The Sun Dance
The Kainai Blackfeet Sun Dance at the Belly Buttes
The Sun Dance
Chapter 3
Sacred Wisdom of the Ancient Grandmothers
When the Saskatoon berries were ripe in the summer, the Sun Dance,
"O-Kon" was celebrated as a great time of thanksgiving. Long Time
Pipe Woman and Chief Shot Both Sides would travel to the site first to
set up their area and welcome the rest of the tribe. Their great-grandson,
Ba-Ti-Ga-Sa-Pi would travel with them and help in the setting up of
their tipi and mark it with stones around the circumference. In fact,
where ever they traveled and set up their tipi, the same would be done to
indicate that a chief had been there. No one was to ever set up in that
spot as it was considered an honorable place thereafter.
Their wagon was loaded with food for the celebration. In fact, at their
home lodge on the reserve, they always had plenty of supplies and food
available for guests and to be distributed to any member of the tribe in
need.
Preparing for the Sun Dance ceremonies involved two able warriors
riding into the woods to select a tree suitable to be used for the main
pole, mark it and return to camp to alert the others. The elder men's
spiritual society, The Horn Society, would take the initiative and gather
their mates to proceed to the area of the tree. Well dressed for the event,
some mounted while others went afoot; they paraded to the vicinity of
the chosen tree. Within about two hundred feet of the tree they halted,
singing and drumming.
Four warriors would then move forward single file, mimicking a fox
howl as an indication they had found the right tree. Moving rapidly to
and fro and around the tree they finally returned to the group, stopping
approximately twenty five yards from them. The four warriors kicked
about sticks and buffalo chips in front of Horn Society members who
were standing in a row. One elder warrior requested news of the
findings, and then proclaimed his own heroic achievements. He then
turned to the four directions for instructions, afterwards informing others
of the results he gained. The four initial warriors then proclaimed their
heroic accomplishments.
The Sun Dance woman's role was more acclimated towards activity at
the lodge site. She, being a chaste woman, had vowed to officiate as an
intercessory act to obtain healing for ill kinsmen. She was assisted by
other chaste women to accumulate one hundred buffalo tongues which
had been previously dried and stored with mint leaves for the ceremony.
As the warriors felled the tree, everyone continued to pray. When the
tree fell, meeting all the appropriate specifics, there was great rejoicing
which continued as they dragged it back to camp.
The cutting of the green hides used for the strips that hung down from
atop the cross pole also required ceremony. Two experienced warriors
chose two individuals, either man, woman or child, to have the honor of
this cutting. The selection was known beforehand as these individuals
had purchased the right to participate from previous cutters, also
acquiring the right to wear the face paint design they had worn for the rite.
Once again the warrior stated his acts of valor and handed each cutter a
knife. As in the prerequisites for the chopping with axes, he held their
arms and mimicked a cutting motion. On the fourth move, he assisted
them in making the first actual cut, after which they continued
independently.
Before the center pole was raised, a bundle of brush wood was tied to it
and the Sun Dance woman's husband would squat upon it flapping his
blanket imitating the flight of an eagle. Using a bone whistle, he
simulated an eagle call. Pairs of men and women would hold two cross
poles while singing to the drums and slowly began to raise the center
pole facilitating that with the forked ends. When the bundle with the Sun
Dance woman's husband atop was well off the ground, he would jump
off to great applause. The groups continued to propel the large pole
vertically with the cross poles until it was in place and secured.
Offerings and gifts given to the Sun Dance couple, (requesting their prayers)
were tied to the upper part of the poles before the completion of
the structure. The lodge was complete where upon the Sun Dance couple
retired to their tipi for the night.
The encampment awoke the following morning to the sound of young
men galloping their horses and whooping shouts of greeting and
celebration. Great excitement was in the air as everyone dressed in their
finest attire. The various societies and lodges paraded with the leaders,
the most honored mounting their horses to ride. They returned to the
forest selecting leafy tree branches, pulling them back to camp. Partial
shade for their area of the circle was created with these limbs.
