, a small stick or twig, which is called his"horse. " As many can take part in the game as conveniently can seatthemselves around the pa-tol house. 

The following description of the game is given by Dr. Charles F. Lummis andquoted by Dr. Culin (Ibid. , pp. 191, 192): "When the players have seatedthemselves, the first takes the pa-tol sticks tightly in his right hand, lifts them about as high as his chin and, bringing them down with a smartvertical thrust as if to harpoon the center stone, lets go of them whenthey are within some six inches of it. The three sticks strike the stone asone, hitting on their ends squarely, and, rebounding several inches, fallback into the circle. The manner in which they fall decides thedenomination of the throw, and the different values are shown in thediagram. Although at first flush this might seem to make it a game ofchance, nothing could be farther from the truth. . . . An expert pa-tol playerwill throw the number he desires with almost unfailing certainty by hisarrangement of the sticks in his hand and the manner and force with whichhe strikes them down. It is a dexterity which any one may acquire bysufficient practice, and only thus. The five throw is deemed very much thehardest of all, and I have certainly found it so. [See diagram. ]

"According to the number of his throw the player moves his marker an equalnumber of stones ahead on the circle, using one of the rivers as a startingpoint. If the throw is five, for instance, he lays his horse between thefourth and fifth stones and hands the pa-tol sticks to the next man. If histhrow be ten, however, as the first man's throw is very certain to be, itlands his horse in the second river, and he has another throw. The secondman may make his starting point the same or another river, and may elect torun his horse around the circle in the same direction that the first isgoing or in the opposite. If in the same direction, he will do his best tomake a throw which will bring his horse into the same notch as that of thefirst man, in which case the first man is killed and has to take his horseback to the starting point, to try over again when he gets another turn. Incase the second man starts in the opposite direction--which he will not dounless an expert player--he has to calculate with a good deal of skill forthe meeting, to kill and to avoid being killed by the first player. When hestarts in the same direction he is behind and runs no chance of beingkilled, while he has just as good a chance to kill. But if, even then, ahigh throw carries him ahead of the first man--for jumping does not counteither way, the only killing being when two horses come in the samenotch--his rear is in danger, and he will try to run on out of the way ofhis pursuer as fast as possible. The more players the more complicated thegame, for each horse is threatened alike by foes that chase from behind andcharge from before, and the most skilful player is liable to be sent backto the starting point several times before the game is finished, which isas soon as one horse has made the complete circuit. Sometimes the players, when very young or unskilled, agree there shall be no killing; but unlessthere is an explicit arrangement to that effect, killing is understood, andit adds greatly to the interest of the game. "

II

PLUM STONE GAME

This game belongs to the second and non-ceremonial class of the games ofhazard and is generally played by women. The Omaha type is here given, butit is similar to the game as played by kindred tribes. 

_Properties_. --Five plum stones; a basket or wooden bowl; one hundredcounters. The Omaha used stalks of the blue joint grass as counters, butsmall twigs or sticks will serve. 

The plum stones should be carefully cleaned and dried. Two of the stonesare burned black on both sides with a hot iron; on one side of each ofthese stones a crescent is marked, and between the lines of the figure theblack is carefully scraped so as to leave a clear design of a new moon on abackground of black. On the other side of these two stones a star, four orfive pointed, is drawn and all the black within the lines is scraped off, leaving a brown star on a background of black. The other three stones areeach burned black all over on one side; the other side is left the naturalcolor of the stones. These stones can be prepared in camp, but the basketor wooden bowl will probably have to be furnished from outside. 

_Directions_. --Two players to one basket or bowl. The game is generally onehundred points. 

The two players sit opposite and have the basket or bowl between them, withthe five plum stones lying in the bottom. The one hundred counters arewithin reach at one side. As points are made, the winner takes acorresponding number of counters from the general pile and lays them besideher on the side opposite to the general pile; when this is exhausted, thenthe winner takes her counters from the winnings of her opponent. Whoeverwins all of the one hundred points has the game. 

Lots should be drawn to decide who shall have the first play. The one whowins the first play takes the bowl or basket by the rim with both hands andgives it a toss sufficient to throw up all the stones, but not violentenough to make them fall outside the bowl or basket; such a throw would notcount. If the throw is not such as to move all the stones, make them turnand all move about within the bowl, that throw will not count. 

The following are the combinations that count, that is, make points:

Two moons and three whites (natural color) = 10 points. 

Two stars and three blacks = 10 points. 

One moon, one star and three whites (natural color) = 1 point. 

One moon, one star and three blacks = 1 point. 

No other combinations count anything in the game. As will be seen, thereare a number which cannot be counted. If one tosses the bowl and the stonesfall in such manner as to make a combination that does not count, there isno forfeit; the player merely fails to score any points. The player whowins a point, or points, keeps on tossing the bowl until she fails to makea point. She must then let her opponent toss the bowl, who will keeptossing the bowl as long as she can win a point. There are players amongthe Indian women who are very skilful and are able to make the stones fallfrequently in the combinations that win ten points. 

Guessing Games

Introductory Note. --Games of the "subjective" class, designated as guessinggames by Dr. Culin, were generally accompanied by singing. There is a greatvariety in the games of this class, and five examples drawn from differentsections of the country are here presented. 

Indian games of this character do not always depend so much on chance as onthe quickness of vision and skilful manipulation by the players. In gamesof this class the Indians never make random motions, all their movements, whether of the body, the feet, the hands or arms, being always in strictaccord with the accompanying song, while the drama implied in the game isacted out, at the same time, more or less clearly. In these games theIndian players seem to be impelled by a common rhythmic and dramaticimpulse, making a unity that enhances the interest and pleasure excited bythe game. 

I

Pu-in

Introductory Note. --This was a favorite game among the natives of theNortheastern States; its "strange whimsies" were first mentioned by WilliamWood in his book, "New England Prospect, " published in London, 1634. It isprobable that some form of this game still persists among the scattereddescendants of those nearly extinct tribes, but it is not likely that atthe present day the victor would proclaim his prowess, as was formerlydone, by wearing in the holes of his ears the counters that marked thenumber of his successful guesses. 

_Properties_. --A number of wheat or other straws cut about a foot long; amat or blanket; a pointed staff for the Leader. 

_Directions_. --Ten straws must be laid aside as counters for each player. The rest of the straws are separated into tens and each ten tied with awisp, making a bundle; one bundle must have eleven straws. There should beas many bundles as players. The bundles must all be tied alike. The gameconsists in guessing which bundle has the eleven straws. The number ofguesses allowed in a game must be fixed upon before starting to play. 

All the bundles are thrown in a heap upon the center of the mat. TheLeader, who is generally chosen by lot, leads the players to the matcontaining the bundles. Each player holds in his left hand his ten countersand follows the Leader with his staff as he moves around the mat from leftto right, while all sing the following song, taking steps to the rhythm ofthe music:

GAME SONG

[Music]

When the Leader strikes his staff on the ground every player must stop justwhere he happens to be, stoop and pick up a bundle with his right hand andbegin to wave it above his head and sway his body to the time of the song. When the Leader points with his staff to a player, that person must make aguess. As he scans the waving bundles he points with his left hand thatholds his counters to the bundle which he thinks contains the elevenstraws. If the guess proves to be correct, the guesser puts one of hiscounters in his hair or behind his ear. At once all bundles must be thrownin a heap on the mat. The Leader then moves forward by the left, followedby the players, every one singing and keeping time with the song. When theLeader strikes the ground with his staff, all halt. Each player immediatelyseizes a bundle, holds it aloft and begins to wave it. The Leaderdesignates with his staff a person who must guess. If the guess is wrong, the guesser drops one of his counters on the mat and the Leader points toanother player who must guess. If he loses, he drops one of his counters onthe mat; the guessing goes on as described, until some one is successfuland puts a counter in his hair, when the bundles are all thrown on the matand the play begins again as before. Should the person designated by theLeader to guess think that he holds the bundle with eleven straws, he mustpoint it at the Leader. If this surmise is correct, the person guessingputs a counter in his hair and all bundles are again thrown on the mat. 

In this way the game proceeds until some player has won the requisitenumber of counters and has them all standing in his hair. Throughout thegame the singing must be kept up, accompanied by rhythmic movements of thefeet and the body, the players acting as though searching among the tallgrass for a desired clump. When a point is won, the Leader should shout outthe counter won, without interrupting the song or the play. Among theIndians the game, once started, is kept going without halt or break in thesong or the movements. The calling out of the winnings in no way disturbsthe singing or the playing. 

The victor should wear his successful counters in his hair the rest of theday, if possible. 

II

Atá-a-kut

Introductory Note. --This game is played among one of the basket makingtribes of California. As not infrequently occurs in Indian games, there isin this pastime a reflection both of the environment and of the vocationsof the people who used it. The drama or theme of the play is the search fora particular reed, which for the purpose of the game is marked in a specialway. 

_Properties_. --A mat or blanket and about fifty reeds; the reeds should besimilar in thickness and about a foot long. 

_Directions_. --The number of points which shall constitute winning the gameshould first be agreed upon; if ten be the number, then twenty reeds shouldbe set aside as counters and the rest used as game-reeds. All of theselatter must be alike save one, and that reed must have a black band aboutan inch or so wide painted around the middle, that is, midway between thetwo ends of the reed. It is this particular reed that must be detected orits location guessed. 

