Indian Games and Dances with Native Songs written by Alice C. Fletcher

A >> Alice C. Fletcher >> Indian Games and Dances with Native Songs

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

PRESENTING THE CHILD TO THE COSMOS

Among the Omaha a ceremony was observed shortly after the birth of a child
that on broad lines reflects a general belief among the Indians.

In the introductory chapter of this book the Indian's feeling of
unquestioning unity with nature is mentioned. The following Omaha ceremony
and ritual furnish direct testimony to the profundity of this feeling. Its
expression greets him at his birth and is iterated at every important
experience throughout his life.

When an Omaha child is born the parents send to the clan that has charge of
the rite of introducing the child to the Cosmos. The priest thus summoned
comes to the tent wherein the infant lies and takes his stand just outside
the door, facing the East. He raises his right hand, palm outward, to the
sky, and in a clear ringing voice intones the following ritual:

Ho! Ye Sun, Moon, Stars, all ye that move in the heavens,
I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life;
Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the first hill!

Ho! Ye Winds, Clouds, Rain, Mist, all ye that move in the air,
I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life;
Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the second hill!

Ho! Ye Hills, Valleys, Rivers, Lakes, Trees, Grasses, all ye of the earth,
I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life;
Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the third hill!

Ho! Ye Birds, great and small, that fly in the air;
Ho! Ye Animals, great and small, that dwell in the forests;
Ho! Ye Insects that creep among the grasses and burrow in the ground,
I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life;
Consent ye, I implore!
Make its path smooth, that it may reach the brow of the fourth hill!

Ho! All ye of the heavens, all ye of the air, all ye of the earth,
I bid you hear me!
Into your midst has come a new life;
Consent ye, consent ye all, I implore!
Make its path smooth--then shall it travel beyond the four hills!

In this manner the child, the "new life," was introduced to the Cosmos of
which it was now a part. All the powers of the heavens and of the earth
were invoked to render aid to the "new life" in its onward struggle over
the rugged path that traverses the four hills of life, typifying Infancy,
Youth, Maturity and Old Age.

An infant was merely a "new life," it was wholly dependent upon others; no
name was given it (only endearing terms were used), for the reason that a
name implies either a sacred responsibility or a personal achievement,
neither of which was possible to an infant. When, however, the child could
go about alone, generally at three or four years of age, the time had
arrived when it must be given a tribal name, one belonging to the rites in
charge of its birth group. By means of this ceremonial act the child was
inducted by sacred rites into the tribe and became a recognized member.

GIVING THE CHILD A NAME

This ceremony, formerly practiced among the Omaha and cognate tribes, took
place in the spring, "when the grass was up and the birds were singing." A
tent was set apart and made sacred by the priest who had the hereditary
right to perform the ceremony. As the occasion was one of tribal interest,
many people flocked to the scene of the rite.

A large stone was brought and placed on the east side of the fire that was
burning in the center of the space inside the tent. When everything was
ready the old priest stood at the door awaiting the arrival of the child.
Then all the mothers who had children of the proper age wended their way to
this tent, each one leading her little child, who carried in its hands a
new pair of moccasins. As the two reached the tent the mother addressed the
priest, saying: "Venerable man, I desire my child to wear moccasins." (This
was a symbolic form of expression.) "I desire my child to walk long upon
the earth, to be content with the light of many days. We seek your
protection!" The priest made a formal reply and the little one, carrying
its moccasins, entered the tent alone. After a few ritualistic phrases the
priest accompanied the child to the fire place, where he and the child
stood facing the East while the priest sang an invocation to the Four
Winds. He bade them to come hither and stand in this place in four groups.

At the close of this Ritual Song the priest lifted the child by the arms so
that its little bare feet rested upon the stone, as it faced the South;
then he lifted the child again by the arms and its feet rested on the
stone, as it faced the West; again the child was lifted and its feet were
upon the stone, as it faced the North; once more the priest lifted the
child and its feet touched the stone, as it faced the East. Then the priest
sang the following Ritual Song:

Turned by the Winds goes the one I send yonder,
Yonder he goes who is whirled by the Winds,
Goes where the four hills of life and the Four Winds are standing,
There into the midst of the Winds do I send him,
Into the midst of the Winds standing there!

