Chapter 31

A′-näni′sa′na, a′-näni′sa′na,Ni′naä′niahu′tawa bi′taa′wu,Ni′naä′niahu′tawa bi′taa′wu,A′-tini′chi′ni′na nä′nisa′na,A′-tini′chi′ni′na nä′nisa′na,Häthi′na hesûna′nĭn,Häthi′na hesûna′nĭn.

A′-näni′sa′na, a′-näni′sa′na,

Ni′naä′niahu′tawa bi′taa′wu,

A′-tini′chi′ni′na nä′nisa′na,

Häthi′na hesûna′nĭn,

Häthi′na hesûna′nĭn.

Translation

My children, my children,I am flying about the earth,I am flying about the earth.I am a bird, my children,I am a bird, my children,Says the father,Says the father.

My children, my children,

I am flying about the earth,

I am flying about the earth.

I am a bird, my children,

Says the father,

Says the father.

In this song the messiah, addressing his children, is represented as a bird (crow?) flying about the whole earth, symbolic of his omniscience. The song has one or two variants.

I′nita′ta′-usä′na,I′nita′ta′-usä′na.Hä′tini′tubibä′ hu′hu,Hä′tini′tubibä′ hu′hu.Hä′tina′ha′wa′bä hu′hu,Hä′tina′ha′wa′bä hu′hu.

I′nita′ta′-usä′na,

I′nita′ta′-usä′na.

Hä′tini′tubibä′ hu′hu,

Hä′tini′tubibä′ hu′hu.

Hä′tina′ha′wa′bä hu′hu,

Hä′tina′ha′wa′bä hu′hu.

Translation

Stand ready,Stand ready.(So that when) the crow calls you,(So that when) the crow calls you.You will see him,You will see him.

Stand ready,

Stand ready.

(So that when) the crow calls you,

(So that when) the crow calls you.

You will see him,

You will see him.

This song was composed by Little Raven, one of the delegation of seven from the southern Arapaho and Cheyenne which visited the messiah in Nevada in August, 1891. It is a message to the believers to be ready for the near coming of the new earth. The first line is sometimes sungI′nita′ta-u′sä-hu′na.

Nä′nisa′na-ŭ′, nä′nisa′na-ŭ′,Wa′wäthä′bichä′chinĭ′nabä′nagu′wa-u′i′naga′thi—He′e′ye′!Häthi′na ne′nahu′,Häthi′na ne′nahu′.

Nä′nisa′na-ŭ′, nä′nisa′na-ŭ′,

Wa′wäthä′bichä′chinĭ′nabä′nagu′wa-u′i′naga′thi—He′e′ye′!

Häthi′na ne′nahu′,

Häthi′na ne′nahu′.

Translation

My children, my children,I have given you magpie feathers again to wear on your heads—He′e′ye′!Thus says our mother,Thus says our mother.

My children, my children,

I have given you magpie feathers again to wear on your heads—He′e′ye′!

Thus says our mother,

Thus says our mother.

This song affords a good specimen of the possibilities of Indian word building. The second word might serve as a companion piece to Mark Twain’s picture of a complete word in German. It consists of seventeen syllables, all so interwoven to complete the sense of the word sentence that no part can be separated from the rest without destroying the whole. The verbal part proper indicates that “I have given you (plural) a headdress again.” The final syllables,wa-u′i-naga′thi, show that the headdress consists of the tail feathers (wagathi) of the magpie (wa-u-i). The syllablechaimplies repetition or return of action, this being probably not the first time that the messiah had given magpie feathers to his visitors.