The mat or blanket should be laid east and west. The two players sitopposite each other, one near the northern edge of the mat, the other nearthe southern edge. The counters are divided in half, one-half put at theeastern end of the mat, the other half at the western. The counters at theeast belong to the player sitting at the north, those at the west to theplayer at the south. Two singers stand back of each player. The spectatorsare grouped about the mat, but must not be too near the players. Lots aredrawn to decide which player shall "hold the reeds. " The player who losesthe chance to "hold the reeds" becomes the one who is to be the guesser. 

All the game-reeds, including the reed with the black band painted on it, are thrown in a pile in the center of the mat or blanket. The player who isto "hold the reeds" gathers all the game-reeds in his hands, brings thembehind his back, where he shuffles and divides the reeds into two bunches, one for each hand. When he is ready to bring his hands forward, each onewith a bunch of reeds grasped by the middle, the two singers standingbehind him start the following song:

GAME SONG

[Music]

When the music begins, the player holding the reeds sways his body fromside to side, moves his arms and hands with the reeds and simulates beingblown by the winds. The opposite player, by the movements of body and arms, indicates that he is pushing his way through tall reeds tossed by the wind, searching for something he desires to find. Both players in all theirmovements must keep in rhythm of the song, observe strict time and striveto make their actions tell the story plainly. The guesser through all hismotions must keep his eyes on the bunches held by his opponent, seeking foran indication to show which one contains the marked reed. When he is readyto guess he extends both arms toward the bunch he has fixed upon, as if tograsp it. At this action the holder of the reeds must open his hand and letthe reeds of that bundle fall on the mat. The guesser then searches amongthe spilled reeds for the one that is marked; if he finds it, he holds itup so that all can see that his guess has been correct and the reeddiscovered. The two singers who stand behind him give the victory shout, goto his pile of counters, take one and place it at his right hand, then thereeds of the other bunch are thrown by the holder on the mat, so that allthe game-reeds are lying in the center, as at the beginning of the game. 

The player who made the successful guess now picks up the game-reeds andbehind his back shuffles and divides them. When he is ready to bringforward his two hands holding the reeds, the two singers standing behindhim begin the Game Song, while he waves the bunches, acting what is now hisrôle, that of the reeds being blown about by the winds. The other playernow becomes the guesser and must act as though he were searching among theblown reeds for the one he desires. 

The player who "holds the reeds" is thought to have the advantage; that iswhy lots are drawn at the beginning to decide who shall have that part inthe game. The player holding the reeds aims to make the guessing asdifficult as possible by deftness in hiding the banded reed, so as to keephis advantage. 

Every time a guess is made the reeds of the bunch guessed must at once bedropped on the mat, that all may see the reeds while the guesser searchesamong them for the marked reed. If he cannot find it, the singers who standbehind him call out that a point has been lost, take a counter from hispile and place it at the right hand of the player holding the reeds, who atonce drops all the game-reeds on the middle of the mat, to be again takenup by him, shuffled and divided behind his back, when he resumes the wavingof the bunches of reeds blown by the wind and the guesser who lost startsto make another guess. Should he be successful, the counter he had lostwould be taken back and placed at his right hand. In this manner counterslost can be reclaimed, until one or the other of the players has won andbeen able to hold the number of counters required for the game. 

The presentation of the little drama of this game rhythmically affords anopportunity for considerable dramatic action and yields pleasure both tothe performers and to the spectators. This game was much played among thetribes where it was known. 

III

HAND GAME

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This game, Dr. Culin states, is played among eighty-oneIndian tribes of the United States. The game bears different names in thevarious languages of these tribes. Hand Game is a descriptive term and nota translation of any native name; it refers to the fact that the object isheld in the hand during the play. The following form of this game is theway it was formerly played among the Nez Perce Indians of the State ofIdaho. Lewis and Clark, who were the first white men to record theirmeeting with these Indians, mention this game, and Capt. Bonneville givesan account of it when he visited the tribe during the third decade of thelast century. 

_Properties_. --A bone or wooden bead about two inches in length and half aninch in thickness; thirty counting sticks (these are sometimes spoken of asarrows, and there are indications that they were once arrows--the arrows ofthe twin gods); a mat oblong in shape; two logs or pieces of board aboutthe length of the mat, and as many sticks (to be used as drum-sticks) asplayers can sit on one side of the mat. 

_Directions_. --The mat should be laid east and west, the logs or boards puton the north and south edges and the counting sticks placed in two piles offifteen each on the ends of the mat. The players sit on the ground, a rowon each side of the mat to the north and south. Lots are drawn to decidewhich side shall have the bead "in hand. " The Leader and the singers mustalways stand behind the row of players who have the bead "in hand. " Theopposite side must have the drum-sticks and beat on the log or board intime with the singers. 

When the players are seated in two rows, one on each side of the mat, theLeader hands the bead to a player on the side that has drawn the right tohave the bead "in hand, " and then takes his place beside the singers, whostand behind that row, and starts the following song. All in that row joinin the singing. 

HAND GAME SONG

[Music]

The players on the opposite side, who are to guess who is hiding the bead, at once begin to beat the time of the song on the log or board that is infront of them, on the edge of the mat, and at the same time they must watchthe other side where the players are trying to pass the bead from one handto the other and from one person to another without exposing the bead toview. In all these actions the movements of hands, arms and body must berhythmical and in time with the song. All the players in the row that hasthe bead "in hand" must act as if each one either had the bead or wastrying to pass it on, whether he actually has the bead or does not have it. 

When one on the opposite side thinks he detects the whereabouts of the beadand is willing to risk a guess, he points his drum-stick to the hand hethinks has the bead and cries, "Hi-i!" and the hand indicated must beimmediately opened so that all may see whether the guess is correct or not. If the bead is seen to be in the opened hand, the Leader calls out, "Success!" and goes to the pile of counting sticks belonging to the side ofthe guesser, takes one and stands it in the ground in front of thesuccessful guesser. The Leader then hands the bead to the player who haswon and proceeds to gather the drum-sticks and distribute them to theplayers on the opposite side. The singers pass around and take their placesbehind the row of players who now have the bead "in hand. " When all are inreadiness, the Leader starts the song again and the players begin theirmovements of secretly passing the bead, while the other side beat time withtheir drum-sticks on the log or board in front of them. The side that hasthe bead "in hand" always does the singing, led by the Leader and singers, who must stand at the rear of the row having the bead. 

If a guess is incorrect the Leader goes to the pile of counting sticks thatbelongs to the side which has the drum-sticks, takes a counting stick andthrusts it in the ground in front of the row opposite to the guesser; thatmeans one lost to his side. The bead in that instance remains on the sameside until it is won by the opposite side through a successful guess. 

In this manner the game goes on until one side or the other has won all thethirty counting sticks and become the victor in the game. 

IV

HIDING THE DISKS

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This game, known under a variety of names, is afavorite among the Indian tribes living on the North Pacific Coast. Thedisks, always of an uneven number, are made of wood and ornamented withdesigns composed of segments of circles with groupings of dots. Some of themarkings are regarded as cabalistic, and there are men who claim to have aknowledge of spells that will bring luck to the disks they ornament andtreat; such disks are considered valuable and often command a high price. All of the disks in a set that is used in this game are ornamented alikeexcept one; this must be different from the others. It may be decoratedwith red, for the sun, or with a dark color almost black, for the night. This disk is frequently called the "chief, " and the aim of the game is toguess in which pile of disks the "chief" is hidden. 

_Properties_. --A mat on which the game is played; a small mat on which thecounting or tally-sticks are put; a board that is to serve as a drum; fourdrum-sticks; nine wooden disks about two and a half inches in diameter. Thedesigns on the nine disks, the twenty tally-sticks and the four drum-sticksshould be in color or burned into the wood. Eight of the disks should bedecorated alike; the ninth must be different and have either red or brownas the predominating color; this disk is the "chief. " A bundle of excelsioris to be the substitute for the fiber of cedar bark which is used by theIndians of the Northwest Coast when playing this game; if excelsior is notavailable, dry leaves or some other dry material might be substituted, within which, or under which, the disks could be hidden. All the articlesused in this game except the mats should be made in camp. 

_Directions_. --An uneven number of players is required for this game. Themat is laid east and west; at a little distance back to the northwest thesmall mat is placed and on it are put the twenty tally-sticks. In a linewith the small mats to the northeast is laid the board around which thefour singers and drummers sit. The bundle of excelsior, or whatevermaterial is used in its place, together with the nine disks, is put at thewestern end of the mat; before these is the place for the player who is tohide the disks. On the northern and southern side of the mat sit theplayers who are to guess where the "chief" is hidden, three or four on aside. The messenger stands at the eastern end of the mat facing the playerwho is to hide the disks. Lots should be drawn to determine who of the sixor eight players are to sit on the northern side and who on the southernside. The player who is to do the hiding of the disks can be eitherselected or drawn by lot. Whoever takes this part in the game should becapable of considerable dramatic action. Among the Indians the person whodoes the hiding of the disks personifies one who practices magic; he makespasses over the disks and the cedar fiber under which the disks are hidden, makes signs and movements, and does what he can to throw a spell ofconfusion over those who are to guess where the "chief" is hidden. 

When the players about the mat, the singers about the board drum and themessenger standing at the eastern end of the mat are all in readiness, thesingers begin the following song, keeping time by beating with theirdrum-sticks on the board drum; the players about the mat join in thesinging. 

