The Sun Dance; Preparations; Its Religious Significance; and Purpose; How it was Conducted, etc.

It may not be amiss to insert here a description of what was known to the various Indian tribes as the Sun Dance. Each nation, people, or tribe in past history has had some ceremony, symbolic in its nature, by which honors and dignities were conferred upon those who sough honor and preferment. Nor has this custom been confined to any particular class, for all have, at different times, indulged in the practice, nor was it without its influence and effect upon those who sought advancement. The Knights of the Middle Ages, when in the act of receiving the symbols of their office and vocation, were compelled to submit themselves to some kind of ordeal by which they manifested their fitness to wear the honors they sought. So, too, it was with the denizens of the plains, as the following narrative from unimpeachable authority will illustrate. Just as in the days of old, the ceremony was partly religious in its development, so, too, the children of the plains invested the conferring of honors and rights to preferment with religious ceremony and physical tests.

The Sun Dance, as practiced by the Cheyenne tribe of Indians, dates back to time immemorial. In the performance of it, the Indian makes a profession of faith in the Supreme Being, and at the same time subjects those who engage in it, to a physical test that is sufficient to try the heart and soul of even the most valiant. The first step in the proceedings of this semi-religious festival, is to select the proper location for the celebration of it. Weeks, and perhaps months in advance, some pow-wow is held at which they make the selection of the place in which they wish to hold their festival. Usually some well-known camping ground is chosen on account of the abundance of fuel and water, both of which were necessary for the proper conduct of the ceremony, for it was essential that there should be means at hand for preparing the final feast, as well as an abundant supply of water for the multitudes assembled from the different districts for the purpose of watering their stock, as well as, affording bathing facilities to such a vast number.

For several days prior to the actual enactment of the ceremony, Indians would begin to assemble, straggling in from long distances, bringing with them the greater part a their household belongings. North, south, east, and west sent their contingents. Whole families with their teepees, ponies, and dogs, assembled from all parts of the reservations or the plains to participate in the festivities or to be merely on-lookers hoping in their mere presence to receive some benediction from the Great Spirit whom they assembled to worship. Long before the arrival of these scattered bands, the Medicine Man was on the scene to give his attention to whatever preparations were required for the occasion. He usually selected some central point wherein to erect his place of worship. In this chosen spot he was to enact the two-fold role of High Priest and Medicine Man, to minister to their spiritual and corporal necessities.

Many days elapsed before the arrival of the final contingent, and the intervening time had to be employed as best they could. This gave those who had already arrived on the scene, an opportunity of visiting their relations and friends, whom they had not met, perhaps since the preceding Sun Dance. The older folks were content to while away the passing hours in social converse, whilst the young engaged in feats of skill, contesting in games peculiar to the tribe. It was quite evident that they were supremely happy in their childish amusements, and enjoyed them as thoroughly as their white contemporaries found pleasure and enjoyment in their more up-to-date and scientific play toys. One thing particularly noticeable in all their endeavors was the spirit of prompt obedience to parental authority. The control that the Indian parent exercises over his child is marvelous, and in all my intercourse with the children of the plains, I have never known of a parent chastizing his child in a cruel or harsh manner. It is a thing unheard of, that a child ever raised a hand or uttered an unfilial expression of contempt towards his parents. I believe that if an Indian child were to emulate the example of many white children, whom I have known not only to treat their parents with contempt, but even go so far as to treat them contumeliously, the Indian father would be so staggered by such an outbreak and disregard for the proprieties of his position, that it would require a council of chiefs to decide upon the proper mode of dealing with the case, as it would lack all precedent. The little redskin is attentive to the wants of his parents, and at all times exercises a continual watchfulness over their wants to forestall any command to fulfill some duty. Nor do the parents fill the childish mind with tales of goblins and hobgoblins to excite terror in his little heart. Even the customary punishment of locking the little child up in some dark corner, is lacking, for there is no need of it. Obedience to authority is part of the nature of the Indian child and it comes so easy for him to render it that it never becomes irksome.