The magpie (Pica hudsonicaormittalii) of the Rocky mountains and Sierra Nevada and the intermediate region of Nevada and Utah is perhaps the most conspicuous bird in the Paiute country. It bears a general resemblance to a crow or blackbird, being about the sizeof the latter, and jet black, with the exception of the breast, which is white, and a white spot on each wing. In its tail are two long feathers with beautiful changeable metallic luster. It is a home bird, frequenting the neighborhood of the Paiute camps in small flocks. It is held sacred among the Paiute, by whom the long tail feathers are as highly prized for decorative purposes as eagle feathers are among the tribes of the plains. The standard price for such feathers in 1891 was 25 cents a pair. The delegates who crossed the mountains to visit the messiah brought back with them quantities of these feathers, which thenceforth filled an important place in the ceremonial of the Ghost dance. In fact they were so eagerly sought after that the traders undertook to meet the demand, at first by importing genuine magpie feathers from the mountains, but later by fraudulently substituting selected crow feathers from the east at the same price.

The song is also peculiar in referring to the messiah as “my mother” (nena) instead of “our father” (hesûnanin), as usual.

Ani′qa hĕ′tabi′nuhu′ni′na,Ani′qa hĕ′tabi′nuhu′ni′na.Hatăna′wunăni′na hesûna′nĭn,Hatăna′wunăni′na hesûna′nĭn.Ha′tăni′ni′ahu′hi′na he′sûna′nĭn,Ha′tăni′ni′ahu′hi′na he′sûna′nĭn.

Ani′qa hĕ′tabi′nuhu′ni′na,

Ani′qa hĕ′tabi′nuhu′ni′na.

Hatăna′wunăni′na hesûna′nĭn,

Hatăna′wunăni′na hesûna′nĭn.

Ha′tăni′ni′ahu′hi′na he′sûna′nĭn,

Ha′tăni′ni′ahu′hi′na he′sûna′nĭn.

Translation

My father, I am poor,My father, I am poor.Our father is about to take pity on me,Our father is about to take pity on me.Our father is about to make me fly around.Our father is about to make me fly around.

My father, I am poor,

My father, I am poor.

Our father is about to take pity on me,

Our father is about to take pity on me.

Our father is about to make me fly around.

This song refers to the present impoverished condition of the Indians, and to their hope that he is now about to take pity on them and remove them from this dying world to the new earth above; the feathers worn on their heads in the dance being expected to act as wings, as already explained, to enable them to fly to the upper regions.

Nä′nisa′taqu′thi hu′na—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!Nä′nisa′taqu′thi hu′na—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!Hi′bithi′ni′na gasi′tu—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!Hi′bithi′ni′na gasi′tu—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

Nä′nisa′taqu′thi hu′na—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

Hi′bithi′ni′na gasi′tu—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

Translation

The seven crows—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!The seven crows—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!They are flying about the carrion—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!They are flying about the carrion—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

The seven crows—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

They are flying about the carrion—Hi′ă hi′ni′ni′!

In this song the dreamer tells of his trance visit to the spirit world, where he found his friends busily engaged cutting up the meat after a successful buffalo hunt, while the crows were hovering about the carrion. Four and seven are the constant sacred numbers of the Ghost dance, as of Indian ritual and story generally.

Ahu′nä he′sûna′nĭn—Ahu′nä he′sûna′nĭn—Ni′tabä′tani′ bäta′hina′ni,Ni′tabä′tani′ bäta′hina′ni,Ha′kă hä′sabini′na he′sûna′nĭn,Ha′kă hä′sabini′na he′sûna′nĭn.

Ahu′nä he′sûna′nĭn—

Ni′tabä′tani′ bäta′hina′ni,

Ha′kă hä′sabini′na he′sûna′nĭn,

Ha′kă hä′sabini′na he′sûna′nĭn.

Translation

There is our father—There is our father—We are dancing as he wishes (makes) us to dance,We are dancing as he wishes (makes) us to dance,Because our father has so commanded us,Because our father has so commanded us.

There is our father—

We are dancing as he wishes (makes) us to dance,

Because our father has so commanded us,

Because our father has so commanded us.

The literal meaning of the last line is “because our father has given it to us,” the prairie idiom for directing or commanding being to “give a road” or to “make a road” for the one thus commanded. To disobey is to “break the road” and to depart from the former custom is to “make a new road.” The idea is expressed in the same way both in the various spoken languages and in the sign language.