HIDING THE DISKS

[Music]

The player at the western end of the mat opens the bundle of excelsior orother material and spreads it on the mat and then puts all the nine disksunder the material, making many movements as he does so, all of which mustbe in rhythm with the song, rolling the disks about under the material andfinally dividing them into two parts, well covered up by the material. Hecontinues to make passes with his hands as though invoking mysteriousforces and to shuffle around the two piles of material in which the disksare hidden. Suddenly a player points to one of the piles; the player at theend ceases to shuffle and sends the disks concealed in the pile rollingdown the mat to the messenger standing at the other end, who looks to seeif the "chief" is among the disks rolled toward him. If he finds it, all ofthe players on the side of the guesser give the victory shout and themessenger goes to the small mat, brings one of the tally-sticks and standsit before the successful guesser. Then the messenger rolls the disks backto the other end of the mat where the person sits who hides the disks. Thatplayer begins again his passes and movements as he mixes together the ninedisks and hides them under the material; then he divides the disks and thematerial under which they are hidden into two piles, shuffles them aboutuntil a player points to a pile, when he at once stops shuffling and sendsthe disks under the pile pointed at rolling down the mat to the messenger. If the "chief" is not found among the disks, the side to which theunsuccessful guesser belongs loses a point, and the messenger takes fromthe small mat a tally-stick and stands it at the end of the row of playerson the opposite side. The disks are then sent spinning over the mat to theplayer who hides them. He mixes up the disks, hides them, shuffles thepiles until another guess is made. If that guess should be by a player onthe side that had just lost a point, and the guess prove to besuccessful--that is, the pile pointed at contain the "chief"--then themessenger takes the tally-stick that had been put at the end of the row ofthe opposite side and stands it in front of the successful guesser. Hecould not take back a tally-stick that had been won by a guess unless allthe tally-sticks had been taken from the small mat. One side or the othermust win twenty points to be victor in the game. In the process of winningthe game the tally-sticks may therefore be taken back and forth before oneside wins the entire twenty. 

The victory shout is given only when a successful guess is made. Thesinging stops at a victory shout and is resumed as soon as the disks arerolled back to the player who hides the disks. He must be careful to keepall his dramatic actions and movements of hands, arms, body and head inrhythmic accord with the song. The steps and movements of the messengermust also be in time with the song. 

V

I-OU'-TIN

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This game belongs to the class of guessing games. Theform here presented is adapted from the game as played by the Omaha, Otoe, Ponca and Pawnee tribes, among whom it is a favorite. 

_Properties_. --A standard, or the camp flagstaff can be used; a blanket orrug; three official scarfs, one blue, one green, one white; two wands, onedecorated with blue and the other with green; eight tally-rods, ornamentedat one end with red tassels; two small balls of a light, soft material, hair or wool; a drum; six decorated drum-sticks; rosettes of blue and ofgreen; strips of blue and green paper. 

[Illustration]

_Directions_. --A fairly level open space large enough for a circle of fromtwenty to thirty feet in diameter is marked upon the ground, in the centerof which the standard is planted. Directly west and on a line with thestandard the blanket or rug is spread. In front of the rug and on a linewith the standard the drum is set. At a little distance on each side of thedrum the two wands are thrust in the ground, the one decorated with blue tothe north, the one with green to the south. On the rug back of the drum theeight tally-rods are laid in a bunch, with the butts of the rods toward theeast. At the butts of the rods are placed the two little balls. 

The players draw lots as to which side they are to belong. This is done byputting the green and blue strips of paper in a receptacle and each onedrawing a strip. Those who draw blue belong to the north side; those whodraw green, to the south side. Each player must then fasten a rosette, ofthe color of the side to which he or she belongs, on the shoulder; thosewho belong to the north side must put the blue rosette on the rightshoulder, and those who belong to the south side must put the green rosetteon the left shoulder. 

_Officers_. --Two Judges; a Custodian; two Guessers; six Singers. 

The players on the north side choose from among their number one who is tobe their Judge; the players on the south side choose one for their Judge. It is the duty of the Judges to select the Custodian, the six Singers, thetwo Guessers; to preserve order, decide when there are disputes, and tolead in the opening ceremony. 

The Custodian has charge of all the properties, must place them asdirected, move the drum from side to side, and at the close of the gamegather all the articles required for the game and put them in a place ofsafe keeping for use at another time. The Custodian wears the officialwhite scarf tied about the waist. This officer does not wear any rosette, as the Custodian does not belong to either side but to all who take part inthe game. 

The Judge on the north side must wear the blue official scarf. This iscrossed over the breast from the right shoulder, on which is the bluerosette, to the waist on the left side, where it is tied. The Judge on thesouth side wears the green official scarf. This is crossed over the breastfrom the left shoulder, where is the green rosette, to the waist at theright side, where it is tied. 

The six Singers, three for each side, sit in an open group on the groundnear the ends of the rug, those wearing blue rosettes on the north andthose wearing green rosettes on the south side. The players take theirseats on the ground on the line of the circle, those wearing blue rosetteson the north half, those wearing green rosettes on the south half of thecircle. 

When all are in their places the Custodian leads the two Judges to the rug, on which they are to sit a little back of the wands--blue to the North, green to the South. The Custodian then takes up the tally-rods, gives fourto each of the Judges and retires to stand back of the rug, behind theJudges, ready for duty. 

Up to this moment laughing and talking goes on among the players, but asthe Custodian divides the tally-rods and hands them to the Judges instantsilence falls on all present. 

THE OPENING CEREMONY

The two Judges rise in their places. The north side Judge holds the fourtally-rods in his right hand, the south side Judge holds the fourtally-rods in his left hand; the two then walk abreast to the standard. There they face the North, move forward a few steps, pause, and each Judgeholds up his tally-rods to the North, while all the players on both sidesof the circle sing the following song:

Song

1

 Hail! O North! Thy wind send To blow care away, To bring joy to-day; Makes Eyes keen, Make Hands swift for play. 

[Music]

At the close of the stanza the two Judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the East, pause, then elevate their tally-rods, and all theplayers sing the second stanza. 

2

 Hail! O East! Thy wind send To blow care away, To bring joy to-day; Makes Eyes keen, Make Hands swift for play. 

At the close of the stanza the two Judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the South, pause, again elevate their tally-rods, while all theplayers sing the third stanza. 

3

 Hail! O South! Thy wind send To blow care away, To bring joy to-day; Make Eyes keen, Make Hands swift for play. 

At the close of this stanza the two Judges lower their tally-rods, turn, walk toward the West, pause, once more elevate their tally-rods, and allthe players join in singing the fourth stanza. 

4

 Hail! O West! Thy wind send To blow care away, To bring joy to-day; Make Eyes keen, Make Hands swift for play. 

At the close of the song the Judges lower their tally-rods and walk to therug, where they take their appointed seats behind the respective wands. They then lay all the tally-rods on the space between them. 

THE CONTEST

A contest now takes place between the two persons chosen by the Judges tobe the two Guessers, one for each side, to decide which shall begin thegame. The Judge for the north side calls the name of the person chosen tobe the Guesser for that side and the Custodian escorts him to his placewithin the circle. The Judge for the south side calls the name of theperson chosen to be Guesser for that side, and the Custodian escorts him tohis place within the circle. The Custodian then gives to each the wandbelonging to his side and also one of the small balls. 

The Guesser from the north side hides his ball in one of his hands, shifting it behind his back, then he holds out both hands in front of himwith all the fingers closed except the index finger, which is extended asif pointing to the other Guesser. Both hands and forearms must berhythmically moved up and down. The south side Guesser watches for a momentand then points with his wand to the hand he thinks has the ball. As soonas he points to a hand, it must be immediately opened, palm upward. Shouldthe ball be in the other hand, it must be shown to be lying there. If theguess was correct, the ball being in the hand pointed at, it counts one. Three correct guesses must be made by one of the Guessers in order tosecure for his side the right to open the game. In this contest theGuessers must alternate, first the north side Guesser, then the south sideGuesser, and so on until one of the Guessers has won three correct guesses. That decides it. His side is to hide the ball and the other side's Guesseris to do the guessing. 

THE GAME

The Custodian takes the drum from its position in front of the rug, carriesit to the side of the successful Guesser and sets it before the threeSingers who are to lead in the singing of the song belonging to that sideof the circle of players. Every one on that side must sing the song as theyhide the balls. Only those on the side that is hiding the balls sing. Theycan only sing the song that belongs to their side. 

SONG FOR THE NORTH SIDE

[Music]

SONG FOR THE SOUTH SIDE

[Music]

There are no words for either of these songs. The vocables given are thoseused with these songs when the Indians sing them as they hide the balls. 

The Custodian takes the two balls from the Guessers and hands them to twopersons designated by the Guesser who has won the right for that side tobegin. The two persons designated must be two who are sitting together. They each take a ball, and they must hide the balls in the same manner asdid the Guessers during the contest. The fingers of the hands are closed, all but the index finger, which is extended as if pointing. The hands andarms move up and down and also from one side to the other; all of thesemovements must be in exact time to the song and the drum-beats. Theseswaying, rhythmic movements are pleasing to the eye and add to theenjoyment of the game. While the two persons having the balls are hidingthem, swaying their hands and arms, the Guesser, who is of the oppositeside, is watching intently the hands of the players. When he is ready tomake a guess he points his wand to where he thinks the balls are--directlyin front, if he suspects the balls to be in the two inside hands. If hethinks the balls are in the two outside hands, he points his wand to one ofthe hands and extends his empty hand toward the other; in that case theGuesser stands with both of his arms extended. As soon as the Guesserpoints with his wand, the hands indicated must be at once opened, palmsupward, so that all can see whether the guess is right or wrong. 