This song and the entire ceremony, which is spoken of as "Turning the
child," are highly symbolic and cannot be fully explained at this time. The
Winds are the messengers of the great invisible Wakon'da and bring the
breath of life and strength to man. At the close of this song the priest
put the new moccasins on the feet of the child and sang another Ritual Song
which says:

Here unto you has been spoken the truth;
Because of this truth you shall stand.
Here declared is the truth;
Here in this place has been shown you the truth.
Therefore, arise! Go forth in its strength!

As the priest sang the last line he set the child on its feet and made it
take four steps toward the East; these steps are typical of its now
entering into life. Then the priest led the child to the entrance of the
tent, where he called aloud the tribal name of the child, then for the
first time proclaimed, adding:

"Ho! Ye Hills, ye Grass, ye Trees, ye creeping things, both great and
small, I bid you hear! This child has thrown away its baby name! Ho!"

All the children of the tribe passed through this ceremony and in this way
received their sacred personal names, which were never dropped throughout
their after-life, not even when a man took a new name.

BESTOWING A NEW NAME

The bestowal of a new name upon an adult generally took place at some
tribal ceremony when all the people were gathered together. In this way as
much publicity as possible was given to the act. Among the Pawnee tribe
there were three requirements that had to be met in order to take a new
name:

First, a man could only take a new name after the performance of an act
indicative of ability or strength of character;

Second, the name had to be assumed openly in the presence of the people to
whom the act it commemorated was known;

Third, it was necessary that it should be announced in connection with such
a ritual as that here given.

These three requirements indicate (1) that a man's name stood for what he
had shown himself to be by the light of his actions; (2) that this was
recognized by his tribesmen, and (3) that it was proclaimed by one having
charge of mediatory rites through which man can be approached by the
supernatural.

The old priest who gave the following ritual and explained it said: "A
man's life is an onward movement. If one has within him a determined
purpose and seeks the help of the powers, his life will climb up." Here he
made a gesture indicating a line slanting upward; then he arrested the
movement and, still holding his hand where he had stopped, went on to say:
"As a man is climbing up, he does something that marks a place in his life
where the powers have given him an opportunity to express in acts his
peculiar endowments; so this place, this act, forms a stage in his career
and he takes a new name to indicate that he is on a level different from
that he occupied previously." He added: "Some men can rise only a little
way, others live on a dead level." He illustrated his words by moving his
hands horizontally. "Men having power to advance climb step by step." Again
he made his meaning clear by outlining a flight of steps.

The following ritual is recited on the occasion of taking a new name and is
a dramatic poem in three parts. The first gives briefly the institution of
the rite of changing one's name in consequence of a new achievement; the
second shows how the man was enabled to accomplish this act. It begins with
his lonely vigil and fast when he cried to the powers for help; the scene
then shifts to the circle of the lesser powers, who, in council, deliberate
on his petition which makes its way to them and finally wins their consent;
then the winds summon the messengers and these, gathering at the command of
the lesser powers, are sent to earth to the man crying in lonely places, to
grant him his desire. This part closes with a few vivid words which set
forth that only by the favor of the powers had the man been able to do the
deed. The third part deals with the man's names--the one to be discarded
and the one now to be assumed. The ritual is in rhythmic form, impossible
to reproduce in English. The following rendition contains nothing which is
not in the original text as explained and amplified by the priest.

The ritual was intoned in a loud voice; the man who was to receive a new
name stood before the priest where he could be seen by the entire assembly.

RITUAL

Harken! 'Twas thus it came to pass:
In ancient days, a Leader and his men
Walked this wide earth, man's vast abode
Roofed by the heavens, where dwell the gods.
They reached a place the spot no man can tell,
Faced dangers dread and vanquished them;
Then, standing as if born anew to life,
Each warrior threw away the name
That had been his ere yet these deeds were done.

Harken! The Leader and his men
Made there the Vict'ry song, and set the mark
Ye must o'ertake, if ye would be like them!

Harken! The Leader and his men
Turned then toward home. Their Vict'ry song
Proclaimed them near; the village rose,
Looked toward the hill, where on the top
Stood the brave men, singing their song,
Heralding thus the favor of the gods
By which they had surpassed all former deeds--
Made new their claim to be accounted men.

Harken! And whence, think ye, was borne
Unto these men courage to dare,
Strength to endure hardship and war?
Mark well my words, as I reveal
How the gods help man's feebleness.
The Leader of these warriors was a man
Given to prayer. Oft he went forth
Seeking a place no one could find.
There would he stand and lift his voice,
Fraught with desire that he might be
Invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes
Threat'ning his tribe, causing them fear.
Night-time and day this cry sped on,
Traveling far, seeking to reach--
Harken! Those places far above,
Harken! Within the circle vast
Where sit the gods watching o'er men.

