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WE now were drawing close to
the spot which had been indicated by the chief priest of the season as a
desirable place for the annual religious festival. Couriers came and went
from the several camps. The excitement intensified, and our camp was all
astir in anticipation of meeting with the multitudes who, like us, were
making for this common ground of appointment. I will here give my readers a
brief description of this great festival, known as
THE THIRST DANCE.
This religious gathering has
been for ages an annual occurrence. It is an occasion for the fulfilment of
vows, and an opportunity for the more religious of this pagan people to make
sacrifices and to endure self-inflicted torture and hardship in meeting the
requirements of the traditional faith of their fathers.
As the season for this
approached some leading men sent "tobacco messages" to different camps near
and far, intimating that the time had come for the annual festival, and
suggesting the most desirable locality. This latter was determined largely
by the proximity of buffalo and the conditions of tribal war.
These tobacco messages were
carefully worded and wrapped in the presence of trusty couriers, who would
make all haste in reaching their several destinations, often travelling
night and day, and generally on foot. When they reached the camps to which
they were sent their message was received with solemn dignity and themselves
treated with hospitable respect.
Then in quiet council the
tobacco was unwrapped and the proposition discussed. If assented to the
tobacco was smoked and the head man commissioned to send a return message
signifying assent and willingness to come to the appointed place. And now
from long distances these camps would move steadily towards the location
indicated. The big meeting, the rites to be observed, the blessings that
would ensue, the character and prestige and the temporal and supernatural
ability of those leaders expected to attend to all these things, were the
constant topics of conversation of all these converging camps.
The conjurer rehearsed his
medicine hymns, sorted over his medicine bag, fixed his rattles and bells,
and retouched his ghastly costume. The warrior went over in memory his
bravest deeds and most notable exploits, and carefully arranged his war
dress, mending here and fixing there, and generally burnishing up for this
grand chance for glorious display. And the women and belles of the camp,
notwithstanding all the work of constant moving and making extra provisions
to be used during the festival, missed no opportunity to make ready their
finery for special use on this great occasion, though all they might have
would be contained in a small bag made of calfskin, and would consist mainly
of beaded leggings and shoulder straps and a much-brassed leathern girdle.
In the meantime the
originator of this concentrative movement was having a hard time of it. The
responsibility of the whole gathering rested heavily upon him, and to
prepare himself for his duties he fasted and thirsted, left his home and
camp, and stayed nights and days alone in cold and wet with little or no
covering for his naked body. He petitioned and prayed to "the Spirits," and
seemed to commune with them. He grew wan and wasted physically; but he
developed spiritually, and there seemed to come to his very appearance that
which was supernatural. As the time drew near this intensified. There was a
weird mystery about this man, which was felt through all the camp.
The conjurers prepared their
medicines, and night and morning before camp moved the drums beat furiously,
"dancing lodges "were erected at every encampment, and the four orders of
dancers took their turns. The "wood partridges," the "prairie chickens,"
medicine rattlers," and the "kid foxes," each in turn to vocal and drum
music went through their evolutions of movement. Sacrifices were got ready
and consecrated, and amidst night and day alarms from the enemy, and all the
necessary hunting for the maintenance of these camps, this work of
preparation went on for days and sometimes weeks. And now the chosen spot is
reached, which is accomplished almost at the same time, for the scouts and
couriers have kept the different camps in touch, and the movement of each
has been governed for the purpose of reaching the rendezvous about the same
day. But this strange crowd is gathered for a specific purpose, and no time
is lost. The conjurers and medicine-men convene in one part of the camp, the
warriors in another; and while the priests and medicine- men intensify their
petitions and incantations, the warriors go out to scout the country and
search for a suitable tree to be used as the centre or "idol tree."
A sharp watch is kept for the
scouts, and when these are seen returning to camp the medicine- men form in
procession with their chief (pro tent.), the originator of this whole
movement, at their head, and march through camp singing and incanting and
speaking in unknown tongues. The chief medicine-man holds a big pipe with a
sacred stem in his hands, and with this he points heavenward and earthward
and all around, following the sun, and thus in solemn aspect and with
dignified movement these high priests of an old faith march out of camp to
meet the warriors. Now comes the crucial time for this chief medicine-man.
If these warriors accept the pipe from him then the success of his venture
is assured. But if they do not take the pipe as he offers it to them the
whole scheme is a failure, and a new chief priest and a new location will
have to be sought. No wonder it is a tense moment for the would-be high
priest of this great gathering.
The two companies draw near
to each other, and while the priests are chanting in doleful notes
petitionary and sacrificial hymns, and the warriors are lustily singing
songs of victory, the whole camp is hushed in silent expectation as to the
outcome. The warriors know the issue lies with them, and carry themselves
accordingly. In all the pride and pomp of martial dignity and costume they
sit their picked steeds and await the priest's action. This personage is now
almost unnerved. The long vigils and fastings and hardships have emaciated
his body, and this is weak; but his communings with the spiritual have made
him feel that he has a mission, and that he is essential to the well-being
of his people. He has grown within the last few days to believe he is an
apostle and a bringer of good, and in his mind he feels these warriors must
in their own interest accept him. Nevertheless there is the possibility of
their not doing so. No messenger has reached him from the secret conclave
held yonder behind the hills. Soon he will know. And now he pulls himself
together, and, at first with quavering voice and trembling limbs, he holds
the sacred pipe aloft and prays. Immediately in front of him is the chosen
chief of the warriors, who gives no indication of what he is going to do in
this matter. In silence he and the entire assemblage listen as the aspirant
for priestly honors seems to forget himself in the intenseness of his
purpose. His voice gathers strength, his limbs cease to tremble, and with
native and pure eloquence he calls upon the Deity to bless this gathering,
to pity his children, to accept their sacrifices, to smile upon their
effort. His metaphors are beautiful, his similes are fine; the range of his
thought reaches the heavens above and covers the earth beneath. There is a
spell that accompanies the prayer. His whole soul is in it. If you and I had
been there, my reader friend, we would have seen the countenance of the
warrior chief undergo a change. Fence as he will, he is caught, and as we
look we say to ourselves, "He will accept the sacred pipe." And presently as
the priest stops he steps forward, and with a majestic wave upward and
downward and all around, he hands the sacred emblem to the warrior. While
the crowd watch him in breathless expectancy the latter takes it from him,
also lifts it heavenward and then earthward, and then all around the
complete circle, and the air rings with joyous acclamations. The feast is to
take place, and the time is now.