Ga′awa′hu, ga′awa′hu,Ni′hii′nä gu′shi′nä,Ni′hii′nä gu′shi′nä.A′tanä′tähinä′na,A′tanä′tähinä′na.

Ga′awa′hu, ga′awa′hu,

Ni′hii′nä gu′shi′nä,

Ni′hii′nä gu′shi′nä.

A′tanä′tähinä′na,

A′tanä′tähinä′na.

Translation

The ball, the ball—You must throw it swiftly,You must throw it swiftly.I want to win,I want to win.

The ball, the ball—

You must throw it swiftly,

You must throw it swiftly.

I want to win,

I want to win.

The author of this song was a woman who in her trance vision saw her girl friends in the other world playing the ball game, as described in song number 7. In this case, however, her partner is urged tothrowthe ball, instead of to strike it.

Ahu′ ni′higa′hu,Ahu′ ni′higa′hu.Ha′tani′ni′tani′na,Ha′tani′ni′tani′na.

Ahu′ ni′higa′hu,

Ahu′ ni′higa′hu.

Ha′tani′ni′tani′na,

Ha′tani′ni′tani′na.

Translation

The Crow is running,The Crow is running.He will hear me.He will hear me.

The Crow is running,

The Crow is running.

He will hear me.

This song implies that the Crow (messiah) is quick to hear the prayer of the dancer and comes swiftly to listen to his petition.

Ne′sûna′—He′e′ye′!Ne′sûna′—He′e′ye′!Ya′thä-yûna ta′na-u′qahe′na—He′e′ye′!Ya′thä-yûna ta′na-u′qahe′na—He′e′ye′!Ta′bini′na hi′ticha′ni—He′e′ye′!Ta′bini′na hi′ticha′ni—He′e′ye′!Bi′taa′wu ta′thi′aku′tawa′—He′e′ye′!Bi′taa′wu ta′thi′aku′tawa′—He′e′ye′!

Ne′sûna′—He′e′ye′!

Ya′thä-yûna ta′na-u′qahe′na—He′e′ye′!

Ta′bini′na hi′ticha′ni—He′e′ye′!

Bi′taa′wu ta′thi′aku′tawa′—He′e′ye′!

Translation

My father—He′e′ye′!My father—He′e′ye′!He put me in five places—He′e′ye′!He put me in five places—He′e′ye′!I stood upon the earth—He′e′ye′!I stood upon the earth—He′e′ye′!

My father—He′e′ye′!

He put me in five places—He′e′ye′!

I stood upon the earth—He′e′ye′!

The author of this song tells how in his trance he went up to the other world, where he stood upon the new earth and saw the messiah, who took him around to five different places and gave him a pipe. The number five may here have some deeper mythic meaning besides that indicated in the bare narrative.

Ni′naäqa′wa chibä′ti,Ni′naäqa′wa chibä′ti.Ha′-ina′tä be′yi thi′äya′na,Ha′-ina′tä be′yi thi′äya′na.

Ni′naäqa′wa chibä′ti,

Ni′naäqa′wa chibä′ti.

Ha′-ina′tä be′yi thi′äya′na,

Ha′-ina′tä be′yi thi′äya′na.

Translation

I am going around the sweat-house,I am going around the sweat-house.The shell lies upon the mound,The shell lies upon the mound.

I am going around the sweat-house,

I am going around the sweat-house.

The shell lies upon the mound,

The shell lies upon the mound.

The maker of this song saw in his vision a sweat-house with a white shell lying upon the mound in front, where a buffalo skull is usually placed. The song evidently refers to some interesting religious ceremony, but was heard only once, and from a young man who could give no fuller explanation. I have never seen a shell used in this connection. It may be, as suggested by Reverend H. R. Voth, that the wordshell is really a figurative expression for skull. In the old days the whole buffalo head was used, instead of the mere skull.

