§ 254. None but members can take part in the dance, and the "úwaweqáqa." This uwaweqaqa or iqta was never witnessed by J. La Flèche and Two Crows. No one ever said to them, "I saw the uwaweqaqa in the Wacicka dance." But they have heard persons speak in ridicule of a woman who joined the dance without her husband. Of course, if the woman's husband or other kinsman was present, he would be unwilling for any stranger to abuse his wife or kinswoman. The women admitted to this society were not necessarily the tattooed women.
That there is some foundation for the statement that lewd rites occurred during some part of the dance is more probable after a comparison of the season for this dance with the Ponka phrase, "Wíhe, déje t`an. An¢añ´giqtá!"—My little sister (or my female friend), grass abounds. (Let) us delight in each other! Frank La Flèche thinks that this is without foundation. He says that four days were spent in the secret initiation, the public ceremony taking place on the last day.
§ 255. When Frank La Flèche witnessed the public ceremony in the lodge the members were stationed all around the circle. The four candidates were placed between the fire-place and the door, and thence they began to dance around the fire, moving from left to right. As they were dancing around, one of the members having an otter-skin bag left the outer circle, and began to follow them, moving in a circle between that of the dancers and that of the members. While the singing was going on, he shot at each of the four candidates with his sacred bag. After these were shot at, all the members danced, and then any one of them was at liberty to shoot at the others.
§ 256. The In-kug¢i dance.—In´-kug¢i a¢in´-ma, or Qubé in´-kug¢i a¢in´-ma, The society of those who have the translucent stones. [P]a¢in-nanpajï says that this is a bad dance, the members being "wáspajĭ." Each member has one of the inkug¢i, with which he or she shoots at some one else. These in-kug¢i are small stones which are translucent and white. The members of this society claim the power of shooting secretly any some one with [p]éje or sidúhi, and making him lame. [P]a¢in-nanpajĭ also says that they sometimes shoot persons secretly with "ʇaman´," which is a piece of the intestine of a wolf, and about six inches long. This produces fatal consequences. Frank La Flèche has heard this asserted, but it is denied by Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows. They do not know about the following, for which [P]a¢in-nanpajĭ is the authority: "In order to shoot the in-kug¢i, it is put in a hollow at the base of the eagle fan, which is waved forward very rapidly, hurling the stone to a great distance, about forty or fifty yards."
There is no special season for this dance. They dance all day, and sometimes at night; and there are not separate places for the two sexes, as men and women dance "íki¢ib¢an," mixed, or intermingled.
Drums, rattles, etc., are used, as in the Wacicka a¢in. Some men wear large leggings as well as breech-cloths; but no gay clothing. The women wear sacques, leggings, red blankets, and bead necklaces; and they redden the parting of the hair and the cheeks somewhat as they do for the Wacicka a¢in. The men wear many plumes in their hair, and carry fans made of eagles' wings. They have no regular patterns for painting themselves; but they use as paint either "wasejide-nika" (Indian red) or "man¢iñka-qude" (gray clay).
The only surviving leaders of this society are [T]enuga and Sihi-duba. Among the members are B¢an-ti, [T]and-unanhan, Ui¢anbe-`ansa, Cage-skă, [T]aqiewa¢ě-jiñga, [P]a-san, Inigani, Majankide, Si-qude, Nănde-wahi, and some women. According to J. La Flèche, this is one of the dances that are considered "waqube." It is obsolescent. B¢an-ti, Sihi-duba, and [T]and-unanhan are the waze¢ě or doctors who treat biliousness and fevers; but they do not go together to visit a patient.
§ 257. The Buffalo dance.—[T]e-í¢aé¢e-ma, The society of those who have supernatural communications with the Buffaloes, The Buffalo dancers. Four of the men of this dance are good surgeons. Two Crows' father was a member of the society, and understood the use of the medicine, which he transmitted to his son. Two Crows says that having inherited the right to the medicine, he understands the duties of the doctors, but not all about the dance, as he has paid no attention to the "ʇe i¢ae¢ě," which has been the duty of others.
Until recently, the four doctors of this society were as follows: Ni-¢áctage, the principal doctor, now dead; Two Crows (now the principal one), [P]a¢in-gahige, of the [T]a-[p]a, and Zizika-jiñga, of the Iñkesabě. Two Crows gives portions of the medicine to the other doctors, and they "wéze¢ě," administer it to the patients. Anba-hebe used to be a doctor. The other members whose names have been obtained are these: Duba-man¢in, [T]e-uʞanha, Icta-q¢u`a, [T]enuga-jan-¢iñke, Inc`age-wahi¢e, and Gackawañg¢e. [T]ahe-jiñga, now dead, was a member.
§ 258. Times for dancing.—After the recovery of a patient, the members of this society hold a dance, to which they may invite the members of the Horse dance, but not those of the Wolf dance.