The ceremonies began with selected members in two groups facing each
other. Elder warriors from one or two societies per day conducted the
dance rites. When the officiating elder began to sing both groups danced,
with women chanting. Frequently women would dance as "assistants" if
they purchased the right beforehand by donating food or gifts. Horses or
ponies were the ultimate gift.
One warrior who had been the lone survivor of a skirmish would dance
at the entrance of the lodge, a right he had purchased as well. After the
first dance, food and drink was served. The dancing continued
afterwards and during the next break participants were entertained by
warriors pantomiming and telling stories of battle victories. This right
also purchased by gifting as well, as did the actual Sun Dancers.
There have been some misunderstandings by many in today's society
that all young men went through the body piercing ritual. It was not so
with the Blackfeet. It was strictly performed to bring healing to a sick
relative or for protection in future battles.
The Sun Dancer would be painted in a white clay mixture and attired in
only a breech clout and moccasins. His head, ankles and wrists were
adorned with wreaths of sage. He proceeded to pace back and forth in
front of the pole then lay down on his back where the officiating elder
approached him and asked if he would prefer to be pierced deep or
shallow. The Sun Dancer would receive the opposite of what he
requested in regard to the depth of the piercing. A sharp arrowhead
would be pushed through the breast muscles then a strong stick was
threaded through, this done on both sides as well as the right shoulder
blade. The green rawhide strips from the main pole were then attached to
the sticks and those holding a shield on the shoulder blade.
Chanting, singing, clapping and drumming began as the dancer leaned
back and danced with his full weight against the thongs. He seized the
shield and tried to tear it out while his weight was adjusted to rip the
sticks from his chest. If unsuccessful, an incision was made to help
release him or an assistant would grab him and press down using his
own weight to complete the process.
The tale of the origin of the Sun Dance centers around a young warrior
named Scarface. He knew as do many of the Blackfeet of today that all
power came from the sun for it could be readily reasoned that all good
for the planet came from that light. That is why they were so reverent of
the sun. They have incorrectly been called sun worshippers, (heliolatry)
for that reason.
Long Time Pipe Woman recounts the way her husband, Chief Shot Both
Sides, told the legend. He indicated that the specific information of the
procedure of the Sun Dance was given to the real people by Scarface.
The tale was told that a very beautiful woman was highly pursued by all
the braves. She refused them all. Scarface was a young warrior with a
prominent scar on his face. He had been taunted by his peers for this
facial disfiguration throughout his youth. The other braves asked this
young man, Scarface, to try his luck with the beautiful maiden. They
were taunting him once again, but Scarface boldly sought her out.
The lovely young lady was walking to the river one afternoon and
Scarface followed her. Before she reached her intended destination he
circled her and confronted her on the path. He told her he had wanted to
speak with her for a long time. He continued that she had shunned all the
other braves but he wanted her to consider him for a husband. She
contemplated for a time and then explained that she would indeed marry
him if he would go to the sun and gain permission. She told the young
man that the sun himself had told her not to marry until he sanctified and
blessed the union. She added that she owed her entire existence to the
sun and she intended to honor his wishes. It had been revealed to her that
she was a chosen woman, one who would represent a major element of a
spiritual ceremony that would manifest in the proper time.
The chaste maiden told Scarface that the proof he must demonstrate to
her was that the sun god would have removed the scar from his face. She
added that he was to bring her a gift of a red plume from the sun to
adorn her headdress. Upon showing this evidence of devotion, she
would become his bride.
Scarface had grown up without parents and was somewhat of an orphan
among his people, but he did have one elderly aunt. She loved him but
could not take on all the responsibilities of raising a youth, so many in
the tribe supervised his development. The elderly aunt supported his
quest, when he confided in her, and she made him new moccasins and
prepared traveling provisions for his great journey. She lovingly
prepared pemmican, "o-kee-mahn", his favorite dried meat dish to
nourish him on the trip.