Every correct guess counts one for the side of the Guesser. As soon as acorrect guess is made, the Judge for that side takes up one of thetally-rods and lays it toward his side; this shows that a point has beenwon for that side. If the guess is wrong, the Judge for the other sidetakes up one of the tally-rods and lays it over on his side. The other sidehas lost one, while his side has gained by the other's loss. 

To win a sweep, all the eight tally-rods must be gained by one side. Threesweeps by a side gives that side the game. 

Whenever a sweep is made the balls are handed over to the Custodian. Thetwo Judges rise, go to the standard, stand there, one facing North (hisside), the other the South (his side). The two Guessers go to the standard, stand there, one facing East, the other West. All the winning side rise, gotoward the standard and form a circle around it. There they sing theVictory Song. 

VICTORY SONG

[Music]

As they sing they sway their arms as though hiding the balls, and dance tothe rhythm of the song. Four times they dance around the standard and singthe Victory Song. All movements must be in time with the song. At the closeof the fourth circuit of the standard, all return to their appointed placesand the game is resumed. 

The Custodian takes up the drum, carries it to the side that has justdanced and sets it before the three Singers of that side. The Guesser, whois of the opposite side, designates the two who are to hide the balls andthe game proceeds as described above. 

Whenever a side that has been hiding the balls fails three times to eludethe Guesser, then the Custodian takes the drum from that side and carriesit to the other side of the circle, puts it before the Singers and givesthe balls as directed. Sometimes there are disputes as to these transfersand as to the points lost; three must be lost to secure a transfer. It thenbecomes the duty of the Judges to decide. 

With every transfer of the drum the song changes. The balls and the rightto sing go together, but the song belonging to one side must not be sung bythe other side. The songs are not interchangeable. 

This game is provocative of fun and merriment as well as dexterity of handand quickness of vision. It also presents a very pretty spectacle. It isgreatly enjoyed by Indian men, women and children. It has also found favorwith merrymakers of our own race. 

Ball Games

INTRODUCTION

Indian ball games have one feature not found in the ball games as played byus; that is, with the Indian the ball is never pitched and tossed by handduring the play. At the opening of an Indian game the ball must be tossedby hand, but after that the ball is struck by a racket, stick or club andin that way sent from player to player and on to the goal. An exception tothis general rule is found in an Omaha ball game given in the followingpages. 

The opening ceremony requires the ball to be handled and moved in apeculiar and ceremonial manner by the hand of the Umpire before he tossesit up for the beginning of the actual play. 

The balls used by the Indians are of different materials--buckskin stuffedwith hair; formed from roots, such as the wild-grape vine; wood; bladdernetted with sinew; and in a few instances, of bone or stone. 

Three ball games are here given. 

I

BALL AND RACKET

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --The game in which the ball is struck with a racket isalmost exclusively played by men, but there are tribes where it is playedby women, and one tribe, cited by Dr. Culin, where it is played by men andwomen together. The form of ball game where the racket is used was lesswidely distributed over the country than some others. It was mostfrequently found among tribes living near the Atlantic Coast and in theregion of the Great Lakes. It had a limited range on the Pacific. There aretwo forms of the Racket Ball Game, one where a single racket is used andthe other where two rackets are employed to catch the ball. The latter formis peculiar to the tribes formerly living in the Southern States. The gamehere given is presented as it is played among the Chippewa tribes dwellingin Minnesota. 

_Properties_. --A ball, not too hard and the size usually employed forcricket. As many rackets as there are players. Red and yellow head-bandsequally divided as to number and enough for all the players. 

_Directions_. --The field should be as large as the camp ground will permit. At the extreme East of the field a tall pole should be set as a goal and alike pole at the West for the other goal. To the pole at the East a redstreamer should be tied and a yellow streamer to the pole at the West. These poles should be practically in line and as distant from each other asit is conveniently possible to set them. The rackets should be made incamp. A racket can be made from a sapling cut at such length that when theracket is completed it will be 26 inches long. One end of the sapling iswhittled fiat on one side for a sufficient length to be bent round to theshaft or handle so as to form the rim of the circular receptacle which isto receive the ball. Sometimes both sides of this bent portion of thesapling are made flat. The end of this flat end where it curls round uponthe shaft or handle must be bound firmly to the shaft with thongs or heavytwine. Holes are sometimes bored through the rim and the thongs or twineare passed through them and woven into a loose netting to form a bottom tothe coiled end, making a shallow cup-shaped receptacle in which to catch orhold the ball. The rackets are not difficult to make. Each lad should makehis own racket and mark the stem with some device by which he can identifyit should he drop it during the play. Care should be taken when making theracket to have the cup-shaped receptacle at the end of the shaft of suchsize as to hold the ball without its rolling about, in which case it wouldbe easily dropped when being carried on a run; yet it must be large enoughto catch and hold the ball as it is flying about. The players should bedivided into two parties by casting lots. Those who belong to the east goalshould wear red head-bands; those who have the west goal should wear yellowhead-bands. An Umpire must be selected. The ball must strike one of thegoal posts to make a point; the number of points that shall constitute thegame should be agreed upon. Two players, one from each side, stand neareach goal. One helps the ball for his side; the other hinders the ball whennear the goal by tossing it back into the field again so that his side maycatch it. 

THE GAME

The four players stand at their posts beside the two goals; all the othersgather in the field. The Umpire takes the ball and goes to a place as nearthe center of the field as possible. All being in readiness, he throws theball with force straight up in the air. Every player watches the ball andmakes ready to try and catch it in his racket when it descends. If onesucceeds in catching the ball, he runs at full speed toward his goal, holding his racket so that the ball will not fall out. The other playersrush after him, trying to strike his racket and dislodge the ball. If he ishard pressed he may try to toss the ball to a player on his side who has aclearer space; if the ball is caught by the player to whom it was sent, then all the players turn upon the new holder of the ball and try to blockhis progress. In this game care must be taken never to strike the arm orbody of a player; only the racket should be struck. There is danger ofreceiving injuries if this rule is not strictly observed. 

Perhaps one of the most difficult feats in this game is when a player hasbrought his ball near to the goal to so turn his racket while it holds theball as to send the ball with such force that it will strike the postsquarely and not miss the goal. The difficulty is owing to the horizontalposition of the racket when holding the ball. Of course, the keenestplaying is about the goal, where the guard of the side opposite to theplayer does his best to catch the ball on its way to the post and send itback into the field. 

The ball should not be allowed to touch the ground from the time the Umpirethrows it into the air until it falls at the pole after a point has beenmade by the ball striking the post. It is the duty of the Umpire to go tothe pole, mark the score, return with the ball to the center of the field, where he again sends it up into the air, and the game starts afresh for asecond point to be made. 

This game is good sport; it develops and requires skill, agility andstrength. 

II

TA-BÉ

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This ball game was known to a number of tribes thatformerly lived on the prairies, and called by different names. The game ashere given is as it was played among the Omaha. The opening of the game wasceremonial. The person who performed the opening ceremony had to belong tothe tribal group that had charge of the rites pertaining to the Wind, forthe figure outlined on the ground by the movements of the ball in theopening ceremony was one of the symbols of the Wind. The Wind when spokenof ceremonially was called the Four Winds, one for each of the four pointsof the compass. These Four Winds were regarded as the messengers of theGiver of Life, known as Wakon'da by the Omaha and kindred tribes. Therecognition of man's connection with the forces of Nature did not disturbthe pleasure of the Indian when entering upon a game; on the contrary, ittended to enhance his happiness by bringing to his mind his dependence uponWakon'da, together with the feeling of being in accord with the powerrepresented by the Wind. 

_Properties_. --A ball about three or four inches in diameter; the Omaha andkindred tribes made the ball out of the root of the wild-grape vine. Asmany sticks as there are players, the sticks to be about three feet longand crooked over at one end. Each stick should be marked by some designinvented by its owner, so that each player can identify his stick. 

[Illustration: DIAGRAM OF THE TA-BE

1 Circle showing lines made by the ball

2 Goals

3 Guardians

4 Players at the opening of the game]

_Directions_. --A wide open field is best for this game. Two goals, one atthe East, the other at the West. The goals are each made by two posts witha cross piece on top. The path of the ball is East and West. 

The officers of the game are: an Umpire, four Guardians of the Path. Two ofthe Guardians of the Path stand at the eastern goal and two at the westerngoal. The two Guardians at a goal represent the two sides; one wears ayellow streamer or badge, the color of the West; the other wears a redstreamer or badge, the color of the East. A red streamer is tied to thegoal at the East and a yellow streamer to the goal at the West. It is theduty of the one who wears the color of the goal by which he stands to tryand help the ball through the goal when it comes in that direction, and itis the duty of the one who wears the color of the opposite goal to preventthe ball from going through and to send it back into the field or towardthe other goal. 