Harken! This poor man's prayer went on,
Speeding afar into the blue
Heavens above, reached there the place--
Harken! Where dwell the lesser gods,
Harken! And great Ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all!

Harken! It was because a god
Received this prayer, considered it,
Favored its plea, and passed it on
To him whose place was next, in that grand ring,
Who in his turn received the prayer,
Considered it, and sent it on--
Harken! Around that circle vast,
Harken! Where sit the gods above.

Harken! And thus it was the prayer
Sent by this man won the consent
Of all the gods. For each god in his place
Speaks out his thought, grants or rejects
Man's suppliant cry, asking for help;
But none can act until the Council grand
Comes to accord, thinks as one mind,
Has but one will all must obey.

Harken! The Council gave consent;
Harken! And great Ti-ra'-wa, mightier than all!

Harken! To make their purpose known,
Succor and aid freely to give,
Heralds were called, called by the Winds.
Then in the West uprose the Clouds
Heavy and black, ladened with storm.
Slowly they climbed, dark'ning the skies,
While close on every side the Thunders marched
On their dread way, till all were come
To where the gods in stately council sat
Waiting for them. Then bade them go
Back to the earth, carrying aid
To him whose prayer had reached their circle vast.
This mandate given, the Thunders turned toward earth,
Taking their course slantwise the sky.

Harken! Another followed hard--
Lightning broke forth out of the cloud,
Zigzag and dart, cleaving their way
Slantwise to earth, their goal to reach.

Harken! For these two were not all
That hastened to proclaim the god's behest--
Swift on their wings Swallows in flocks
Swept in advance, ranging the path,
Black breasts and Red, Yellow and White,
Flying about, clearing the way
For those who bore the message of the gods
Granting the man courage to dare,
Strength to endure, power to stand
Invincible, a bulwark 'gainst all foes.

Harken! 'Twas thus it came to pass:
The Leader grasped the help sent by the gods;
Henceforth he walked steadfast and strong,
Leading his men through dangers drear,
Knowing that naught could strike at him
To whom the gods had promised victory.

Attend! Once more I change his name.

Harken! _Ri-ruts'-ka-tit_ it was
We used to call him by, a name he won
Long days ago, marking an act
Well done by him, but now passed by.

Harken! To-day all men shall say--

Harken! His act has lifted him
Where all his tribe behold a man
Clothed with new fame, strong in new strength
Gained by his deeds, blessed of the gods.
Harken! _Sha-ku'-ru Wa'-ruk-ste_ shall he be called.

TAKING AN INDIAN NAME IN CAMP

In view of the significance of Indian personal names, and the dignity and
reverence which in every instance surrounded the giving or the taking of a
name, it hardly seems appropriate that Indian names should be assumed even
for a short period without some regard being shown to the customs and
thought of the people from whom the names are borrowed. While there should
be no travesty of rites such as those that have been here described, rites
that have been held sacred upon this continent for untold generations,
still it would not be unseemly to hold to the spirit of those rites when we
borrow these names during the camp days in which we seek to live close to
the nature that the Indian loved so reverently and well.

When it is decided among the members of the camp to take an Indian name, on
the day of the ceremony all the camp should assemble early in the morning.
When all have gathered, they should move toward a place where the sun can
be seen when it rises over the lake, the hilltops or the woods. There all
should pause.

The candidate for the name should not wear any head-band. The boy or girl
should stand well to the front of the group, all of whom should face the
East. The entire company should then join in the following song:

Song No. 1

Skies proclaim a new day! We joyfully meet,
We thankfully greet,
His[A] new name this day shall repeat.

[Music]

The Leader of the camp must then intone the following:

Hear! O Trees that gird our camp!
Listen, ye Birds that fly through the branches!
Harken, ye rippling waves on Stream and Lake!
Hear me!
Into your midst has come a friend,
He[A] bears a new Name!
Ye shall know him as ---- (name)

[Footnote A: The pronoun should be changed according to the sex of the
candidate.]

The announcement of the name should be distinctly made so as to be clearly
heard by the entire company. The head-band or other camp insignia should
now be officially put on the candidate.