Once he embarked on his travels, he had no idea which way to go to find
the lodge of the sun family. But he braved the elements and traversed
over mountains, rivers, valleys and plains for months. He prayed
constantly for a vision giving him insight as to where the sun dwelled.
Scarface was weary, bruised and scratched up from all the briars and
brambles he had trod through but he had a glimmer of hope when a fox
came before him on the path. He questioned the fox, "Tell me brother
fox, you play and hunt in the sun each day, surely you must know where
upon he dwells." "Naaaa," yipped the fox, "I'm not privy to such
important information for I am but a humble servant of the sun."
Scarface was not deterred for he felt in his heart that one of the guiding
spirits of the four legged or winged ones would be knowledgeable about
he who ruled over them. He climbed over the jagged rocks and boulders
of a huge incline at the foothills of the great mountains and came to the
cave of the great bear spirit.
He dared not enter, but humbly offered some pemmican at the entrance
to the cave, calling out, "Great bear spirit, I beg of you to have audience
with a wandering two legged on a spirit quest." The bear's nose barely
exposed to the sunlight, sniffed all about for the source of the delicious
aroma of the meat offering, and let out a big snort of acceptance. He
lumbered slowly out of his cave, stretching and yawning, and sat down on
his haunches and merrily consumed the meat. Licking his chops he
asked, "What is of such importance that you would interrupt my
afternoon nap, young two legged?”
Scarface emphatically stated his mission and how intent he was upon
locating the great light that warmed all the earth. Yawning and stretching
out to bask in the holy essence of the great light the bear looked out from
sleepy eyes rumbling, "Mmmmm, I am but a slothful four legged who
can only climb the mountains, the sun dwells high in the sky, only the
winged ones would know where to find his abode.”
Bowing humbly to the bear, the two legged continued on the rough trail
across the mountains. Nights were cold and his clothing and footwear
were becoming quite ragged, but he knew the ways of nature and found
shelter in small pockets of warmth here and there. As he finally stood on
the summit of the tallest mountain, he raised his arms and sang an honor
song to the sun, a song of gratitude for the opportunity to undertake such
an important journey. His words sang of his beloved and how he was
honored that she would even consider him as a mate. The young warrior
knew that living in the present was the point of power that a warrior
needed for a vision and that he did indeed require.
After he completed his song, his line of vision was directed towards a
pristine, clear glacier lake in the valley. The wind whispered in his ear,
"Go to the lake and ask the white winged ones for they have the
knowledge you seek, faithful two legged.”
With renewed vigor, Scarface bounded down the mountain as if it were a
sporting event. He ran through the valley until he came to the
shimmering waters of the lake. He traveled only a short distance along
the shoreline when he came to a fern grotto with a beautiful waterfall
splashing over the multi-colored boulders.
From behind the falls, two magnificent swans appeared. Scarface could
not tell if they were from the spirit world or of the physical realm, for
their white feathers appeared as gossamer, tiny rainbow sparkles shone
as they swam towards him. The male swan spoke up, “Why have you come
to our grotto, two legged?" Scarface repeated his story once again but this
time he leapt for joy when the swan nodded his head in affirmation. Indeed
they knew where the sun family's lodge was located.
They instructed Scarface to climb onto their backs and they would fly him
to the sacred place. But, they warned, he must keep his eyes closed for the
exact location of the lodge could not be revealed to one without wings.
Scarface did indeed follow their instructions and enjoyed the sensations
of the powerful wings beneath him, the wind whistling past his face and the
pure air up above the earth.
He felt the swans coming in for a landing on some kind of solid surface
and opened his eyes upon their command. He found himself in a
beautiful land, unlike below in that all was glistening and melodic
sounds emitted from all the trees and plants, even the rocks sang in
harmony. He thanked the swans and they nodded in their departure.
Scarface immediately spied a grove of trees just to his left and upon the
branches of one of the trees hung the most glorious warrior's clothing he
had ever seen. Looking down upon his tattered rags he considered the
situation. No, he was a man of honor and those were not his clothes, so
he walked past them knowing he was on the path towards the lodge he
sought.