The players on the two sides are chosen in the following manner: The personwho is to act as Umpire and to perform the opening ceremony must sit in acircle drawn on the ground, about six feet in diameter, and face either theNorth or the South. All the sticks are placed before him in a bunch. He isthen blindfolded. After that he picks up a stick with each hand and laysdown the stick that he has in his right hand on his left side, the stickthat he has in his left hand he lays down on his right side. When he hasfinished dividing the sticks in this manner they are in two bunches, onetoward the East and the other toward the West. The blindfold is thenremoved. When that is done, all the players run to the two heaps and eachtakes his own stick, recognizing it by the design marked or cut upon thestick. All those whose sticks were in the pile to the East must tie on abadge or streamer the color of the East, red. All those whose sticks werein the bunch toward the West must tie on the color of the West, yellow. 

All the players must now stand in two lines. One line starts from thecircle and extends directly toward the goal at the East; all in this linemust be only those whose sticks were in the east pile and who have on thecolor of the East, red. The other line starts from the circle and stretchesout toward the west goal, and is composed of those whose sticks were in thewest pile and who have on the color of the West, yellow. The four Guardiansof the Path take their places. The Umpire wears no color. All being inreadiness, the Umpire advances to the middle of the circle. 

THE OPENING CEREMONY

The Umpire places the ball in the exact center of the circle, then hegently urges it with his stick in a line toward the North until it reachesthe edge of the circle. There he picks it up and puts it back in the centerof the circle. Again he gently pushes it with his stick along a line towardthe South until the edge of the circle is reached, when he returns the ballto the center of the circle with his hand. In the same manner as before hesends the ball slowly along a line to the West. When the edge of the circleis reached he picks up the ball and returns it to the center. Once more theball is moved in a line, this time to the East; when it touches the line ofthe circle it is picked up as before and placed in the center of thecircle. The symbolic figure that has thus been made is that of a circlewithin which two straight lines cross each other at right angles; thecircle is divided into four quarters, one for each of the Four Winds. 

THE GAME

Every player now stands at attention, with his stick ready for action. TheUmpire pauses a moment at the center of the circle, then he picks up theball lying there and throws it into the air as high as he can. All theplayers, who have watched the throw, run in the direction where the ballseems likely to descend, in order to have a chance to strike it toward oneof the goals. 

To win the game the ball must be sent through a goal; to strike it so thatit goes over or around the goal does not count. The ball must be made totake a straight line, to "make a straight path" through a goal, then thegame is won. When a good shot is made, all on the side of the one who madethe stroke should send up a shout. When the goal is won the winning sideshould give the victory cry of the game, "Ta-bé!"

III

DOUBLE-BALL GAME

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --Some stories credit the Moon as the giver of this gameto the women, by whom it is exclusively played throughout the United Statesexcept among the tribes in Northern California, where the men use the game. There are indications that the Double-ball Game was known upon thiscontinent in the remote past. 

The peculiar ball employed for this game is composed of two small stuffedpouches connected by a band, or two billets of wood about five inches long, made like thick pegs with heads and ornamented on all sides with carvings;a leather thong five to eight inches long is attached at each end to theneck of each of the two billets. Dr. Culin reports an ingenious specimenmade by the Maricopa Indians of Arizona; that double-ball is made fromnarrow strips of leather braided to form a band, each end of which isenlarged by braiding so as to make a ball, the finished article being abouteight inches in length. (Ibid. , p. 665, Fig. 882. )

_Properties_. --One double-ball; as many sticks as players; red and yellowhead-bands, equal in number, for the two sides of players. 

_Directions_. --The double-ball should be made in camp in the followingmanner: A strip of leather or of strong, closely woven brown cloth fromfifteen to twenty inches long. For six inches from both ends the stripshould be about seven inches wide; the portion of the strip between thesewide ends should be about three inches wide. The wide ends are to form thepouches, and the narrower middle section the band to connect the twopouches. The two edges of the strip should be lapped and strongly sewed theentire length of the strip, except a small opening about an inch long lefton the side of each of the pouches. Through this opening the pouches arefilled with dry sand, then the edges are securely sewed together so that nosand can escape. These pouches are the "balls. " The sides of the pouchesshould be decorated with designs painted in bright colors and a little tuftor tassel of red yarn fastened at the middle of the bottom of the pouch. The sticks should be about thirty-two inches long, not too heavy andsomewhat pointed at one end that is slightly curved. Each stick should bemarked by an individual device so that it can be claimed by its owner. 

Two wickets, made by crotched poles about five and a half to six feet high, having a bar fastened across the top, are placed in line with each other, one at the East, the other at the West, and as far apart as the limits ofthe camp grounds will permit. A red streamer to be tied to the easternwicket and a yellow streamer to the western wicket. 

The players are divided into two parties of equal numbers and lots shouldbe drawn to decide which side shall have the eastern goal, and all of thatside must wear red head-bands; the other side must wear yellow head-bandsto show that theirs is the western goal. 

An Umpire must be chosen, to whom belongs the duty of tossing the ball whennecessary; to keep the score, and to settle any disputes. 

To make a point the ball must be tossed so as to hang on the crossbar ofthe wicket. An agreement must be made as to how many points shallconstitute the game. 

THE GAME

The players stand in two rows about fifteen to twenty feet apart, one coloron one side, the other color opposite. The Umpire takes a place between thetwo lines and as near as possible to the middle of the rows. When all arein readiness the double-ball is tossed by the Umpire straight up into theair, and all those whose places are near the middle of the rows watch thedescent of the "ball" and try to catch on their sticks the connecting cordof the double-ball. If one succeeds, she tries to send it down the linetoward the goal of her side; those of the opposite side try to preventsuccess to this movement and to send the "ball" in the other direction. The"ball" should not be allowed to touch the ground from the time it is tosseduntil it is lodged on the wicket. The side that lets the "ball" fall to theground loses a count, and the side that keeps the "ball" up until itreaches the goal scores two points, equal to four counts. 

HOOP AND JAVELIN

INTRODUCTORY NOTE. --This game was widely known and played among the varioustribes dwelling within the territory now occupied by the United States. Inits passage from one tribe to another the game became modified into severaltypes, but the fundamental character was not changed, so that all thesetypes are, in a sense, a unit. The game is very old upon this land; thearticles used in playing it have been found in ancient graves, in the cliffdwellings of the Southwest and in various ruins scattered over the country. 

Among the Pueblo tribes the articles used in types of this game appearamong the paraphernalia on altars prepared for certain ceremonies. From astudy of these ceremonies in connection with the myths of the people itseems probable that the hoop used in this game represents the shield of theWar God. When the hoop has a netting that fills the center and covers theedges, the netting simulates the magic web of the Spider Woman, a personthat frequently figures in the myths and stories of different tribes. Herweb generally serves as a protection furnished by her in a conflict. 

The netted hoop appears as a decoration upon the interior of pottery bowlsformerly made by the Indians of the Southwest. In some of these bowls thenetting is dotted with spots. Dr. Culin regards this particular design "asrepresenting the spider web with the dew upon it, " and adds: "The 'watershield' [of one of the Zuñi War Gods], from which he shook the torrents, was suggested, no doubt, by dew on the web. " (Ibid. , p. 425. ) To oneunfamiliar with the Indian's habit of mind it may seem strained to connectthe beads of dew on a spider's web with the torrential rain, but to onefamiliar with native thought as expressed in myths where the Indian hasdramatized his conceptions of nature and of natural forces and phenomena, the connection ceases to be strange. 

On the Pueblo altars the netted shield is always associated with arrows, bows or darts. In the various types of this game the arrows, darts, bows, javelins and lances that are associated with the hoop are interchangeable, some tribes using one and other tribes another. Under all the varied typeswith their different forms as found among scattered and unrelated tribesthe game holds to its original significance, primarily religious incharacter, being an appeal for the protection and the perpetuity of life. 

Only two articles are required for this game, the hoop and the javelin. Inone type the hoop is covered with a netting more or less closely andelaborately woven. In all the netted designs it is usually possible totrace a figure as of a path crossing at right angles in the center of thespace within the hoop and ending at four equidistant points on the edge ofthe hoop. This path indicates the path of the Four Winds, which stand withtheir life-giving power at the four directions, the North, East, South andWest. In some localities the netting of the hoop is made from the yucca, inother places corn husks are used. With the closely netted hoop arrows areapt to be found. Some of these have as the shaft a corn cob with a stickabout eighteen inches long thrust through the cob, sharpened at the lowerend and a tuft of feathers tied to the upper end; this feathered stick is aprayer-stick such as is offered at a shrine. 

In another type of the game the hoop is of stone; the lance is associatedwith this kind of hoop. 

There are a variety of nettings for the hoop and much diversity in thestyle of arrows, darts and javelins used in the game. 

The simplest is chosen to be here presented, for the reason that both thearticles used in the game should be made in the camp where it is to beplayed. The hoop and javelins were always made by the youths who joined inthe sport, and the making of hoop and javelin was part of the fun. 

[Illustration: HOOP AND JAVELIN]

_Properties_. --A hoop and two javelins. 

The hoop is made in the following manner: A piece of rope, not of a heavykind, about sixteen inches long will give the foundation for a hoop aboutfour inches in diameter. The two ends should be spliced together so as toleave the edge of the hoop even. The ring of rope is wound with a strip ofleather or cloth in order to give the hoop such a surface that it can rolland yet be flexible and light. 

