Traditions of the Arikara

by George A. Dorsey

Again they met another obstacle—thick timber—and Mother-Corn called on the gods, and said, “Hurry! Help!” So the gods sent the wonderful Owl to the people. This wonderful Owl flew and lighted by Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, I will be the one to make a pathway.” The Owl flew through the timber, and there was a pathway. The people went through the timber, and some of them liked the timber, and they turned to Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, we want to stay with the wonderful Owl.” So some of the people turned into animals and birds, and they stayed in the timber.

Again the people started to journey, and they came to another difficulty. This time they came to a lake, whose banks were mountains, but they managed to get down to the lake. Then the people said, “Mother-Corn, what shall we do, for the lake is in the way?” Mother-Corn called upon the gods, and said, “Hurry! Help!” The gods sent a Loon. The Loon came down and stood by the people, and said, “Mother-Corn, I will help to make a pathway for your people.” The Loon flew down to the lake, and flew through the waters, and the waters opened, leaving the bottom of the lake dry so that the people could cross; some drank from the lake, turned into fish, and remained behind. When they had crossed the lake, some of the people said, “Mother-Corn, we want to stay with the wonderful bird, the Loon.” Mother-Corn gave her consent. Some of them turned into Loons, and they stayed behind. The obstacles were overcome.

It was now time for Mother-Corn to smoke to the gods. The smoke was ready. Animals and birds were sent out to find offerings.

When the pipe was made the animals and the birds went out to find the offering. The Prairie-chicken found a wild-cat and killed it. The Prairie-chicken brought the wild-cat to the people and laid it down outside of the camp. The Prairie-chicken then went to Mother-Corn, and said, “Mother, I have killed for the offering.” Mother-Corn said, “What kind of an animal is it that you have killed?” The Prairie-chicken said, “It is an animal that is speckled.” Mother-Corn said, “You have done right. The animal that is speckled represents the heavens, and the white spots represent the stars. So you will bring it and we will make an offering.” The Prairie-chicken went and brought the animal.

When it came time to offer the smoke the people found that they had not the pipe with which to form the smoke. There were three Stars in the heavens, and they saw the pipe was lacking. They said, “Mother-Corn, we will get you the pipe.” So the three Stars went and found a stone, and brought it to Mother-Corn. They said, “We are the three Stars that come up in the East. We know the pipe smoked to us.” They were Red-Star, Yellow-Star, and the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. So Mother-Corn had the stone made into a pipe.

When the pipe was made and filled with native tobacco Mother-Corn called the Prairie-chicken, and said, “You must carry this pipe to the God in the Southeast.” So the Prairie-chicken took the pipe and flew to the Southeast. It was gone for some time, and when the Prairie-chicken came back it said, “The God in the Southeast received the pipe and smoked.” Mother-Corn again filled the pipe with native tobacco and called on the Prairie-chicken again, gave it the pipe, and told it to go to the God in the Southwest with it. The Prairie-chicken flew away again and was gone for some time. When it came back it said to Mother-Corn, “The God in the Southwest has received the pipe and smoked.” Then Mother-Corn took the pipe again and filled it with native tobacco, called the Prairie-chicken, and said, “Take this pipe to the God in the Northwest.” The Prairie-chicken took the pipe and flew away again to the Northwest. When it came back it told Mother-Corn that the God in the Northwest had received the pipe and smoked. Again Mother-Corn filled the pipe, gave it to the Prairie-chicken, and it flew away to the God in the Northeast. The Prairie-chicken came back, and said, “Mother-Corn, the God in the Northeast has received the pipe and smoked.” Then the pipe was filled again and the Prairie-chicken was called to carry it to Nesaru, which it did. The Prairie-chicken flew up into the heavens, and said, “Nesaru has received the pipe and smoked. Other animal gods also smoked with Nesaru.” Then Prairie-chicken said, “Mother-Corn, these journeys were very hard. The wind was blowing hard, sand-stones were thick, the little stones struck upon my feathers and made white spots upon them. Flying through these hard winds gave me power to fly through storms. The stones hit upon my feathers and made white spots upon them. I wish to remain as I am now.” Mother-Corn said, “It is well. You shall be as you are always.” (This is why the Prairie-chicken has white spots upon its feathers.) “As you have carried the pipes yourself to the gods, so it shall be to all people who shall make a sacrifice to the gods that they themselves must go through the smoke ceremony, that the gods may receive the smoke offering from the person himself who makes the offering.”

In the smoking Nesaru let the gods know that he had given his consent to Mother-Corn to have people upon the earth; and that the gods were also to give their power to the people and protect them. So it was the place of the gods to help Mother-Corn whenever she called upon them for help.