All present should then join in singing the following song, clapping their
hands as beats to the music as they skip back to breakfast and to the
pleasures of the day:

Song No. 2

Homeward we go, calling his[B] name;
New is the name now we proclaim;
No other change in our friend, he[B] is the same!

[Footnote B: Change the pronoun to the proper sex.]

[Music]

2

Singing we go, way ha way ho!
Dancing also, way ha way ho!
No one more merry than we, way ha way ho!

The second stanza should be repeated and the steps kept in rhythm until the
dancers finally disperse.

INDIAN NAMES FOR BOYS

All vowels have the Continental sound

The names here presented, for Boys, for Girls and for Camps, have been
chosen out of many because the words are easily pronounced; none of them
have any of the peculiar labial, nasal or guttural sounds common in the
various Indian languages, which are difficult to represent by the letters
of our alphabet and equally difficult for most Americans to pronounce.

1. A-di'-ta Priest Omaha.
2. An'-ge-da From every direction Omaha.
3. De'-mon-thin Talks as he walks Ponca.
4. E-di'-ton Standing as a sacred object Omaha.
5. Ga-he'-ge Chief Omaha.
6. Gu'-da-hi "There he goes!" A coyote Omaha.
7. Ha'-nu-ga-hi Nettle weed Ponca.
8. He'-ba-zhu Little horns Ponca.
9. He'-ga Buzzard Omaha.
10. He'-sha-be Dark antlers Omaha.
11. He'-thon-ton Towering antlers (elk) Omaha.
12. Ho-ho' Fish Omaha.
13. Hon'-ga Imperial eagle Osage.
14. Hu'-ton-ton Roar of thunder Omaha.
15. I'-ku-ha-be He who causes fear Ponca.
16. I-shta'-pe-de Fire eyes (lightning) Ponca.
17. Ka-ge'-zhin-ga Little brother Omaha.
18. Ka-wa'-ha Very old name, meaning lost Omaha.
19. Ka'-wa-sab-be Black horse Osage.
20. Ka'-wa-ska White horse Osage.
21. Ka'-wa-zi Yellow horse Osage.
22. Ke'-ton-ga Great turtle Ponca.
23. Ke'-zhin-ga Little turtle Ponca.
24. Ki'-ko-ton-ga Curlew Omaha.
25. Ki'-mon-hon Facing the wind Omaha.
26. Ki'-wa-go Male buffalo Pawnee.
27. Ku'-ge Sound of the drum Omaha.
28. Ku'-rux Bear Pawnee.
29. Ku'-sox Left hand Pawnee.
30. Le-sha'-ro Chief Pawnee.
31. Mi'-da-in-ga Playful sun Osage.
32. Mi'-ka Raccoon Ponca.
33. Mi'-ka-si Coyote Omaha.
34. Min'-dse Bow Osage.
35. Mon-chu' Bear Omaha.
36. Mon-chu'-pa Bear's head Omaha.
37. Mon-e'-ga-he Arrow chief Ponca.
38. Mon-ge'-zi Yellow breast Omaha.
39. Mon-ka'-ta He of the earth Ponca.
40. Mon'-sa Arrow shaft Osage.
41. Mon'-te-ga New arrows Osage.
42. Ni-ni'-ba Pipe Omaha.
43. Ni'-sho-sho Swallow Omaha.
44. Non-ke'-ne Graceful walker (deer) Omaha.
45. Non'-nun-ge Runner Osage.
46. Non'-pe-wa-the He who is feared Omaha.
47. Nu'-da-hun-ga Captain Omaha.
48. O'-pa Elk Omaha.
49. Pa-he'-ta-pe Seeking the hills Omaha.
50. Pa'-na-hoo Owl Omaha.
51. Pa'-sun American eagle Omaha.
52. Pa-thon' White-headed eagle Omaha.
53. Pe'-de-ga-he Fire chief Omaha.
54. Pe'-num-ba Seven Ponca.
55. Sha-ku'-ru Sun Pawnee.
56. Sha-thu' Sound of the water Ponca.
57. Shon'-ge Wolf Omaha.
58. Shon'-ge-sab-be Black wolf Omaha.
59. Shon'-ge-ska White wolf Ponca.
60. Shon'-ge-zi Yellow wolf Ponca.
61. Shon'-ton-ga Grey wolf Ponca.
62. Sho-sho'-ka Osprey Omaha.
63. Shu'-ka-bi Bunch of clouds Ponca.
64. Ski'-rik Grey wolf Pawnee.
65. Ta-de'-ta To the wind Omaha.
66. Ta-de'-u-mon-thin Walking in the wind Omaha.
67. Te-thon' White buffalo Omaha.
68. The'-ha Soles Omaha.
69. U'-ba-ni Digging in the earth (little creatures) Omaha.
70. U-ga'-e Spread out (herd of buffalo) Omaha.
71. Wa-he'-he Easy to break, fragile Omaha.
72. Wa-ke'-de One who shoots Omaha.
73. Wa-po'-ga Grey owl Omaha.
74. Wa-shis'-ka Shell Omaha.
75. Wash-kon'-hi Power of the thunder Omaha.
76. Wa-sho'-she Brave Omaha.
77. Wa-thu'-he Startles the game Omaha.
78. Wa-zhin'-ska Wisdom Omaha.
79. We'-kush-ton One who gives feast frequently Omaha.
80. Wi'-a-go Feather Dakota.
81. Zha'-be Beaver Omaha.