The javelin is made of three parts, the shaft and the two barbs. The shaftis of wood, four feet long, round and smooth. An inch from one end asection three inches long is cut into both sides of the shaft a quarter ofan inch deep, and the bottom and sides made smooth. The barbs are formedfrom two small branches cut from a tree or shrub so as to preserve threeinches of the stem from which the branch forks; the branch is cut so as tobe five inches long and is made flat on the inner side. The stem is madeflat on both sides; a flange is made on the outer side. Several pieces ofleather are cut, a quarter of an inch wide and an inch long; these arebound for half their length to the inner and flat side of the branch so asto leave the ends free, which are bent up and stand like teeth along thebarb. The stems of the barbs are now fitted into the sections cut on bothsides of the shaft so that the barbs point backward on each side of theshaft, and are firmly bound in place on the shaft. About three inches fromthe other end of the shaft a band is cut around the shaft but not verydeeply. The two javelins are made as nearly alike as possible in justice tothe players. 

_Directions_. --A level course from North to South and from fifty to onehundred feet long. Four players; two stand at the north end of the courseand two at the south end. The one whose place is toward the East on thenorth and the one who stands toward the East on the south end are partners. Both of these players should wear a red band about the head, as red is thecolor of the East. The two players who stand toward the West at the twoends are partners, and these should wear yellow bands about their heads, yellow being the color of the West. The opponents in the game, therefore, stand side by side. Partners cannot help each other in the playing, butboth players count for their side all the points they make. 

The javelin is grasped by the middle, the barbed end toward the back, andthe plain rounded end is shot toward the hoop. 

The number of points that will constitute the game should be decided uponbefore beginning the game. Ten is the usual number among the Indians. Lotsshould be drawn as to which of the four players should be the first tothrow the hoop. The one who draws the hoop then takes one of the javelins, and the player whose place is beside him takes the other javelin. 

THE GAME

At a signal, the players with the javelins and the hoop start on a runalong the course; the one with the hoop throws it a little upward with allhis force and both players watch the course of the hoop, having theirjavelins ready to hurl at the hoop the instant they think they can reachit. If the javelin passes through the hoop and stops it so that it falls onthe shaft below the band that was cut thereon, that throw counts two. Ifthe hoop is caught on one of the barbs, that counts one. If the shaft goesentirely through the hoop so that it does not fall on the javelin, thatcounts nothing. If both javelins catch on the hoop, that is a draw andneither player can count the point made. If on this run and throwing of thehoop and javelins neither of the players scores a count, the player at theother end who is the partner of the one who threw the hoop now takes thehoop to throw it. He and his opponent who stands beside him now start on arun; the hoop is thrown and the javelins hurled as before. In this way theplayers at the ends of the course alternate in throwing the hoop North orSouth, but the right to throw the hoop belongs to the player who makes thebest point. The hoop thus passes from the east or west players according tothe points made. 

The game is an athletic sport, and much skill can be developed in thethrowing of the javelins and also in the tossing of the hoop so as toprevent scoring by the opponent. 

If the grounds are large enough, there is nothing to prevent having twocourses and two games going on at the same time. 

FOLLOW MY LEADER

This game is widely played among the Indian tribes, particularly by theboys, and also by the girls. The Leader improvises the steps and themovements, which all who follow must repeat and keep time to the song. Thesong here given is traditional in the Omaha tribe. It has been handed downfrom one generation of young folk to another--for how many, "nobody knows. "

THE GAME

A Leader is chosen, and all who join in the game must go where he goes, dance as he dances, move the arms, hands and feet as he does. The skippingand dancing must be in exact time with the song that all must sing. Thegame gives opportunity for fancy steps, winding, intricate figures, "cutting capers" and merry pranks. 

Song

 Follow my Leader where'er he goes; What he'll do next, nobody knows. 

[Music]

PART III

INDIAN NAMES

INDIAN NAMES

INTRODUCTION. --Among the Indian tribes of the United States all personalnames have a definite significance. Although there are diversities in thecustoms relating to names among the various tribes, yet, looking at theseas a whole, personal names are observed to fall generally into two classes:First, those which refer to sacred rites; second, those which commemorate apersonal achievement. 

An Indian tribe is composed of a number of kinship groups or clans. To eachone of these, speaking generally, belongs the hereditary duty of performinga certain rite and also the care of the sacred objects connected with thatrite. Each kinship group or clan has a set of personal names, all of whichrefer to the rite peculiar to the clan, or to the sacred objects or to thesymbols connected with the rite, and one of these names is given to eachperson born within the clan. Names of this class are generally retained bymen and women throughout life and, to a degree, are regarded as sacred incharacter. These names have also a social significance, as they alwaysindicate the birth status of the person, for the name at once shows towhich clan or kinship group the bearer belongs. No one can exchange hisclan or birth name, any more than he can change his sex. 

The names that belong to the second class are those which are taken by anadult to mark an achievement. This must be an act in which he has shownspecial ability or courage in successfully defending his people fromdanger. Such a name, therefore, marks an epoch in a man's life and isstrictly personal to the man, and, to a degree, indicative of his characteror attainments. It sometimes happens, although but rarely, that a man onsuch an occasion may decide to take the name of a noted ancestor ratherthan acquire an entirely new name, but the character of the act of taking anew name is not thereby changed. 

These facts concerning the significance of Indian personal names throwlight on the widespread custom observed among Indians of never addressingmen or women by their personal names or of using those names in theirpresence. To do so is a breach of good manners. The personal name, as hasbeen shown, refers either to the religious rites sacred to the bearer'sclan or else to a notable act performed by the man; in both cases the namestands for something that is too closely connected with the life of theindividual to make it fit for common use. The difficulty of designating aperson one wishes to address is met by the use of terms of relationship. Ofcourse, in some companies these terms would be literally true and proper, but there are terms which are used in a wider sense and which do not implyactual kinship. (The subject of Indian relationships and their terms is toocomplex to be entered upon here. ) There are terms which are employed merelyto indicate respect. For instance, "Grandfather" is used when addressing orspeaking of the President of the United States; "Little Father" and"Father" when addressing or speaking of the Secretary of the Interior andthe Commissioner of Indian Affairs, both of whom rank below the President, as is well known to the Indian. The use of terms of relationship may appearstrange to us, but there is, as we have seen, a reason for it. This reasonalso explains why a child or an adult generally stands mute when we addresshim by his personal name or ask him what his name is; his silence is not tobe attributed to "Indian stolidity, " which we ignorantly regard as a markedcharacteristic of the race. 

The bestowal of a name, whether the name is of the first or of the secondclass already described, was always attended with ceremonies. Thesediffered among the many tribes of the United States, particularly in theirdetails, but fundamentally they had much in common. 

PRESENTING THE CHILD TO THE COSMOS

Among the Omaha a ceremony was observed shortly after the birth of a childthat on broad lines reflects a general belief among the Indians. 

In the introductory chapter of this book the Indian's feeling ofunquestioning unity with nature is mentioned. The following Omaha ceremonyand ritual furnish direct testimony to the profundity of this feeling. Itsexpression greets him at his birth and is iterated at every importantexperience throughout his life. 

When an Omaha child is born the parents send to the clan that has charge ofthe rite of introducing the child to the Cosmos. The priest thus summonedcomes to the tent wherein the infant lies and takes his stand just outsidethe door, facing the East. He raises his right hand, palm outward, to thesky, and in a clear ringing voice intones the following ritual:

 Ho! Ye Sun, Moon, Stars, all ye that move in the heavens, I bid you hear me! Into your midst has come a new life; Consent ye, I implore! Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the first hill!

 Ho! Ye Winds, Clouds, Rain, Mist, all ye that move in the air, I bid you hear me! Into your midst has come a new life; Consent ye, I implore! Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the second hill!

 Ho! Ye Hills, Valleys, Rivers, Lakes, Trees, Grasses, all ye of the earth, I bid you hear me! Into your midst has come a new life; Consent ye, I implore! Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the third hill!

 Ho! Ye Birds, great and small, that fly in the air; Ho! Ye Animals, great and small, that dwell in the forests; Ho! Ye Insects that creep among the grasses and burrow in the ground, I bid you hear me! Into your midst has come a new life; Consent ye, I implore! Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the fourth hill!

 Ho! All ye of the heavens, all ye of the air, all ye of the earth, I bid you hear me! Into your midst has come a new life; Consent ye, consent ye all, I implore! Make its path smooth--then shall it travel beyond the four hills!

In this manner the child, the "new life, " was introduced to the Cosmos ofwhich it was now a part. All the powers of the heavens and of the earthwere invoked to render aid to the "new life" in its onward struggle overthe rugged path that traverses the four hills of life, typifying Infancy, Youth, Maturity and Old Age. 

An infant was merely a "new life, " it was wholly dependent upon others; noname was given it (only endearing terms were used), for the reason that aname implies either a sacred responsibility or a personal achievement, neither of which was possible to an infant. When, however, the child couldgo about alone, generally at three or four years of age, the time hadarrived when it must be given a tribal name, one belonging to the rites incharge of its birth group. By means of this ceremonial act the child wasinducted by sacred rites into the tribe and became a recognized member. 

GIVING THE CHILD A NAME

This ceremony, formerly practiced among the Omaha and cognate tribes, tookplace in the spring, "when the grass was up and the birds were singing. " Atent was set apart and made sacred by the priest who had the hereditaryright to perform the ceremony. As the occasion was one of tribal interest, many people flocked to the scene of the rite. 

