Calendar history of the Kiowa Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 129-444))Mooney, James
History
Calendar history of the Kiowa Indians. (1898 N 17 / 1895-1896 (pages 129-444))
Mooney, James
Kiowa Indians; Kiowa language -- Glossaries, vocabularies, etc.
For this winter the Set-t'an calendar has only the figure of a tipi
above the winter mark, to show that the Kiowa spent the season in their
winter camp on the Washita.
The Anko calendar notes another grass payment, indicated by the circles
representing dollars, and also a visit by the Kiowa to the Comanche to
perform the _Íâm_, dance, indicated by the feathered dance-staff below
the winter mark.
The name of this dance, _Íâm Guan_, is derived from i, "child or
offspring," and _âm_, the root of the verb "to make," for the reason
that one of its main features is the formal adoption, by the visiting
dancers, of a child of the other tribe. The performance and dress
somewhat resemble those of the Omaha dance, but only two men dance,
while the rest sit around as spectators. There is an exchange of horses
by the visited tribe for presents placed on the ground by the visitors,
and at the end of the ceremony the boy adopted is formally restored to
his people. This dance is found also among the Wichita and Pawnee and
perhaps other tribes.
[Illustration: FIG. 187--Winter 1889-90--Winter camp; Grass payment;
_Íâm_ dance.]
SUMMER 1890
_Ä´poto Etódă-de K`ádó_, "Sun dance when the forked poles were left
standing." This summer the Kiowa were preparing to hold the sun dance,
when it was stopped by agent Adams, backed by military force. It has not
been held since in the tribe. Both calendars tell the same story in the
figure of the medicine pole standing outside the completed medicine
lodge and decorations. Set-t'an has also the square inclosure to
indicate that he remained at home, while Anko, by means of a row of
circles, notes the occurrence of another grass payment.
The Kiowa had decided to celebrate their usual annual sun dance at the
_Piho_ or bend in the Washita, where they had already held it twice
before, when the agent determined to prevent it. They were not disposed
to yield, and had assembled in their great tribal circle of tipis, with
the center pole of the medicine lodge already erected, having an old
buffalo robe in lieu of a buffalo head and skin at the top, when word
came that the troops were on their way to stop the dance, having been
sent from Fort Sill for that purpose by request of the agent. The news
was brought to Stumbling-bear, who had remained at home on account of
the death of his son, by Quanah, chief of the Comanche, who advised him
to send word to the Kiowa to stop, as the soldiers would kill them and
their horses if they persisted. Stumbling-bear thereupon sent two young
men to the sun dance camp to tell the Kiowa to disperse and go home,
which, after considerable heated discussion, they finally did, leaving
the unfinished medicine lodge standing. In the meantime the troops had
arrived at the agency, but the Indians having gone home, they returned
to their post.
[Illustration: FIG. 188--Summer 1890--Unfinished sun dance.]
Concerning this affair the agent says in his annual report:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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