Hise′hi, hise′hi,Hä′tine′bäku′tha′na,Hä′tine′bäku′tha′na,Häti′ta-u′seta′na,Häti′ta-u′seta′na.

Hise′hi, hise′hi,

Hä′tine′bäku′tha′na,

Häti′ta-u′seta′na,

Häti′ta-u′seta′na.

Translation

My comrade, my comrade,Let us play the awl game,Let us play the awl game,Let us play the dice game,Let us play the dice game.

My comrade, my comrade,

Let us play the awl game,

Let us play the dice game,

Let us play the dice game.

The woman who composed this song tells how, on waking up in the spirit world, she met there a party of her former girl companions and sat down with them to play the two games universally popular with the women of all the prairie tribes.

Fig. 95—Diagram of awl game.

The first is callednĕ′bäku′thanaby the Arapaho andtsoñäor “awl game” (fromtsoñ, an awl) by the Kiowa, on account of an awl, the Indian woman’s substitute for a needle, being used to keep record of the score. The game is becoming obsolete in the north, but is the everyday summer amusement of the women among the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache in the southern plains. It is very amusing on account of the unforeseen “rivers” and “whips” that are constantly turning up to disappoint the expectant winner, and a party of women will frequently sit around the blanket for half a day at a time, with a constant ripple of laughter and good-humored jokes as they follow the chances of the play. It would make a very pretty picnic game, or could readily be adapted to the parlor of civilization.

Fig. 96—Sticks used in awl game.

The players sit upon the ground around a blanket marked in charcoal with lines and dots, and quadrants in the corners, as shown infigure 95. In the center is a stone upon which the sticks are thrown. Each dot, excepting those between the parallels, counts a point, making twenty-four points for dots. Each of the parallel lines, and each end of the curved lines in the corners, also counts a point,making sixteen points for the lines or forty points in all. The players start from the bottom, opposing players moving in opposite directions, and with each throw of the sticks the thrower moves her awl forward and sticks it into the blanket at the dot or line to which her throw carries her. The parallels on each of the four sides are called “rivers,” and the dots within these parallels do not count in the game. The rivers at the top and bottom are “dangerous” and can not be crossed, and when the player is so unlucky as to score a throw which brings her upon the edge of the river (i. e., upon the first line of either of these pairs of parallels), she “falls into the river” and must lose all she has hitherto gained, and begin again at the start. In the same way, when a player moving around in one direction makes a throw which brings her awl to the place occupied by the awl of her opponent coming around from the other side, the said opponent is “whipped back” to the starting point and must begin all over again. Thus there is a constant succession of unforeseen accidents which furnish endless amusement to the players.

Fig. 97—Trump sticks used in awl game.

The game is played with four sticks, each from 6 to 10 inches long, flat on one side and round on the other (figure 96). One of these is the trump stick and is marked in a distinctive manner in the center on both sides, and is also distinguished by having a green line along the flat side (figure 97), while the others have each a red line. The Kiowa call this trump sticksahe, “green,” on account of the green stripe, while the others are calledguadal, “red.” There are also a number of small green sticks, about the size of lead pencils, for keeping tally. Each player in turn takes up the four sticks together in her hand and throws them down on end upon the stone in the center. The number of points depends on the number of flat orround sides which turn up. A lucky throw with the green or trump stick generally gives the thrower another trial in addition. The formula is:

Fig. 98—Baskets used in dice game.

Only the flat sides count except when all the sticks turn round side up. This is the best throw of all, as it counts ten points and another throw. On completing one round of forty points the player takes one of the small green tally sticks from the pile and she who first gets the number of tally sticks previously agreed on wins the game. Two, four, or any even number of persons may play the game, half on each side. When two or more play on a side, all the partners move up the same number of points at each throw, but only the lucky thrower gets a second trial in case of a trump throw.