A large stone was brought and placed on the east side of the fire that wasburning in the center of the space inside the tent. When everything wasready the old priest stood at the door awaiting the arrival of the child. Then all the mothers who had children of the proper age wended their way tothis tent, each one leading her little child, who carried in its hands anew pair of moccasins. As the two reached the tent the mother addressed thepriest, saying: "Venerable man, I desire my child to wear moccasins. " (Thiswas a symbolic form of expression. ) "I desire my child to walk long uponthe earth, to be content with the light of many days. We seek yourprotection!" The priest made a formal reply and the little one, carryingits moccasins, entered the tent alone. After a few ritualistic phrases thepriest accompanied the child to the fire place, where he and the childstood facing the East while the priest sang an invocation to the FourWinds. He bade them to come hither and stand in this place in four groups. 

At the close of this Ritual Song the priest lifted the child by the arms sothat its little bare feet rested upon the stone, as it faced the South;then he lifted the child again by the arms and its feet rested on thestone, as it faced the West; again the child was lifted and its feet wereupon the stone, as it faced the North; once more the priest lifted thechild and its feet touched the stone, as it faced the East. Then the priestsang the following Ritual Song:

 Turned by the Winds goes the one I send yonder, Yonder he goes who is whirled by the Winds, Goes where the four hills of life and the Four Winds are standing, There into the midst of the Winds do I send him, Into the midst of the Winds standing there!

This song and the entire ceremony, which is spoken of as "Turning thechild, " are highly symbolic and cannot be fully explained at this time. TheWinds are the messengers of the great invisible Wakon'da and bring thebreath of life and strength to man. At the close of this song the priestput the new moccasins on the feet of the child and sang another Ritual Songwhich says:

 Here unto you has been spoken the truth; Because of this truth you shall stand. Here declared is the truth; Here in this place has been shown you the truth. Therefore, arise! Go forth in its strength!

As the priest sang the last line he set the child on its feet and made ittake four steps toward the East; these steps are typical of its nowentering into life. Then the priest led the child to the entrance of thetent, where he called aloud the tribal name of the child, then for thefirst time proclaimed, adding:

"Ho! Ye Hills, ye Grass, ye Trees, ye creeping things, both great andsmall, I bid you hear! This child has thrown away its baby name! Ho!"

All the children of the tribe passed through this ceremony and in this wayreceived their sacred personal names, which were never dropped throughouttheir after-life, not even when a man took a new name. 

BESTOWING A NEW NAME

The bestowal of a new name upon an adult generally took place at sometribal ceremony when all the people were gathered together. In this way asmuch publicity as possible was given to the act. Among the Pawnee tribethere were three requirements that had to be met in order to take a newname:

First, a man could only take a new name after the performance of an actindicative of ability or strength of character;

Second, the name had to be assumed openly in the presence of the people towhom the act it commemorated was known;

Third, it was necessary that it should be announced in connection with sucha ritual as that here given. 

These three requirements indicate (1) that a man's name stood for what hehad shown himself to be by the light of his actions; (2) that this wasrecognized by his tribesmen, and (3) that it was proclaimed by one havingcharge of mediatory rites through which man can be approached by thesupernatural. 

The old priest who gave the following ritual and explained it said: "Aman's life is an onward movement. If one has within him a determinedpurpose and seeks the help of the powers, his life will climb up. " Here hemade a gesture indicating a line slanting upward; then he arrested themovement and, still holding his hand where he had stopped, went on to say:"As a man is climbing up, he does something that marks a place in his lifewhere the powers have given him an opportunity to express in acts hispeculiar endowments; so this place, this act, forms a stage in his careerand he takes a new name to indicate that he is on a level different fromthat he occupied previously. " He added: "Some men can rise only a littleway, others live on a dead level. " He illustrated his words by moving hishands horizontally. "Men having power to advance climb step by step. " Againhe made his meaning clear by outlining a flight of steps. 

The following ritual is recited on the occasion of taking a new name and isa dramatic poem in three parts. The first gives briefly the institution ofthe rite of changing one's name in consequence of a new achievement; thesecond shows how the man was enabled to accomplish this act. It begins withhis lonely vigil and fast when he cried to the powers for help; the scenethen shifts to the circle of the lesser powers, who, in council, deliberateon his petition which makes its way to them and finally wins their consent;then the winds summon the messengers and these, gathering at the command ofthe lesser powers, are sent to earth to the man crying in lonely places, togrant him his desire. This part closes with a few vivid words which setforth that only by the favor of the powers had the man been able to do thedeed. The third part deals with the man's names--the one to be discardedand the one now to be assumed. The ritual is in rhythmic form, impossibleto reproduce in English. The following rendition contains nothing which isnot in the original text as explained and amplified by the priest. 

The ritual was intoned in a loud voice; the man who was to receive a newname stood before the priest where he could be seen by the entire assembly. 

RITUAL

 Harken! 'Twas thus it came to pass: In ancient days, a Leader and his men Walked this wide earth, man's vast abode Roofed by the heavens, where dwell the gods. They reached a place the spot no man can tell, Faced dangers dread and vanquished them; Then, standing as if born anew to life, Each warrior threw away the name That had been his ere yet these deeds were done. 

 Harken! The Leader and his men Made there the Vict'ry song, and set the mark Ye must o'ertake, if ye would be like them!

 Harken! The Leader and his men Turned then toward home. Their Vict'ry song Proclaimed them near; the village rose, Looked toward the hill, where on the top Stood the brave men, singing their song, Heralding thus the favor of the gods By which they had surpassed all former deeds-- Made new their claim to be accounted men. 

 Harken! And whence, think ye, was borne Unto these men courage to dare, Strength to endure hardship and war? Mark well my words, as I reveal How the gods help man's feebleness. The Leader of these warriors was a man Given to prayer. Oft he went forth Seeking a place no one could find. There would he stand and lift his voice, Fraught with desire that he might be Invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes Threat'ning his tribe, causing them fear. Night-time and day this cry sped on, Traveling far, seeking to reach-- Harken! Those places far above, Harken! Within the circle vast Where sit the gods watching o'er men. 

 Harken! This poor man's prayer went on, Speeding afar into the blue Heavens above, reached there the place-- Harken! Where dwell the lesser gods, Harken! And great Ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all!

 Harken! It was because a god Received this prayer, considered it, Favored its plea, and passed it on To him whose place was next, in that grand ring, Who in his turn received the prayer, Considered it, and sent it on-- Harken! Around that circle vast, Harken! Where sit the gods above. 

 Harken! And thus it was the prayer Sent by this man won the consent Of all the gods. For each god in his place Speaks out his thought, grants or rejects Man's suppliant cry, asking for help; But none can act until the Council grand Comes to accord, thinks as one mind, Has but one will all must obey. 

 Harken! The Council gave consent; Harken! And great Ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all!

 Harken! To make their purpose known, Succor and aid freely to give, Heralds were called, called by the Winds. Then in the West uprose the Clouds Heavy and black, ladened with storm. Slowly they climbed, dark'ning the skies, While close on every side the Thunders marched On their dread way, till all were come To where the gods in stately council sat Waiting for them. Then bade them go Back to the earth, carrying aid To him whose prayer had reached their circle vast. This mandate given, the Thunders turned toward earth, Taking their course slantwise the sky. 

 Harken! Another followed hard-- Lightning broke forth out of the cloud, Zigzag and dart, cleaving their way Slantwise to earth, their goal to reach. 

 Harken! For these two were not all That hastened to proclaim the god's behest-- Swift on their wings Swallows in flocks Swept in advance, ranging the path, Black breasts and Red, Yellow and White, Flying about, clearing the way For those who bore the message of the gods Granting the man courage to dare, Strength to endure, power to stand Invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes. 

 Harken! 'Twas thus it came to pass: The Leader grasped the help sent by the gods; Henceforth he walked steadfast and strong, Leading his men through dangers drear, Knowing that naught could strike at him To whom the gods had promised victory. 

 Attend! Once more I change his name. 

 Harken! _Ri-ruts'-ka-tit_ it was We used to call him by, a name he won Long days ago, marking an act Well done by him, but now passed by. 

 Harken! To-day all men shall say--

 Harken! His act has lifted him Where all his tribe behold a man Clothed with new fame, strong in new strength Gained by his deeds, blessed of the gods. Harken! _Sha-ku'-ru Wa'-ruk-ste_ shall he be called. 

TAKING AN INDIAN NAME IN CAMP

In view of the significance of Indian personal names, and the dignity andreverence which in every instance surrounded the giving or the taking of aname, it hardly seems appropriate that Indian names should be assumed evenfor a short period without some regard being shown to the customs andthought of the people from whom the names are borrowed. While there shouldbe no travesty of rites such as those that have been here described, ritesthat have been held sacred upon this continent for untold generations, still it would not be unseemly to hold to the spirit of those rites when weborrow these names during the camp days in which we seek to live close tothe nature that the Indian loved so reverently and well. 

When it is decided among the members of the camp to take an Indian name, onthe day of the ceremony all the camp should assemble early in the morning. When all have gathered, they should move toward a place where the sun canbe seen when it rises over the lake, the hilltops or the woods. There allshould pause. 

The candidate for the name should not wear any head-band. The boy or girlshould stand well to the front of the group, all of whom should face theEast. The entire company should then join in the following song:

Song No. 1

 Skies proclaim a new day! We joyfully meet, We thankfully greet, His[A] new name this day shall repeat. 