This being settled the
warriors parade around the camp in full review. Others go and cut down the
"idol tree," and now the warriors break ranks, and dashing into the camp
open the lodges and take from them the young women of the camp and hurry
these along with them to haul home the idol tree. Many long lines are
fastened to this tree, and the women on foot and the warriors on horseback
take hold of these lines and pull together, and thus proceed homeward.
Others act as drivers and shout and fire off their guns to urge on the men
and women. As the camp is neared immense crowds of the old and infirm and of
women and children join in the march, and thus the idol tree is brought to
the spot where the temple is to stand.
Meanwhile others are cutting
and hauling home the posts and pillars and beams required for the "big
lodge." Not a nail or pin is used in this structure. Each joint and splice
is firmly secured with green hide, which as it dries becomes very tight and
strong. All work with alacrity. Everything about the erection of the temple
is done on the principle that "the king's business requires haste."
When the idol tree is raised
in place the conjurers make a special effort with medicine-rattles and
religious singing. Some make the "nest" in the idol tree, or, as it might be
called, the sacrificial table, and fasten in and on this the sacrifices
which had been purchased long before at the trading-posts for this purpose.
All the timbers in place, the whole is covered with the lodges of the
principal men of the camp, it being thought an honor to have these used in
this way. And now the high priest approaches. He has a big buffalo head
mask, both himself and the head well covered with earth. Stepping slowly,
and wailing as he walks, he enters the temple. Immediately on his entrance
is made the inner circle for those who have vows and will dance through the
long hours. Then a spot in the temple is selected for the drummers and
singers, and these come in turns, so that the choir is continuous day and
night during the festival. Fire is placed in four places, and on these fires
are put sweet smelling herbs, which as they burn create incense. Then the
high priest takes a whole parchment and speaks to the Great Spirit, and to
all the lesser powers; then swings the parchment four times, while all the
dancers blow their horn whistles. The high priest now throws the parchment
into the centre, all the drummers and singers start up, and the entire
company join in the chorus. In the inner circle, and immediately around the
"idol tree," the real dancers who are to undergo torture are arranging
themselves.
Some of these attach long
lines to the "idol tree," and then passing the end through the muscles of
their arms thus (lance and swing around the circle. Others hang guns to the
tendons of their back, and dance with these swinging and jerking about them.
Others go from out the camp, and finding a bull's skull with horns attached,
pass a line through the eyelets, and then hitch themselves to the other end
of the line through the tendons of the back, and drag the head to the
temple, entering amongst the dancers for the rest of the festival.
One man, at the time I am
writing of, thus hitched himself to a big skull, and dragged this around the
big encampment seven times, wailing as he pulled and tugged, and thus sought
for forgiveness and salvation.
The self-tortured and the
dancers do not eat or drink until the afternoon of the third day. At that
time the warriors in costume come in a body to the temple, the bravest ten
in the lead, all singing as they march, either on foot or on horseback, and
forming a circle just outside the "thirst lodge." Then come those who make
gifts; and horses, guns, blankets, etc., are placed in the ring as a general
offering, being afterwards distributed to the needy and the infirm. Then the
bravest warriors are led out into the centre, and made to recite their
exploits and escapades, and between these recitals the various orders of
dancers alternate in exhibition of their peculiar skill. Inside the temple
torture and thirst and exhaustion; outside, declamation and glory and joyous
celebration. And as the sun draws near to the earth on the evening of the
third day the annual festival is finished. A day or two later the big camp
divides into several smaller camps, each going its own way, leaving only the
bare poles around the "idol tree," from the tops of which flutter in the
breeze the various-colored sacrificial cloths to remind of this great
religious gathering of the wood and plain Crees.
Our camp, having in it the
high priest or chief conjurer for this year, might fittingly be called the
"Convenor," and therefore it was in place for us to reach the rendezvous
before the others. This we did one lovely afternoon, and I could not but
admire the selection made by the high priest as the scene of this year's
festival.
We camped on the crest of a
plateau or tableland, where to the south and west from our feet the country
sloped gently to the valley of the Iron Creek, which wound its way from the
west and then with a majestic sweep turned southward to the Battle River,
its terraced banks with their beautifully timbered heights giving grace to
the scene. Where we stood was a fine large plain, with very little, if any,
cover for the wily enemy to approach from behind. But within a few miles,
and thence on as far as the eye could reach, were ranges of hills, in the
valleys of which, as also on their stately summits, prairie and timber were
struggling for supremacy, each alternately being beaten, but the whole
making a lovely picture.
To-day we have the wild
nomadic heathen life, but doubtless in the near to-morrow this will give way
to permanent settlement, and the church and school will bring in the clearer
light of a larger and fuller revelation. |