The other woman’s game mentioned, the dice game, is calledta-u′sĕta′tina(literally, “striking,” or “throwing against” something) by the Arapaho, andmo′nshimûnhby the Cheyenne, the same name being now given to the modern card games. It was practically universal among all the tribes east and west, and under the name of “hub-bub” is described by a New England writer as far back as 1634, almost precisely as it exists today among the prairie tribes. The only difference seems to have been that in the east it was played also by the men, and to the accompaniment of a song such as is used in the hand games of the western tribes.

Fig. 99—Dice used in dice game.

The requisites are a small wicker bowl or basket (hatĕchi′na), five dice made of bone or of plum stones, and a pile of tally sticks such as are used in the awl game. The bowl is 6 or 8 inches in diameter and about 2 inches deep, and is woven in basket fashion of the tough fibers of the yucca (figure 98). The dice may be round, elliptical, or diamond-shape and are variously marked on one side with lines and figures, the turtle being a favorite design among the Arapaho (figure 99). Two of the five must be alike in shape and marking. The other three are marked with another design and may also be of another shape. Any number of women or girls may play, each throwing in turn, and sometimes one set of partners playing against another. The players toss up the dice from the basket, letting them drop again into it, and score points according to the way the dice turn up in the basket. The first throw by each player is made from the hand instead of from the basket. One hundred points usually count a game, and stakes are wagered on the result as in almost every other Indian contest of skill or chance. For the purpose of explanation, we shall designate two of the five as “rounds” and the other three as “diamonds,” it being understood that only the marked side counts in the game, excepting when the throw happens to turn up the three diamonds blank while the other two show the marked side, or, as sometimes happens, when all five dice turn up blank. In every case all of one kind at least must turn up to score a point. A successful throw entitles the player to another throw, while a failure obliges her to pass the basket to some one else. The formula is:

A game similar in principle, but played with six dice instead of five, is also played by the Arapaho women, as well as by those of the Comanche and probably also of other tribes.

Nänisa′na, nänisa′na,Na′tu′wani′sa, na′tu′wani′sa—Hä′nätä′hĭ′näti′,Hä′nätä′hĭ′näti′.

Nänisa′na, nänisa′na,

Na′tu′wani′sa, na′tu′wani′sa—

Hä′nätä′hĭ′näti′,

Hä′nätä′hĭ′näti′.

Translation

My children, my children,My top, my top—It will win the game,It will win the game.

My children, my children,

My top, my top—

It will win the game,

It will win the game.

The man who made this song when he entered the spirit world in his vision met there one of his boy friends who had died long years before, and once more spun tops with him as in childhood.

Tops are used by all Indian boys, and are made of wood or bone. They are not thrown or spun with a string, but are kept in motion by whipping with a small quirt or whip of buckskin. In winter they are spun upon the ice. The younger children make tops to twirl with the fingers by running a stick through a small seed berry.

He′na′ga′nawa′nen näa′wu′nani′nä bi′gushi′shi He′sûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!He′na′ga′nawa′nen näa′wu′nani′nä bi′gushi′shi He′sûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!Nithi′na hesûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!Nithi′na hesûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!

He′na′ga′nawa′nen näa′wu′nani′nä bi′gushi′shi He′sûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!

Nithi′na hesûna′nini′—Ahe′e′ye′!

Translation

When we dance until daylight our father, the Moon, takes pity on us—Ahe′e′ye′!When we dance until daylight our father, the Moon, takes pity on us—Ahe′e′ye′!The father says so—Ahe′e′ye′!The father says so—Ahe′e′ye′!

When we dance until daylight our father, the Moon, takes pity on us—Ahe′e′ye′!

The father says so—Ahe′e′ye′!

With the Arapaho, as with many other tribes, the moon is masculine, and the sun is feminine. In mythology the two are brother and sister. There are various myths to account for the spots on the moon’s surface, some discerning in them a large frog, while to others they bear a likeness to a kettle hung over the fire. The Arapaho name for the moon,bi′gushish, means literally “night sun,” the sun itself being calledhishinishish, “day sun.” A similar nomenclature exists among most other tribes.

song[[audio/mpeg]MusicXML]

[[audio/mpeg]MusicXML]

A′näni′sa′na, a′näni′sa′na,Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′,Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′;Ti′naha′thihu′ nä′nisa′na,Ti′naha′thihu′ nä′nisa′na,Häthi′na He′sûna′nĭn,Häthi′na He′sûna′nĭn.