INDIAN NAMES FOR GIRLS

1. A'-bey Leaf Omaha.
2. A'-bey-tu Green leaf Omaha.
3. A'-bet-zi Yellow leaf Omaha.
4. A'-ka-wi South wind Omaha.
5. A-sin'-ka Youngest daughter Osage.
6. Chon'-ku-sha Robin Dakota.
7. Chon'-wa-pe Leaf Dakota.
8. Chon'-wa-pe-ska Red leaf Dakota.
9. Chon'-wa-pe-tu Green leaf Dakota.
10. Cho-xon'-zhe-da Willow Dakota.
11. Da'-a-bi The visible sun Omaha.
12. Don'-a-ma The sun visible to all Omaha.
13. Ha'-ba-zhu-dse Red corn Osage.
14. Ha'-ba-zi Yellow corn Osage.
15. Ha'-ba-tu Blue corn Osage.
16. Ha'-ba-ska White corn Osage.
17. Hon'-ba-he Dawn Dakota.
18. I-shta'-sa-pa Dark eyes Dakota.
19. I'-ni-a-bi Home builder Omaha.
20. Ka-shi'-a-ka Meadow lark Omaha.
21. Mi'-a-kon-da Sacred moon Omaha.
22. Mi'-gi-na Returning moon Omaha.
23. Mi'-mi-te Standing new moon Omaha.
24. Mi'-na Oldest daughter Osage.
25. Mi'-pe Good moon Omaha.
26. Mi'-ta-in Crescent moon Ponca.
27. Mi'-the-be Shadowy moon Ponca.
28. Mi'-ton-e New moon Omaha.
29. Mi'-wa-thon White moon Omaha.
30. Ni'-da-wi Fairy girl Omaha.
31. Pa'-zi Yellow head (bird) Ponca.
32. Pa'-ha-zi Yellow hair (young animal) Ponca.
33. Raw-ska' Anemone Omaha.
34. Raw-tu' Violet Omaha.
35. Raw-zi' Sunflower Omaha.
36. Ta'-de-win Wind maiden Omaha.
37. Ta'-in New moon Ponca.
38. Ta'-in-ge Coming moon Ponca.
39. Wa-ha'-ba Corn Omaha.
40. Wa-ha'-ba-ska White corn Omaha.
41. Wa-ha'-ba-tu Blue corn Omaha.
42. Wa-ha'-ba-zi Yellow corn Omaha.
43. Wak'-cha Flower Dakota.
44. Wak'-cha-zi Sunflower Dakota.
45. Wa-shu'-dse Wild-rose Omaha.
46. Wa-te'-win Victory woman Omaha.
47. Wa-zhin'-ga Bird Omaha.
48. Wa-zhin'-ga-tu Blue bird Omaha.
49. We'-thon-ki-tha To come together (as in a society) Omaha.
50. We'-ton-a Old name, meaning lost Omaha.
51. We'-ton-be-the One who gives hope Omaha.
52. Wi'-he Younger sister Omaha.
53. Wi'-te-ga New moon Dakota.
54. Zit-ka'-la Bird Dakota.
55. Zit-ka'-la-sha Red bird Dakota.
56. Zit-ka'-la-tu Blue bird Dakota.
57. Zit-ka'-la-zi Yellow bird Dakota.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8