The pemmican that I am using,
They are still making it,
They are still making it.
This song refers to the pemmican or preparation of dried and pounded meat, which formerly formed a favorite food of the prairie tribes, and which the author of the song evidently tasted as it was being prepared by the women in the spirit world. (See [Sioux song 7].) One must be an Indian to know the thrill of joy that would come to the heart of the dancers when told that some dreamer had seen their former friends in the spirit world still making and feasting on pemmican. During the first year or two of the excitement, it several times occurred at Ghost dances in the north and south, among Sioux as well as among Arapaho and others, that meat was exhibited and tasted as genuine buffalo beef or pemmican brought back from the spirit world by one of the dancers. It is not necessary to explain how this deception was accomplished or made successful. It is sufficient to know that it was done, and that the dancers were then in a condition to believe anything.
47. Häĭ′nawa′ hä′ni′ta′quna′ni
Häĭ′nawa′ hä′ni′ta′quna′ni—
Häĭ′nawa′ hä′ni′ta′quna′ni—
Ninĕ′n nănä′ hänita′quna′ni,
Ninĕ′n nănä′ hänita′quna′ni.
Translation