A′näni′sa′na, a′näni′sa′na,

Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′,

Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′;

Ti′naha′thihu′ nä′nisa′na,

Häthi′na He′sûna′nĭn,

Häthi′na He′sûna′nĭn.

Translation

My children, my children,It is I who wear the morning star on my head.It is I who wear the morning star on my head;I show it to my children,I show it to my children,Says the father,Says the father.

My children, my children,

It is I who wear the morning star on my head.

It is I who wear the morning star on my head;

I show it to my children,

Says the father,

Says the father.

This beautiful song originated among the northern Arapaho, and is a favorite north and south. In it the messiah is supposed to be addressing his children. There is a rhythmic swing to the vocalic syllables that makes the tune particularly pleasing, and the imagery of thought expressed is poetry itself. The same idea occurs in European ballad and legend, and has a parallel in the angel of the evangelist, “clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head.”

A′-nena′ tabi′ni′na nĕ′tĭqta′wa′hu′,A′-nena′ tabi′ni′na nĕ′tĭqta′wa′hu′.Ä′nii′nahu′gahu′nahu,Ä′nii′nahu′gahu′nahu.Tahu′naha′thihi′na nä′nisa′na,Tahu′naha′thihi′na nä′nisa′na.

A′-nena′ tabi′ni′na nĕ′tĭqta′wa′hu′,

A′-nena′ tabi′ni′na nĕ′tĭqta′wa′hu′.

Ä′nii′nahu′gahu′nahu,

Ä′nii′nahu′gahu′nahu.

Tahu′naha′thihi′na nä′nisa′na,

Tahu′naha′thihi′na nä′nisa′na.

Translation

My mother gave me mytĭ′qtawastick,My mother gave me mytĭ′qtawastick.I fly around with it,I fly around with it,To make me see my children,To make me see my children.

My mother gave me mytĭ′qtawastick,

My mother gave me mytĭ′qtawastick.

I fly around with it,

To make me see my children,

To make me see my children.

This song was composed by a woman of the southern Arapaho. The reference is not entirely clear, but it is probable that in her trance vision she saw her children in the other world playing the game mentioned, and that afterward she made the game sticks and carried them in the dance, hoping by this means to obtain another vision of the spirit world, where she could again talk with her children who had gone before her to the shadow land. In one Ghost dance seven different women carried these game sticks.

Thebăti′qtûba(abbreviatedti′qtûp) game of the Arapaho and other prairie tribes somewhat resembles the Iroquois game of the “snow snake,” and is played by children or grown persons of both sexes. Itis a very simple game, the contestants merely throwing or sliding the sticks along the ground to see who can send them farthest. Two persons or two parties play against each other, boys sometimes playing against girls or men against women. It is, however, more especially a girl’s game. The game sticks (bătĭqta′wa) are slender willow rods about 4 feet long, peeled and painted and tipped with a point of buffalo horn to enable them to slide more easily along the ground. In throwing, the player holds the stick at the upper end with the thumb and fingers, and, swinging it like a pendulum, throws it out with a sweeping motion. Young men throw arrows about in the same way, and small boys sometimes throw ordinary reeds or weed stalks. Among the Omaha, according to Dorsey, bows, unstrung, are made to slide along the ground or ice in the same manner.

Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′, Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′,Hä′nänä′hi′gutha′-u ga′qaä′-hu′hu′,Hä′nänä′hi′gutha′-u ga′qaä′-hu′hu′.

Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′, Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′,

Hä′nänä′hi′gutha′-u ga′qaä′-hu′hu′,

Hä′nänä′hi′gutha′-u ga′qaä′-hu′hu′.

