The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Indians — John Shaqi
The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot IndiansWissler, Clark
Religion
The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Indians
Wissler, Clark
Siksika Indians; Sun dance
Since there seems to be no good published data on the sacrificing of
skin and fingers we append the narrative of Split-ears:--
Sometimes, when warriors are on an expedition and come in sight of
the enemy they will sit in a circle while the leader, or the oldest
member of the party, offers prayers that they may succeed in their
undertaking. Then they proceed to offer bits of their own skin to
the sun. The one who prayed sits down by one of the party, takes up
a needle or bodkin and a knife, thrusts the former under a small
section of skin and raising it, cuts off a small slice with a knife.
This leaves a circular wound a quarter of an inch or less in
diameter. It is understood that the operator pulls the skin up with
the needle and slices off a small section underneath that
instrument. He then takes up some black paint and dips the bit of
skin into it. Then he holds it up to the sun and prays for the
success of his victim. The bit of skin is then placed upon a piece
of cloth and another is removed from the victim in the same manner
and so the operator goes to each of the party in turn, each time
removing a piece of skin, dipping it in black paint, and holding it
up in a prayer to the sun. While each person is expected to give two
pieces, they are not limited to the maximum number, some men giving
four and some still more. The bits of skin thus collected are tied
up in one corner of the cloth which is mounted upon a stick wrapped
with wild sage, the whole being fastened in a tree or set up on the
top of a high hill as the sun's offering. This sacrifice is always
spoken of as feeding the sun with flesh from one's own body. The
cloth is fastened to the stick in the form of a flag or banner so
that it waves in the wind with the flesh offerings tied in one
corner. This sacrifice is considered one of the greatest a man can
make.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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