Shortly he came upon a buffalo robe and upon it was spread a
magnificent feast of all his most favorite dishes. He had given his last
pemmican to the bear and his stomach felt as if it were collapsing upon
itself, yet he was a man of honor and that food was not his for the taking.
He walked past the food and continued on his journey.
A most handsome young man jumped out from behind a boulder just as
Scarface passed the food feast. He raised his hand in greeting and
friendship saying, "I am Morning Star, son of the sun, I have seen your
integrity in action for I was to test you and observe how you responded
to the clothes and the food. You are indeed a great man of honor and
now I will take you to the lodge of my family.”
Scarface had to shield his eyes at first when he approached the lodge of
the sun, for it was crystalline and brilliantly shining, it took his breath
away to take in the sight of such a beautiful dwelling. Morning Star led
him inside and introduced him to his mother, Moon Woman; she touched
Scarface's cheek tenderly in greeting as a mother would a son. She
gently spoke, "My husband, the sun, is yet attending his daytime duties,
but shall join us here when night falls. Sit and have some soup and nap
until his arrival, for you are hungry and weary." Scarface readily
complied with great gratitude.
Scarface awoke to a powerful hand on his shoulder and he opened his
eyes to view the most stunning man he had ever seen, the essence of
glory and power, the sun. Father Sun told him that he had watched him
all of his days and knew that he would be successful in his quest. He was
aware of the request for the hand of the sacred maiden and expressed his
approval of how faithful and true the two had been to his instructions.
During the following evenings, he instructed Scarface carefully in the
specifics of the Sun Dance. His huge voice boomed out, "It shall be a
time of thanksgiving to me for all the blessings I endow upon the earth
and all who dwell therein." He gave Scarface all of the sacred songs that
were to be sung and also informed him that the sweat lodge would be a
place of purification before a sacred ceremony, but not a place of
worship.
The sun spoke of the number one hundred, "In all things there shall be
one hundred items, one hundred willow branches for the construction of
the sweat lodge, one hundred stones to be heated, collect one hundred
buffalo tongues for the Sun Dance and the Sun Dance woman will sing
one hundred songs.”
The one of great light then told the faithful two legged to close his eyes,
and when he complied he felt a feather move across his face. When
directed to open his eyes, he saw a red plume before him, he was joyful
knowing that was the gift his maiden had requested as evidence. He had
a vision of the red plume in the center of his sacred woman's headdress.
Magnificent Father Sun told Scarface that he would always be watching
over him and the maiden on their journeys in the earth realm, but it was
time for him to return there. Scarface perceptively closed his eyes and
felt wind and swirling motions surround him. Within a short time he felt
himself gently floating until finally he could feel the earth beneath him.
When he opened his eyes he saw in his hand the red plume and upon his
person the beautiful clothing he had seen hanging in the tree limb.
Those who had once scorned and taunted him had seen him
miraculously appear on the ground in the fine regalia. They came
running to him abruptly halting when they looked upon his face. One
warrior shouted, "There has been a miracle this day, the face of Scarface
is smooth, he wears clothing of magical essence and all about him there
is emitted a harmonic sound.”
The sacred maiden heard the shouting and ran to the area to see the
miracle with her own eyes. Scarface rose to his feet and with four great
bounds stood before her. She stood mesmerized by his handsome and
ethereal appearance, smiling in sheer delight. He handed her the red
plume and they joined in an all consuming lover's embrace.
Scarface and his bride carried out all of the instructions of the sun
faithfully. The sharing of the pipe ceremony, sweat lodge and Sun Dance
ceremonies were taught to the real people, "ni-chi-cha-pee-quan."
Always, they honored the circle, round like the sun and the earth,
unifying all who respected its power. Ni-chi-cha-pee-quan were to move
to the motions of the seasons, the motion of the earth, and verify all
things with their spirits and their five senses which made things real to
them on the earth plane. They did so faithfully and were blessed people.