When the last stragglers have arrived, and the interchange of social courtesies is fulfilled, the large central teepee, or ampitheatre is erected and ready for occupancy. In the center of this teepee is placed a large pole much the same as the old-time May pole used by the people of the Middle Ages on the occasion of their annual celebrations, but in this case the purpose was very much different, as will be seen later on in this narrative.During the time the rank and file of the Indians were enjoying their intercourse, the young men who were candidates for honors in the trials of endurance, were busying themselves plaiting their hair and painting their bodies. They decorated their faces and other portions of the body with every conceivable kind of animal and reptile that human ingenuity could invent, as taste or custom suggested. Some of the productions were very artistic, and some were rather grotesque, but the tout-ensemble served the purpose for which the work was intended. They were no novices in the art of extracting colors from the plants and shrubs that grew in abundance on the plains, and at the same time had developed the art of applying them to the human body for decorative purposes. The paints were not indelible, consequently they could be easily removed and another application made as circumstances required. At times, the renewal of the decoration took place as many as four or five times a day.

The ceremony lasted four days without any intermission. During that time the candidates for honors were obliged to such a strict fast and abstinence, that not a morsel of food, nor a drop of water passed their lips during the time. One favor was conceded to them; they were allowed to smoke. One might be inclined to think that, at times, the regulation was not faithfully observed, but there he would be mistaken. There were too many eyes upon the candidates to permit of his stealing off to the commissary department of the assemblage, nor could he by any means carry off beneath the folds of his garments a morsel of food as the extent of his habiliments would not permit such a thing as his outfit consisted of a breach-clout around his waist and a few feathers in his hair.

At the hour appointed for the opening of the ceremony, a chief mounted his horse and rode through the assembled throng crying out that the ordeal was about to begin. It was his duty also to set down the rules and regulations governing the performance. When he had explained the ordinances sufficiently to be understood by all the candidates, he withdrew and the Medicine Man appeared on the scene. He was decked out in his most gorgeous array of feathers and finery, with his hair plaited down his back and ornamented with more feathers and quills. Truly, he was an imposing spectacle to the simple minded tribesman and they looked upon him with a species of awe. In his hand he bore the wing of an eagle. He took up his position in a very conspicuous place and struck an attitude very much like some of the Indians we see pictured standing on some eminence with his hand shading his eyes and looking far away over the plains in search of something of interest. The Medicine Man assumed about the same attitude, using the eagle wing to protect his eyes from the sun. He stood motionless for a period lasting about half an hour, gazing in the direction of the blazing sun. I never came to learn the true meaning of this action on the part of the Medicine Man, but I presume he expected to discover some supernatural visitor coming from the direction in which he was gazing. I can readily imagine what his consternation would be if one of our modern aeroplanes passed close over his head while he was making observations of the heavens. There is no doubt he would drop his eagle wing and make a dash for his teepee laboring under the impression that the devil was out making morning calls. Such an apparition would most likely interfere with the completion of the programme, and the tribesmen would probably seek shelter or protection from the whirring, roaring monster, in the depths of the nearby timber. However, as no such occurance took place, the Medicine Man continued his vigil until such time as he thought proper to terminate it. Upon his return to camp, the tomtom sounded and the dance was on. All the braves fell into line, and the pow-wow started with each brave keeping step to the beatings of the primitive instrument. No squaws were permitted to engage in the ceremony as it was to be a strict, test of physical endurance. Much less, are white men permitted to participate in the Sun Dance, as this is an institution particularly appropriated to the Indian tribes. The squaws had their share of the work to do, and while the ceremony was going on, they spent their time in making preparations for the feast that was to follow upon the completion of the dance. The young men who were not otherwise engaged and who did not care to undergo the terrible ordeal about to follow, mounted their ponies and scoured the plains for game. This was a necessary undertaking, as the amount required to supply the throng present with food, was very great. True, each tribesman brought some provisions, but that supply would be inadequate to the demands of such an occasion.

