Indian Scout Talks Part 6

This is used in many different ways. Two tents with the bases united, forming a diamond (Fig. 12), indicate the four points of the compa.s.s, or the whole world. Two tents with the peaks together (Fig. 13) are symbolic of life here and hereafter. The dark tent cut in half with a band of white, yellow, or light blue in the center (Fig. 14) signifies happiness in the home. The tent enclosed in a circle (Fig. 15) means eternal union.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 12.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 13.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 15.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16.]

Figure 16 is commonly used to represent footprints or man's trail through the world. The zig-zag line (Fig. 17) is lightning or destruction; the wavy line (Fig. 18) mountains or prayer.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 17.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 18.]

In the symbolism of colors, pale blue or white is generally used for background, and represents sky or heaven; red, life; dark blue or black, shadow or trouble; green, summer or plenty; and yellow, sun-light or happiness. Dark blue, dovetailed with pale blue or yellow, represents the light and shade of life's common experience.

Animal figures are much used in conventionalized designs. The figure of the bear means courage; the buffalo, plenty; the eagle (wings spread), honor; the owl, observation; the wolf, skill; the turtle, wisdom and longevity; the serpent, healing; the hawk, swiftness; the beaver, industry; the deer, love. The figure of a man on horseback represents a warrior.

No Indian girl may wear the skin or any representation of the bear, wolf, or cat, nor wear the feathers of the eagle, since these are masculine emblems. The doe, ermine, otter, and mink are feminine emblems.

It is usually possible to distinguish feminine from masculine personal names by the meaning. The names of the fiercer wild animals, such as bear, wolf, and eagle, are given to boys; girls are called after the fawn, mink, beaver, etc. Either may be called after sky, wind, or water, but the name of Fire is masculine. The syllable "wee" is a feminine termination.

"Na" is a diminutive, used much like "ie" in English.

The following are Sioux feminine names appropriate to "Camp Fire girls,"

with their literal and symbolic meanings.

Wee-no'-nah. Eldest Daughter. Loafgiver, charitable.

Wee-hah'-kay-dah. Youngest Daughter. Little One.

War-chah'-wash-tay. Pretty Flower. Beautiful.

O-jin'-jint-kah. Rose. Queen of Flowers.

Zit-kah'-lah-skah. White Bird. Pure.

Do'-wan-ho'-wee. Singing Voice.

Wa-chee'-wee. Dancing Girl.

Han-tay'-wee. Cedar Maid. Faithful.

Wa-zee'-me-nah-wee. Odors of the Pine. Wholesome, refres.h.i.+ng.

Mah-kah'-wee. Earth Maiden. Generous, motherly.

Mah-pee'-yah. Sky. Heavenly.

E-ha'-wee. Laughing Maid.

Wee-ko'. Pretty Girl.

Ptay-san'-wee. White Buffalo. Queen of the Herd.

Mah-gah'-skah-wee. Swan Maiden. Graceful.

Wah-su'-lah. Little Hailstorm. Stormy, impulsive.

Snah'-nah. Jingles (like little bells). Musical.

Ta-lu'-tah. Scarlet. Brilliant.

Ta-tee'-yo-pah. Her Door. Happy Hostess.

Wee-tash'-nah. Virgin. Untouched.

Tak-cha'-wee. Doe. Loving.

Chah'-pah-wee. Beaver. Industrious.

An-pay'-too. Day. Radiant.

Wik-mun'-kee-wee. Rainbow. Return of Blessing.

And some Ojibway girls' names.

Man-e-do-bin'-es. Spirit Bird, or Bird Spirit.

O-min-o-tah'-go. Pleasant Voice.

Ke-we-din'-ok. Woman of the Wind.

A-ya'-she. Little One.

A-be'-da-bun. Peep of Day, Ke-zhe-ko'-ne. Fire Briskly Burning.

O-dah-ing'-um. Ripple on the Water.

Me-o-quan'-ee. Clothed in Red.

Nah-tah'-ak-on. Expert Canoeist.

She-she'-bens. Little Duck.

A-be'-qua. She Stays at Home.

XVIII-THE LANGUAGE OF FEATHERS AND CEREMONIAL DRESS

In the first place, the wearing of feathers is not peculiar to the Indians, except in the value attached to them as symbols of character and true worth. Any one may wear any sort of feather as ornament merely, or in imitation of the old-time warrior, but with him it was a serious affair. He adopted only the feathers of certain birds, and these must be worn in accordance with well-understood law and custom.

