128. The Origin of the Pigeon Songs and Dances
This is the manner in which the origin of the Pigeon songs and dances was disclosed to human beings in ancient times. These birds had formed a nesting place, or one might say more properly that they had assembled at a so-called pigeon roost.
Having received knowledge of this fortunate circumstance a great number of men and women with their children, starting from their villages, went to the place where the pigeons had formed their roost. In time these people arrived at their rendezvous and they at once began to build their temporary camps according to their ohwachiras and clans and kindreds.
There went with this concourse of people a man who had just reached the age of puberty and who had no evil habits. He was a very good person. Then it came to pass that they began to travel from place to place through the roost to kill such pigeons as they needed. At this time the upright young man heard the tumult arising from the cries of the pigeons holding converse together and he also saw the pigeons in vast numbers wheeling in circles.
Suddenly he was greatly surprised to see flying among the pigeons one white in color as to its body. He watched it for a moment flying in circles, when, leaving the others, the white pigeon came flying toward the place where the upright young man was standing and alighted very near to him. At once the pigeon began to speak, saying: “Be it known to you that we have selected you to tell your people what it is we desire the most, what it is we most need. You must tell your chief that we do not like to have so many among you who are in this place who do not remember Him who has created us. There are indeed many whose thoughts are only of evil things which they desire to do to please themselves. We wish that those among you who have these thoughts should put away evil longings and purposes, [[664]]and we believe that whoever does not do so will suffer some grave misfortune.
“We further wish you and your people to join with us as a custom in offering thanksgivings to Him who created us when each day shall return to us, and also when each evening comes upon us. We think it is profitable that this should come to pass as I have suggested. You see us when the morning comes making a great tumult, and you hear us all talking while we circle around the place in which we have our roost. The reason for this action is the giving of thanks. We are offering thanksgivings to Him who has created our bodies. In the evening this again takes place; we again offer up thanksgivings to Him; and you see us then making circles around our roosting place, and there is the accompaniment of sound and the confusion of voices which you hear. Now, know this: We are performing the ceremony of the dance, and we are all singing. This signifies that we are happy; we are full of joy.
“We have no remonstrance to make against your coming to this place seeking to obtain the young growing persons of those whose bodies are such as ours. Indeed, you wish that these shall become a source of contentment and satisfaction—these, the offspring of the pigeons. So it is that we have none but the kindest of feelings toward you in this pursuit of your desires. You must know, too, that He who created our bodies has ordained that this (flesh) shall be for the welfare and contentment of human beings dwelling on the earth.
“You must know further that I, on whom you are looking, I, who am speaking to you, am indeed the oldest person among my people, and it is on account of my great age that they have chosen me to come to you to tell you our wishes and to teach you our songs. You, too, are able to sing them. It is needful that you shall enjoy yourselves; that you shall dance in order to do this; and that all your people who are here shall take part. In dancing you shall make circuits around the places where you have kindled your fires. When you have finished the singing and the dancing you shall go with your chief to make an offering of tobacco at the very border of our encampment, where you two shall stand to perform this ceremony. When you have kindled a fire you shall cast native tobacco thereon, and while thus occupied you must pray our Creator to permit you and your people to pass your period of sojourn here in health and in prosperity. At that time your chief, too, shall cast something on the fire—things of which you make daily use, and these objects shall become the prayer (the word)[452] or message of the people. Furthermore, we together, your and my people, must unite in the performance of this ceremony, and we must also be of one accord when we make this prayer and request of the Creator of our bodies. [[665]]Now it is for you to return to your people and tell them fully what I have said to you. This is what I have to say.”
Then the upright young man replied to his pigeon friend: “Your proposition is agreeable to me, and I will fulfill my duty in the matter by telling my people all that you have said to me.”
Without further speaking the white pigeon mounted in the air and flew away. The young man, while watching it fly off, saw a large number of pigeons moving in a circle as they flew along; and he heard the birds sing, making a very loud sound, a tumult of voices. He listened very attentively for a long time and finally learned the songs which the pigeons were so loudly singing. Then he returned to his lodge and his own fireside.
At once he related in every detail all that the white pigeon had said to him. A messenger was sent for the chief of his clan, and when he arrived the upright young man again repeated all that the white pigeon had said to him as to the duties of the people who were there to hunt for squabs. When the chief had heard in great detail all that the young man reported he at once said: “Let this be done at once by us as has been proposed by the white pigeon. Let some one be detailed to make a collection of offerings, and then we shall proceed with the remainder of the ceremony.” Certain headmen were directed to make the collection of offerings. Going from lodge to lodge, they made a collection of various articles presented to them as offerings in the ceremony. Some gave wristlets, some bracelets, some necklaces, while others contributed articles of dress, moccasins, and tobacco of the native variety. When they had visited all the lodges they returned to the lodge of the upright young man, where he and their chief awaited them.
After they had properly arranged the offerings the chief said: “Let us now start; we will go toward the place whereon borders the pigeon roost or nesting place.” Then they two started, the chief and the upright young man. When they had reached the border of the pigeon roost they kindled there a very small fire, and the young man made an offering of native tobacco by casting it into the fire, at the same time asking the Creator for the health and welfare and contentment of all the people while they were at that place. His prayer was long and earnest, and when he ceased his invocation the chief stepped forward to begin his prayer. Bringing all the articles which had been offered and standing before the fire, he said in prayer: “Thou who hast created our bodies, here lie all those things by which we support our message (by which we support its head), all the words of our prayer. We offer these to Thee. Accept them as a testimony of our faith.” Then he laid all the objects which he had brought near the fire. Thereupon the two men returned to the lodge of the upright young man. [[666]]
When there they went at once from lodge to lodge to call a council of the people. As soon as the people had come together and had seated themselves according to their families and their clans the chief arose and addressed them. He urged them to repent of their evil deeds through self-condemnation and to offer up thanksgivings to their Creator in the morning and also in the evening; he said to them that this custom should continue forever, as it would bring health and prosperity and happiness to all those who practiced it. When he had finished his address on the need of observing faithfully the things which had been taught them by the Pigeon people, he said: “Now let us severally give thanksgivings to the Creator of our bodies, and, moreover, we will dance to the songs of the Pigeon people. Every person should take part in this ceremony.”
Thereupon the upright young man and the chief took their stations at the head of the line of dancers. When all were in line and ready the young man began to sing the songs of the pigeons, and all danced, following the leaders. In dancing they made a circuit of the lodges, moving slowly to the rhythm of the songs as they turned from the right toward the left. When the young man had sung all the songs the head of the line had reached the point of departure.
Then the chief, addressing the people, said: “We have now, indeed, performed this ceremony as it has been taught to us by the people of the pigeons; and when we shall depart from this place we must take back with us this ceremony, which will be of great benefit to us. We have learned these songs here from a superior people, and so we must cherish this ceremony. We have learned, too, that in dancing we must always make the circuit of the fires in one certain direction, namely, from the right toward the left. The reason for this is that you use your right hands either to seize or to release whatever you wish, so it is necessary that the right side at all times be on the outside of the circle of dancers, and that the part of the body in which lies our life shall at all times be on the inside of the line of dancers. Let us now make ready to start for our homes.” With loud shouts of approval and of exuberance of joy the dancers returned to their lodges to make preparations to depart for their homes.