If any white man had an opportunity to witness the proceedings of the Sun Dance, he would most likely arrive at a very erroneous idea of the intent and purpose of the occasion, nor would he understand the significance of what he might see. The wild, wierd scene before him, the fantastic movements of the participants in the drama would probably create in his mind a false impression of the nature and character of the ceremony. However, to arrive at the true meaning of what was being done, it is sufficient to say that the heads of numerous families were present on the occasion I speak of, to do homage and worship the Great Spirit, and offer thanks for favors received in the past. This goes to show that the Indian was not unmindful of his obligation to the Great Spirit, but brings out to our view a side of the Indian character that is very seldom mentioned by those who appear or seem to know all about him. They were grateful for the gifts received from the hand of their Creator and on occasions of this kind strove to show it. They probably had some friend or relative who escaped from some calamity. If so, this was the occasion on which they showed their gratitude to the Father of all. Perhaps, some of them had wives and children who had recently recovered from some ailment. If so, they were grateful. Sundry were the purposes for which they assembled on this occasion to offer up their meed of praise and thanksgiving to the Great Spirit. Their devotion was as sincere and deep-seated as the Pilgrims who made long pilgrimages to the Holy Land to visit the sepulchre of Him, who died for us all. The scoffer may not be able to see it, but there is One who sees and judges, and who will render to each and all the just reward on the day of the final reckoning, and the Indian may not be as bad as painted when seen in the light of the Kingdom of Heaven, where he will be judged according to his lights.

When the hunters have returned from the chase, each deposits in the commissary department the trophies of the hunt, antelope, deer, badgers, coons, rabbits. All is grist that is brought to that mill. Even the dogs contribute their share to make the supply equal to the grand display of culinary art that is to be staged at the close of the ceremony. It may appear strange to the reader that the turkey had no place on the menu card of the feast. The reason of this lay in the fact that the Indian considered him too cowardly and timid to be food fit for the brave and warlike members of the tribe, as it would have a tendency to diminish, if not destroy their spirit of bravery and fortitude.

In the meantime, all had been a scene of activity in the ranks of those who were contending for honors, as I have mentioned in a former paragraph. The tom-tom had sounded the call to the test. The old warriors and the young bucks who were out for preferment, had formed a procession and were marching toward the ampitheatre. The old bucks who had won their honors on the war-path were dressed in their fanciest blankets, while those who were to undergo the ordeal wore nothing save the breach-clout, and a few feathers. When the excitement of the preliminary movements had taken possession of the young men, one of the most reckless of the young bucks broke from the ranks and began to dance around the pole. There he gave himself up to a frenzy of movement, gyrating and gesticulating in a manner marvelous to behold. Swinging his hands, kicking up his heels, twisting, twirling, performing antics of all kinds supposed to be of the nature of warlike movements, he all the time gave vent to a series of yells, whoops, and screams of the most unimaginable kind. At the proper moment, a new feature of the ceremony took place. A man selected for the purpose came forth bearing a knife in his hand. His duty it was to make incisions in the back of the aspirant for honors. Two incisions were made on each side of the back, about half an inch apart. When the knife had done its work, the flesh was raised between the gashes and a skewer of wood, much resembling the old-fashioned husking peg, was forced through the flesh beneath the skin. Around the projecting ends of this was tied a buckskin thong to which was tied a lasso. This operation was performed on both the incisions. A buffalo skull was then tied to the lasso at its further extremity. The operation is then complete, unless the young brave should request an additional skull which would be provided if convenience, or opportunity, permitted. If it were not possible to provide a buffalo head for the occasion, the skeleton of a deer, or a bear would answer the purpose as well. In fact, the skeleton of any beast of prey was considered to suffice, as it was supposed to engender a warlike spirit in the candidate. This feature of attaching the skeleton of a beast of prey was not always performed in the same way, as some of the tribes preferred to have it attached to their breasts.