After they had smoked to the gods there came a Dog running into the camp and telling Mother-Corn that one of the gods, the Whirlwind, who stands a little to the southwest, had been slighted in the smoke ceremony and the Whirlwind was angry. Then the Dog said to Mother-Corn, “That God, the Whirlwind, is coming. Be quick and do something for the people, for the gods in the heavens promised you aid when the people should be in trouble.” Mother-Corn stood up and spoke, saying, “Nesaru and the gods, I want help, for the Whirlwind is coming to destroy my people!” A woman stepped in front, and said, “I will be the one to save the people.” She stood up and was turned into a Cedar-Tree. Then there was a noise in the heavens and a Rock fell by the Cedar-Tree. A voice spoke from the heavens, and said, “I am the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star. I shall assist the Cedar-Tree to save the people.” The people then ran up to the Cedar-Tree and around the rock. The Whirlwind came, and some of the people ran away, some going north, some west, some south and some east, and when the Whirlwind struck these people it changed their language. The people who stood upon the Cedar-Tree and the Rock remained as the Arikara. When the Whirlwind struck Mother-Corn she vomited red water, and after the water there came out a red ear of corn. Again she vomited and threw up yellow water, which was followed by a yellow ear of corn. Again she vomited, and there came up black water and a black ear of corn. Now she vomited and there came up white water and a white ear of corn. The Whirlwind passed the people and it turned back and came to Mother-Corn. It said to her: “You slighted me in your smoke. I became angry. I have left behind me diseases, so that the people will become sick and die. You wanted your people to live forever, but I have left sickness behind, so that it will fall upon the people who are proud and dress fine; but always remember when you offer smoke to the gods to give me smoke towards the last, so that I shall not visit the people very often.” The Whirlwind went on. The Cedar-Tree spoke, and said: “Mother-Corn, the Whirlwind twisted my body until, you see, it is bent in many places. Let me remain this way. Let the people know me as the ‘Wonderful Grandmother.’ They shall place me in front of their medicine-lodge and they shall have a ceremony that I shall give them when they place me in front of their lodge.” Then the Big-Black-Meteoric-Star said: “Mother-Corn, I wish to be known as the ‘Wonderful Grandfather.’ I shall sit by the Wonderful Grandmother, in front of the medicine-lodge, so that the people will always remember that it was I who saved them from the Whirlwind.” Then the Dog spoke, and said: “Mother-Corn, I brought the news. I followed up the people from where they came out from the ground. I am always to remain with the people, so that I may guard their camps and villages, and when enemies are approaching their camps or villages I shall let them know by my barking. My spirit is up to all the gods. My flesh is good to eat, and the grease of my body is curative for sores. Let the people in all their ceremonies kill me and offer my flesh to the different gods in the heavens. Let the medicine-men use my fat for their sores.” Mother-Corn was satisfied.

Mother-Corn then stood up and said: “My people, this corn is for you. They are seeds. You shall plant them, so that in time you can offer this corn to the gods also. This will be done to remind them that I was once Corn up in the heavens and was sent down to take you from the ground. These people who have scattered out shall be your enemies. The people who have gone to the Southwest you shall call ‘Sahe’ (Strike-Enemy); the people who have gone to the Northeast you shall call ‘Pichia’ (People-of-Cold-Country); the people who have gone to the East you shall call ‘Wooden-Faces’ (Iroquois), for they shall wear wooden-faces in their ceremonies. The people who have gone to the South you shall call ‘Witchcraft-People’, for they shall understand how to practice witchcraft. They will understand the mysteries of the Owl, Woodpecker, Turkey and the Snakes.” (These were the Wichita.) Other people also were named at this time.

Mother-Corn stayed with the people until she had taught them the bundle ceremonies. When she had completed telling them concerning these ceremonies, she told them that she was now to go back to the place where they had come from and that they should sing the bundle songs that she had taught them. She also told them to bring all of the children’s little moccasins, and to tie them together and place them upon her back; that it was time now for her to go. She then told them they must take her to the river and throw her in. The people did not understand this, as they kept up the singing in the night. When daylight came they looked behind where Mother-Corn was sitting, and there they found that she had turned into an ear of corn. The buffalo robe that she had about her was tied to the corn. It was told the people through the village, and the people came with their children’s moccasins and placed them with Mother-Corn. Then the priests took Mother-Corn and the robe to the river, and threw her into it. For many years she did not return, but one fall, when they were having their bundle ceremonies, a mysterious-looking woman entered the lodge where the bundle ceremony was being given and they finally recognized her as Mother-Corn. She taught them some more bundle ceremony songs and before daylight disappeared, and was never seen again.