Translation

Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′, Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′,I throw the “button,”I throw the “button.”

Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′, Yĭ′hä′ä′ä′hi′hĭ′,

I throw the “button,”

I throw the “button.”

In his trance vision the author of this song entered a tipi and found it filled with a circle of his old friends playing thega′qutit, or “hunt the button” game. This is a favorite winter game with the prairie tribes, and was probably more or less general throughout the country. It is played both by men and women, but never by the two sexes together. It is the regular game in the long winter nights after the scattered families have abandoned their exposed summer positions on the open prairie, and moved down near one another in the shelter of the timber along the streams. When hundreds of Indians are thus camped together, the sound of the drum, the rattle, and the gaming song resound nightly through the air. To the stranger there is a fascination about such a camp at night, with the conical tipis scattered about under the trees, the firelight from within shining through the white canvas and distinctly outlining upon the cloth the figures of the occupants making merry inside with jest and story, while from half a dozen different directions comes the measured tap of the Indian drum or the weird chorus of the gaming songs. Frequently there will be a party of twenty to thirty men gaming in one tipi, and singing so that their voices can be heard far out from the camp, while from another tipi a few rods away comes a shrill chorus from a group of women engaged in another game of the same kind.

The players sit in a circle around the tipi fire, those on one side of the fire playing against those on the other. The only requisites are the “button” orga′qaä, usually a small bit of wood, around which is tied a piece of string or otter skin, with a pile of tally sticks, as hasbeen already described. Each party has a “button,” that of one side being painted black, the other being red. The leader of one party takes the button and endeavors to move it from one hand to the other, or to pass it on to a partner, while those of the opposing side keep a sharp lookout, and try to guess in which hand it is. Those having the button try to deceive their opponents as to its whereabouts by putting one hand over the other, by folding their arms, and by putting their hands behind them, so as to pass thega′qaä, on to a partner, all the while keeping time to the rhythm of a gaming chorus sung by the whole party at the top of their voices. The song is very peculiar, and well-nigh indescribable. It is usually, but not always or entirely, unmeaning, and jumps, halts, and staggers in a most surprising fashion, but always in perfect time with the movements of the hands and arms of the singers. The greatest of good-natured excitement prevails, and every few minutes some more excitable player claps his hands over his mouth or beats the ground with his flat palms, and gives out a regular war-whoop. All this time the opposing players are watching the hands of the other, or looking straight into their faces to observe every telltale movement of their features, and when one thinks he has discovered in which hand the button is, he throws out his thumb toward that hand with a loud “that!” Should he guess aright, his side scores a certain number of tallies, and in turn takes the button and begins another song. Should the guess be wrong, the losing side must give up an equivalent number of tally sticks. So the play goes on until the small hours of the night. It is always a gambling game, and the stakes are sometimes very large.

The first line of the song here given is an imitation of one of these gambling songs. Among the prairie tribes each song has one or perhaps two words with meaning bearing on the game, the rest of the song being a succession of unmeaning syllables. Among some other tribes, particularly among the Navaho, as described by Dr Washington Matthews, the songs have meaning, being prayers to different animal or elemental gods to assist the player.

As specimens of another variety of gambling songs, we give here two heard among the Paiute of Nevada when visiting the messiah in the winter of 1891–92. They have pretty tunes, very distinct from those of the prairie tribes, and were borrowed by the Paiute from the Mohave, in whose language they may have a meaning, although unintelligible to the Paiute.

song[[audio/mpeg]MusicXML]

[[audio/mpeg]MusicXML]

1. Yo′ho′ maho′yo owa′na,Ha′yămă ha′yămă kăni′yowĭ′. (Repeat.)2. Ho′tsăni′ăni tsai′-owi′ani′,Iha′ha′ tsima′nimina′ ha′ tsima′nimina′. (Repeat.)

1. Yo′ho′ maho′yo owa′na,

Ha′yămă ha′yămă kăni′yowĭ′. (Repeat.)