When properly equipped with this new attachment, whether buffalo skull or skeleton of a deer or other animal, the young buck was then turned loose. He joined in the chanting and kept step with the other dancers, but did not mingle in the ranks, as the appendage attached to him and dragging along might interfere with the rythmical movements of the dancers. He did not, fail to keep step with his fellows, nor neglect his part of the singing, but confined the field of his operations, separate from the others, where he could conduct himself with what freedom the impediment he was dragging, would permit. There he discovered himself confronted with difficulties at several points, as the buffalo skull might become entangled in a tuft of grass and intensify the pain he was already suffering so heroically. In case of difficulty of the kind, he received no assistance from outside sources, but was compelled to wiggle and twist until he succeeded in loosing it from its hold or tore the flesh and skin from his back. It might happen that the first obstacle that he met would break the fleshy bonds that hold the skewers in place, and free him from his burden, or he might drag his burden around for days. Oftentimes, in a spirit of playfulness, some young redskin, promped by the genius of mischief, would jump on the skull and tear it loose from its moorings, but lacking this fortuitous event, and weary of the burden, he would frequently in desperation wilfully become entangled in something or other and break it of his own volition. When he became detached from the buffalo skull in the manner described, there necessarily was left a gaping wound with ragged edges. Then he received attention from the Medicine Man who was close at hand for such an emergency. With his knife he trimmed off the rough edges and expectorated the juice of some herb which he had been chewing, into the wound. This remedy was supposed to be sufficiently potent to eradicate any infection that might be lurking there, and produce beneficial results owing to the healing qualities of the plant he masticated. That was the total of the medical treatment the candidate received during the whole term of his torture. Frequently there were as many as a dozen candidates on, trial at the same time, and all were compelled to endure the same torture. It frequently happened that some of them weakened by hunger and exhausted from the pain they were suffering, fell in a swoon. If such were the case, he was left where he fell, and no attempt was made to render him any other assistance than throwing a buffalo robe or blanket over him where he lay. There they permitted him to lie, to recover or die as the case might be. It made no difference to the other dancers what his condition might be, they continued their gyrations apparently indifferent to the condition of the victim of hunger and torture beneath the blanket. If he revived, he began again his dancing and chanting as though there had been no interruption, which he continued until freed from his burden. The test is the same for all, and the attention and medical assistance rendered is identical in every case.

As I said before, other tribes prefer to have the incisions made upon their breasts, but in such a case do not bear the burden of a buffalo skull, but are attached by the lariat rope to the limb of a tree, or to the centre pole of the ampitheatre round which they dance until they succeed in breaking loose by tearing the skewer through the flesh that holds it. As for the medical treatment, it is the same in all cases.

The ceremony is continued until the supply of volunteers for honors is exhausted. Those who have passed through the ordeal successfully are in line for promotion to the higher offices of their respective tribes providing a vacancy occurs through death or accident. They are considered the proper material to fill the offices of chief. They have been put through a test sufficiently harsh to try the heart and soul to its utmost capacity for suffering. Their courage and constancy was beyond question, and henceforth were looked upon as men having a prior right to fill the place of any old chief who might go to the Happy Hunting Grounds. They were not only proud that they had borne the test successfully, but also were more pleased that they had lived up to the traditions of the family. They were firm believers in heredity, and were proud of the distinction of being descended from some former warrior of prominence as the present day white man is jealous of his descent from the first colonists who came over in the Mayflower. I have met Indians who gloried in their descent from Roman Nose, Black Kettle and other noted leaders who have long since passed away, and I have found others who traced their lineage back to Tecumseh, and Black Hawk.

The system of dancing just described was suppressed by Col. Woodson whilst he was in charge of the Darlington Agency, as he considered it too cruel and barbarous to be permitted on the Reservation because he thought it would have a tendency to retard any progress the younger Indians might be making towards a more civilized manner of life. I understand, however, that Col. Woodson’s order was rescinded by another Commissioner of Indian Affairs at a later date, and they are now permitted to practice it in a modified form.

It has been my lot to witness nearly every form of dance from the Irish Jig to the latest form of Tango, or Bunny Hug, Scotch Reels, the French Four, the Dutch Waltzes, the old American Cotillion, and the Virginia Reel, but all these combined and set in motion at the same time to the wildest and weirdest music known to the white race, would fail to produce the soul thrilling, hair-rising emotions created by the Cheyenne Sun Dance when in full swing. The sound of Patrick Gilmore’s band, in its palmiest days, would be as the twittering of the snow bird in comparison with the roar of the Rocky Mountain lion, when the festivities were at their height.

