Fig. 356.
Fig. 356, 1799-1800.—“Don’t-Eat-Buffalo-Heart-made-a-commemoration-of-the-dead winter.” A buffalo heart is represented above the man. Don’t Eat is expressed by the gesture sign for negation, a part of which is indicated, and the line connecting the heart with his month. The red flag which is used in the ceremony is employed as its symbol. The name Don’t-Eat-Buffalo-Heart refers to the man for whom that viand is taboo, either by gentile rules or from personal visions. The religious ceremony of commemoration of the dead is mentioned elsewhere in this work, see Chapter XIV, section [6].
Fig. 357.
Fig. 357, 1800-’01.—“The-Good-White-Man-came winter.” Seven white men came in the spring of the year to their village in a starving condition; after feeding them and treating them well, they allowed them to go on their way unmolested. The Dakotas [of the recorder’s band] had heard of the whites, but had never seen any before. In the fall some more came, and with them, The-Good-White-Man, who is represented in the figure, and who was the first one to trade with them. They became very fond of him because of his fair dealings with them. The gesture made by his hands is similar to benediction, and suggests a part of the Indian gesture sign for “good.”
Fig. 358.
Fig. 358, 1801-’02.—“Smallpox-used-them-up-again winter.” The man figure is making a part of a common gesture sign for death, which consists substantially in changing the index from a perpendicular to a horizontal position and then pointing to the ground.
Fig. 359.