2. Ho′tsăni′ăni tsai′-owi′ani′,

Iha′ha′ tsima′nimina′ ha′ tsima′nimina′. (Repeat.)

Ni′qa-hu′hu′, ni′qa-hu′hu′,Hu′wĭ′säna′, hu′wĭ′säna′—Ga′qa′ä-hu′hu′, ga′qa′ä-hu′hu′.

Ni′qa-hu′hu′, ni′qa-hu′hu′,

Hu′wĭ′säna′, hu′wĭ′säna′—

Ga′qa′ä-hu′hu′, ga′qa′ä-hu′hu′.

Translation

My father, my father,I go straight to it, I go straight to it—Thega′qaä, thega′qaä.

My father, my father,

I go straight to it, I go straight to it—

Thega′qaä, thega′qaä.

This song also refers to the game ofga′qutit, just described. Thega′qaäis the “button.”

A′hu′nawu′hu′-u′-u′, a′hu′nawu′hu′-u′-u′,Hă′tani′i′bii′na—He′e′ye′!Hă′tani′i′bii′na—He′e′ye′!Ga′qu′tina′ni,Ga′qu′tina′ni,Hi′nä′ähä′k ga′qa′ä—He′e′ye′!Hi′nä′ähä′k ga′qa′ä—He′e′ye′!

A′hu′nawu′hu′-u′-u′, a′hu′nawu′hu′-u′-u′,

Hă′tani′i′bii′na—He′e′ye′!

Ga′qu′tina′ni,

Hi′nä′ähä′k ga′qa′ä—He′e′ye′!

Translation

With red paint, with red paint,I want to paint myself—He′e′ye′!I want to paint myself—He′e′ye′!When I playga′qutit,When I playga′qutit.It is the “button”—He′e′ye′!It is the “button”—He′e′ye′!

With red paint, with red paint,

I want to paint myself—He′e′ye′!

When I playga′qutit,

When I playga′qutit.

It is the “button”—He′e′ye′!

This song refers to the same game described under songs 69 and 70, and like them is based on the trance experience of the composer.

Ani′qa naga′qu!Ani′qa naga′qu!Ina′habi′ä nina′gănawa′ni,Ina′habi′ä nina′gănawa′ni.Awu′năni′ä—Hi′i′i′!Awu′năni′ä—Hi′i′i′!

Ani′qa naga′qu!

Ina′habi′ä nina′gănawa′ni,

Ina′habi′ä nina′gănawa′ni.

Awu′năni′ä—Hi′i′i′!

Translation

Father, the Morning Star!Father, the Morning Star!Look on us, we have danced until daylight,Look on us, we have danced until daylight.Take pity on us—Hi′i′i′!Take pity on us—Hi′i′i′!

Father, the Morning Star!

Look on us, we have danced until daylight,

Look on us, we have danced until daylight.

Take pity on us—Hi′i′i′!

This song is sung about daylight, just before the closing song, after the dancers have danced all night and are now ready to quit and go home. When the new doctrine came among the prairie tribes, the Ghost dance was held at irregular and frequent intervals, almost every other night, in fact—lasting sometimes until about midnight, sometimes until daylight, without any rule. As the ceremonial became crystallized, however, the messiah gave instructions that the dance should be held only at intervals of six weeks, and should then continue four consecutive nights, lasting the first three nights until about midnight, but on the fourth night to continue all night until daylight of the next morning. The original letter containing these directions is given in chapter X. For a long time these directions were implicitly followed, but the tendency now is to the original fashion of one-night dances, at short intervals. This song to the morning star was sung just before daylight on the final morning of the dance.

With all the prairie tribes the morning star is held in great reverence and is the subject of much mythological belief and ceremony. It is universally represented in their pictographs as a cross, usually of the Maltese pattern. In this form it is frequently pictured on the ghost shirts. The Arapaho name,nagaq′, means literally “a cross.” The Kiowa know it ast’aiñso, “the cross,” or sometimes, asdä-e′dal, “the great star.”

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