When the time limit of the Sun Dance expired, everything was placed away for future use. The buffalo skulls, sacred utensils of the feast, were carefully secreted, and the ampitheatre removed. Nothing remained but the trampled grass to show that anything beyond the ordinary had taken place.The Dance having been completed, the feasting begins. During all the time the braves have been engaged in their soul thrilling, hair-raising performance, the squaws have been busy. They were running back and forth, making preparations for the banquet. Some spent their time skinning a coyote or other animal, others dressing and cooking the food already prepared, others looking around for choice morsels to tempt the appetite of some lord and master, as they felt he might be in need of something delicate to meet the wants of a stomach sensitive from long fasting. Whatever the occupation, they were all busy, as the number to be waited upon might number thousands. It was no easy task, but they were equal to the occasion. At the signal given as before, the feast is on. To see them plunging with reckless abandon into the midst of the feast, one would be forced to conclude that the long fast had little effect upon their appetites except to render them sharper. All thought of the stomach being in a delicate condition was forgotten, and the chief work at hand was to give undivided attention to devouring as much of the viands within reach as the capacity of the stomach would permit, and that was some capacity. Nicety of choice was not manifested to any great degree, for their hunger was usually at such a pitch that they could devour anything that the teeth could masticate to some degree. Here you might see a lordly old chief manipulating the hurricane deck of a gray wolf, or a skunk with wonderful dexterity; there another warrior bold making a savage attack upon a handful of raccoon claws, and so it went from one end of the multitude to the other, each earnestly intent upon demolishing the pile of viands set before him and wondering if there was any more left for a second assault. The time generally allotted for the repast was sunrise. Then each and all squatted upon the ground anxious for the welcome ordeal to begin. Sitting on their haunches, facing the rising sun, not a word was spoken. It might have been that they were too worn out from the long fast, or perhaps they were so pre-occupied with the thought, of the great spread before them that they had no inclination to talk, but the more probable reason is that it was one of the regulations set down to govern the termination of the festival. No matter what the motive was that governed the conduct of the throng in the matter of maintaining silence and avoiding undue noise, the fact was that they set to the work of supplying the wants of the inner man without delay, either in beginning, or continuing the work of demolition. All the rules of etiquette, as prescribed for the four-hundred, were suspended. It was a case of “Reach what you can, and while making way with it keep the eye on the lookout for more. Anything you do not see is not good for you.” They did not merely eat their food, they seemed to absorb it. The execution was rapid and effective, and the final result might have been summed up in a huge pile of bones from which the meat had been thoroughly removed.

The breakfast, as one might call the repast just ended, did not terminate their stay in the locality, but each and all felt it a bounded duty to remain as long as there was any of the huge pile of provisions remaining. They were all jubilant over the happy termination of the ordeal, and the young men who had endured the test successfully strutted about with a pardonable pride in their bearing. Feasting took the place of fasting and all were merry as far as their method of life would permit the expression of that feeling. When the last vestiges of the immense store of game disappeared, they all gathered up their possessions and made ready to set out to their respective camping grounds. Prior to their departure they held a sort of conclave in which they decided when and where to hold the next meeting, and also outlined the nature of the dance to be performed on the occasion. It might be a Medicine Dance, or a Green Corn Dance, or some other festivity peculiar to the notions of the tribes and the exigencies of the occasion. Whatever the decision was, it was abided by faithfully on the time appointed. This settled, they returned home with the satisfaction of having done what they considered a duty, and felt that they had fulfilled their obligations to the Great Spirit.

I feel very much indebted for the above description of the Sun Dance, to a lady who spent many of her younger years among the tribe who conducted it. She is familiar with the customs of the tribe, knows their traditions, and, in fact, may be considered an authority on things relating to the history of that nation. Her name, at the time of which I write, was Mina E. Ashpard, but was changed by the Indians to Tat-ta-voe-e-tau, or Blue Beads, on account of the string of blue beads which she usually wore around her neck. She was loved and admired by the whole tribe, but particularly by several young chiefs who sought her hand in marriage. Her affections, however, leaned to another direction, and she afterward married W. C. Ross, who owns a large tract of land adjoining the flourishing City of El Reno, the Queen City of the North Canadian. Mrs. Ross is today the mother of a large family of sons and daughters who are a credit to her and an honor to the State of Oklahoma. Even today she delights in telling how she used to enjoy riding out on a broncho, lassoing a wild antelope, or deer, and dragging it back to camp amid the cheers and acclamations of the whole tribe.

W. C. Ross, through his foresight and good business management, succeeded in locating his family allotments in close proximity to the City of El Reno, as I have mentioned above, and his location proved to be one of the most valuable in the Canadian Valley. By its increase in value, due to its location, and by his knowledge of farming, he has placed himself and his family above the reach of want. He is educating his sons and daughters in the Catholic School of El Reno, and they have proved themselves good students. Their native talents developed in such surroundings, show that they are or will be capable of fulfilling the duties of responsible positions in the very near future.