The following birds are held in especially high honor: namely, the eagle, raven, and falcon, commonly called hawk. But it must be borne in mind that as far as the Indian is concerned, there is only one hawk that holds an honorable position: that is the American falcon. He is daring to recklessness in his methods of warfare and hunting, and though not large, is swift and graceful. The raven is held next to the eagle in dignity and wisdom; and the owl comes next on the roll of honored birds.

Some of the water-fowl, such as the loon, cormorant, and pelican, play a minor part in our myths and folklore, but in the warriors' codes and emblems only the das.h.i.+ng and courageous birds of prey are permitted to appear-the American eagle standing first.

The feathers of this bird are highly prized, since they stand for brave deeds and form a warrior's record. They are variously worn among different tribes. Perhaps the best and completest system was developed by the Sioux nation; a system which was gradually adopted by their neighbors on the plains, and which I shall follow closely.

No Sioux may wear an eagle's tail-feather unless he has counted a coup, or stroke, upon an enemy, dead or alive. If in a battle, the deed is witnessed by his fellow-warriors; but if he was alone when he made the count, he must have unmistakable proof, or the feather is not awarded.

There are four _coup_ counts on each enemy, and these are secured in succession. Even upon a living enemy, if he is overpowered and held captive, these four counts could properly be shared by the warriors. But it is obvious that in most cases they are very difficult to secure. A man may strike an enemy in a hand-to-hand battle, or, as you would say, in a "mix-up," and he gets away without being killed or even seriously hurt. In this case, only one _coup_ is counted. Again, many foes are killed upon whose bodies no _coup_ at all is counted, because it is impossible to obtain, and upon others, one or two may be taken with much difficulty and superb daring in the face of the enemy's fire. Herein lies the relative value of individual feathers, and the degree of valor shown or difficulty encountered determines the subsidiary tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs, ta.s.sels, and ornaments.

Primarily, every eagle feather worn by a warrior represents a _coup_ given in battle. This is important to remember. No other feather stands for the same thing, though different degrees of courage and endurance may be expressed by other feathers.

For instance, a group of raven or of Canadian goose feathers trimmed on the sides, indicates that the wearer has been wounded in battle more than once. A single goose feather dyed red and trimmed, means that the wearer was severely wounded in battle. Sometimes a man wears an eagle feather dyed or trimmed, meaning that he was wounded at the time he counted the _coup_. An eagle feather notched and the cut dyed red, means that the wearer counted the _coup_ and took the scalp also, but was wounded while so doing.

He may have the feather cut off at the tip, showing that he killed his foe and counted the _coup_ on that same enemy. If he fought a desperate battle, with the odds against him, in which he came off victor, he may tip his eagle's feather with buffalo hair; and if he counted _coup_ in a charge on horseback in the face of imminent danger, he may tip it with hair from a horse's tail.

Among some tribes, the wearing of a split feather denotes that the wearer has been wounded, and when the feather is clipped off at the tip, that he has taken a scalp. When a warrior wears one eagle feather upright and the rest drooping, it indicates that he was surrounded in company with a party of warriors of whom he was the sole survivor.

As I have said, the Indian might wear as many eagle feathers as he had counted _coups_. When he had won a number of these in difficult circ.u.mstances, and had been held at bay and surrounded by the enemy, but succeeded in getting away, he was ent.i.tled to a regular war-bonnet. Only an exceptional record of many battles in which he had shown great coolness, skill, and daring, ent.i.tled him to the long, trailing war-bonnet of many plumes.

There are other ornaments and portions of a warrior's dress that bear a special significance. If he has been in the vanguard of battle more than once and led counter-charges, he may wear the whole skin of a raven on his back in the dances. If he has pursued his enemy into the hostile camp and killed him there, he may wear an otter skin slit up the middle so that his head comes through, and the head of the animal hangs upon his chest. A garter made of skunk's skin with the head and tail on, shows that he has successfully taken a scalp under the enemy's fire. He wears a grizzly bear's claws when he has been surrounded, but charged singly, bear-like, and repulsed the enemy. The paws of a grizzly bear, claws and all, denote that he has knocked off or pulled off the foe in a mounted encounter.

The deer-tail head-gear dyed in shades of red, with a thin square of bone, resembling ivory, in the center, to which one or more eagle feathers are attached, is equivalent to the eagle feather war-bonnet.

The quill end of each feather is placed in the hollow of a goose's wing-bone embossed with the beautiful iridescent neck-skin of a drake, and the whole forms an imposing ornament.