[Music]

The Leader of the camp must then intone the following:

 Hear! O Trees that gird our camp! Listen, ye Birds that fly through the branches! Harken, ye rippling waves on Stream and Lake! Hear me! Into your midst has come a friend, He[A] bears a new Name! Ye shall know him as ---- (name)

[Footnote A: The pronoun should be changed according to the sex of thecandidate. ]

The announcement of the name should be distinctly made so as to be clearlyheard by the entire company. The head-band or other camp insignia shouldnow be officially put on the candidate. 

All present should then join in singing the following song, clapping theirhands as beats to the music as they skip back to breakfast and to thepleasures of the day:

Song No. 2

 Homeward we go, calling his[B] name; New is the name now we proclaim; No other change in our friend, he[B] is the same!

[Footnote B: Change the pronoun to the proper sex. ]

[Music]

2

 Singing we go, way ha way ho! Dancing also, way ha way ho! No one more merry than we, way ha way ho!

The second stanza should be repeated and the steps kept in rhythm until thedancers finally disperse. 

INDIAN NAMES FOR BOYS

All vowels have the Continental sound

The names here presented, for Boys, for Girls and for Camps, have beenchosen out of many because the words are easily pronounced; none of themhave any of the peculiar labial, nasal or guttural sounds common in thevarious Indian languages, which are difficult to represent by the lettersof our alphabet and equally difficult for most Americans to pronounce. 

 1. A-di'-ta Priest Omaha. 2. An'-ge-da From every direction Omaha. 3. De'-mon-thin Talks as he walks Ponca. 4. E-di'-ton Standing as a sacred object Omaha. 5. Ga-he'-ge Chief Omaha. 6. Gu'-da-hi "There he goes!" A coyote Omaha. 7. Ha'-nu-ga-hi Nettle weed Ponca. 8. He'-ba-zhu Little horns Ponca. 9. He'-ga Buzzard Omaha. 10. He'-sha-be Dark antlers Omaha. 11. He'-thon-ton Towering antlers (elk) Omaha. 12. Ho-ho' Fish Omaha. 13. Hon'-ga Imperial eagle Osage. 14. Hu'-ton-ton Roar of thunder Omaha. 15. I'-ku-ha-be He who causes fear Ponca. 16. I-shta'-pe-de Fire eyes (lightning) Ponca. 17. Ka-ge'-zhin-ga Little brother Omaha. 18. Ka-wa'-ha Very old name, meaning lost Omaha. 19. Ka'-wa-sab-be Black horse Osage. 20. Ka'-wa-ska White horse Osage. 21. Ka'-wa-zi Yellow horse Osage. 22. Ke'-ton-ga Great turtle Ponca. 23. Ke'-zhin-ga Little turtle Ponca. 24. Ki'-ko-ton-ga Curlew Omaha. 25. Ki'-mon-hon Facing the wind Omaha. 26. Ki'-wa-go Male buffalo Pawnee. 27. Ku'-ge Sound of the drum Omaha. 28. Ku'-rux Bear Pawnee. 29. Ku'-sox Left hand Pawnee. 30. Le-sha'-ro Chief Pawnee. 31. Mi'-da-in-ga Playful sun Osage. 32. Mi'-ka Raccoon Ponca. 33. Mi'-ka-si Coyote Omaha. 34. Min'-dse Bow Osage. 35. Mon-chu' Bear Omaha. 36. Mon-chu'-pa Bear's head Omaha. 37. Mon-e'-ga-he Arrow chief Ponca. 38. Mon-ge'-zi Yellow breast Omaha. 39. Mon-ka'-ta He of the earth Ponca. 40. Mon'-sa Arrow shaft Osage. 41. Mon'-te-ga New arrows Osage. 42. Ni-ni'-ba Pipe Omaha. 43. Ni'-sho-sho Swallow Omaha. 44. Non-ke'-ne Graceful walker (deer) Omaha. 45. Non'-nun-ge Runner Osage. 46. Non'-pe-wa-the He who is feared Omaha. 47. Nu'-da-hun-ga Captain Omaha. 48. O'-pa Elk Omaha. 49. Pa-he'-ta-pe Seeking the hills Omaha. 50. Pa'-na-hoo Owl Omaha. 51. Pa'-sun American eagle Omaha. 52. Pa-thon' White-headed eagle Omaha. 53. Pe'-de-ga-he Fire chief Omaha. 54. Pe'-num-ba Seven Ponca. 55. Sha-ku'-ru Sun Pawnee. 56. Sha-thu' Sound of the water Ponca. 57. Shon'-ge Wolf Omaha. 58. Shon'-ge-sab-be Black wolf Omaha. 59. Shon'-ge-ska White wolf Ponca. 60. Shon'-ge-zi Yellow wolf Ponca. 61. Shon'-ton-ga Grey wolf Ponca. 62. Sho-sho'-ka Osprey Omaha. 63. Shu'-ka-bi Bunch of clouds Ponca. 64. Ski'-rik Grey wolf Pawnee. 65. Ta-de'-ta To the wind Omaha. 66. Ta-de'-u-mon-thin Walking in the wind Omaha. 67. Te-thon' White buffalo Omaha. 68. The'-ha Soles Omaha. 69. U'-ba-ni Digging in the earth (little creatures) Omaha. 70. U-ga'-e Spread out (herd of buffalo) Omaha. 71. Wa-he'-he Easy to break, fragile Omaha. 72. Wa-ke'-de One who shoots Omaha. 73. Wa-po'-ga Grey owl Omaha. 74. Wa-shis'-ka Shell Omaha. 75. Wash-kon'-hi Power of the thunder Omaha. 76. Wa-sho'-she Brave Omaha. 77. Wa-thu'-he Startles the game Omaha. 78. Wa-zhin'-ska Wisdom Omaha. 79. We'-kush-ton One who gives feast frequently Omaha. 80. Wi'-a-go Feather Dakota. 81. Zha'-be Beaver Omaha. 

INDIAN NAMES FOR GIRLS

 1. A'-bey Leaf Omaha. 2. A'-bey-tu Green leaf Omaha. 3. A'-bet-zi Yellow leaf Omaha. 4. A'-ka-wi South wind Omaha. 5. A-sin'-ka Youngest daughter Osage. 6. Chon'-ku-sha Robin Dakota. 7. Chon'-wa-pe Leaf Dakota. 8. Chon'-wa-pe-ska Red leaf Dakota. 9. Chon'-wa-pe-tu Green leaf Dakota. 10. Cho-xon'-zhe-da Willow Dakota. 11. Da'-a-bi The visible sun Omaha. 12. Don'-a-ma The sun visible to all Omaha. 13. Ha'-ba-zhu-dse Red corn Osage. 14. Ha'-ba-zi Yellow corn Osage. 15. Ha'-ba-tu Blue corn Osage. 16. Ha'-ba-ska White corn Osage. 17. Hon'-ba-he Dawn Dakota. 18. I-shta'-sa-pa Dark eyes Dakota. 19. I'-ni-a-bi Home builder Omaha. 20. Ka-shi'-a-ka Meadow lark Omaha. 21. Mi'-a-kon-da Sacred moon Omaha. 22. Mi'-gi-na Returning moon Omaha. 23. Mi'-mi-te Standing new moon Omaha. 24. Mi'-na Oldest daughter Osage. 25. Mi'-pe Good moon Omaha. 26. Mi'-ta-in Crescent moon Ponca. 27. Mi'-the-be Shadowy moon Ponca. 28. Mi'-ton-e New moon Omaha. 29. Mi'-wa-thon White moon Omaha. 30. Ni'-da-wi Fairy girl Omaha. 31. Pa'-zi Yellow head (bird) Ponca. 32. Pa'-ha-zi Yellow hair (young animal) Ponca. 33. Raw-ska' Anemone Omaha. 34. Raw-tu' Violet Omaha. 35. Raw-zi' Sunflower Omaha. 36. Ta'-de-win Wind maiden Omaha. 37. Ta'-in New moon Ponca. 38. Ta'-in-ge Coming moon Ponca. 39. Wa-ha'-ba Corn Omaha. 40. Wa-ha'-ba-ska White corn Omaha. 41. Wa-ha'-ba-tu Blue corn Omaha. 42. Wa-ha'-ba-zi Yellow corn Omaha. 43. Wak'-cha Flower Dakota. 44. Wak'-cha-zi Sunflower Dakota. 45. Wa-shu'-dse Wild-rose Omaha. 46. Wa-te'-win Victory woman Omaha. 47. Wa-zhin'-ga Bird Omaha. 48. Wa-zhin'-ga-tu Blue bird Omaha. 49. We'-thon-ki-tha To come together (as in a society) Omaha. 50. We'-ton-a Old name, meaning lost Omaha. 51. We'-ton-be-the One who gives hope Omaha. 52. Wi'-he Younger sister Omaha. 53. Wi'-te-ga New moon Dakota. 54. Zit-ka'-la Bird Dakota. 55. Zit-ka'-la-sha Red bird Dakota. 56. Zit-ka'-la-tu Blue bird Dakota. 57. Zit-ka'-la-zi Yellow bird Dakota. 

INDIAN NAMES FOR CAMPS

E'-zhon U-ti A Camp among the Elms. Hin'-de-hi U-ti A Camp among the Lindens. Ney'-a-ti A Camp by the Lake. Tosh'-ka-hi U-ti A Camp among the Oaks. Wa-shis'-ka A-ti A Camp by the Brook.