A Study of Siouan Cults: Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544Dorsey, James Owen
Religion
A Study of Siouan Cults: Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544
Dorsey, James Owen
Siouan Indians -- Religion
i.e., “You will eat this chief’s food.” The eaters are not chiefs;
they only partake of chiefs’ food.
§ 263. Initiation to manhood took place in one of two ways: (1) By the
wohduze ceremony, or, (2) by the bear dance, as witnessed by Long.
The former has been referred to in §§ 122-125 of this article; the
latter has been described by Long[191] as
a ceremony which they are in the habit of performing when any
young man wishes to bring himself into particular notice, and it
is considered a kind of initiation into the state of manhood.
There is a kind of flag made of fawn skin dressed with the hair
on, suspended upon a pole. Upon the flesh side of it are drawn
certain figures indicative of the dream which it is necessary the
young man should have dreamed before he can be considered a proper
candidate for this kind of initiation. With this flag a pipe is
suspended by way of sacrifice. Two arrows are stuck up at the foot
of the pole, and fragments of painted feathers, etc., are strewed
upon the ground near it. These pertain to the religious rites
attending the ceremony, bewailing and self-mortification. The
young man who has had the dream acts the bear in this dance, and
is hunted by the other young men; but the same man can not act the
bear more than once in consequence of his dreams.
§ 264. Miss Fletcher says:[192]
The maturity of the sexes is a period of serious and religious
experiences which are preparatory by their character for the
entrance of the youth or maiden into the religious and secular
responsibilities of life, both individual and tribal. Among
the tribes which hold especial public ceremonies announcing
the maturity of a girl, these rights are held not far from the
actual time of puberty, and indicate the close of childhood and
entrance of the person into the social status of womanhood. The
public festival has, however, been preceded by private religious
rites. With young men the religious training precedes and follows
puberty, and the entrance is publicly announced by the youth
joining in the dangers and duties of tribal life. According to the
old customs, a young man did not take a wife until he had proved
his prowess, and thus became enrolled among the manly element,
or braves, as they are sometimes spoken of. The initial fasts of
warriors have been mistaken sometimes for ceremonials of puberty.
GHOST LORE AND THE FUTURE LIFE.
MEANING OF WANAĠI.
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