When they are not called to dance after the recovery of patients, Two Crows says that they may dance when they please, and invite the members of the Horse and Wolf dancing societies to join them; but the latter can never dance independently of the Buffalo dancers.
[P]a¢in-nanpajĭ says (but Two Crows denies) that "when the corn is withering for want of rain the members of the Buffalo society have a dance. They borrow a large vessel, which they fill with water, and put in the center of their circle. They dance four times around it. One of their number drinks some of the water, spurts it up into the air, making a fine spray in imitation of a fog or misting rain. Then he knocks over the vessel, spilling the water on the ground. The dancers then fall down and drink up the water, getting mud all over their faces. Then they spurt the water up into the air, making fine misting rain, which saves the corn."[20] If this is not done by the members of the Buffalo society, it is probably done by others, and [P]a¢innanpajĭ has made a mistake only in the name of the society to which they belong. "The fog occurred on the fourth day after Siqude, of the In-kug¢i society, treated a patient. He used to predict the fog; and the patient was caused to walk. I never heard of the doctors, spurting water to cause the fog." (Frank La Flèche.)
§ 259. Painting and dress.—The men rub man¢iñka sabě (black earth) or man¢iñka ʇu-qude (a greenish gray earth) over their bodies and arm-joints. Some rub earth (man¢iñka-sabě or man¢iñka ʇu-qude) on the face, from the right ear to the mouth, then from the left corner of the mouth to the left ear. Some of the men wear only the leggings and breech-clothes; others wear in addition to these robes with the hair outside. Some wear buffalo tails fastened in belts. Some have sticks of red willow with the leaves on, which they use as staffs in the dance. Each of four men used to put the skin of a buffalo head over his head, the horns standing up, and the hair of the buffalo head hanging down below the chest of the wearer. It was over his forehead, as well as down his back, but not over his eyes. He also wore a necklace of the hair that grows on the throat of a buffalo. Two Crows says that now some wear necklaces of "ʇéhin," that is, the old hair, either of a bull or that of a cow, which has been shed. Those who do not wear these ʇéhin necklaces, wear "janáqa."
In former days, no women participated; but now about two are present at the feast, though they do not join in the dance. They wear robes with the hair outside, according to [P]a¢in-nanpajĭ. No gourd rattles are used. One man acts as "quʞa," and the rest help him. There may be one or two drums, for which there are from two to five drummers. The various movements of the buffalo are imitated by the dancers.
§ 260. The Horse dance.—Cañ´ge-í¢ae¢é-ma, The society of those who have supernatural communications with horses, The members of the Horse Dance.
No women belong to this society. Two Crows says that none are doctors, and that they never dance except in connection with the buffalo dancers, when invited to the feast of the latter, and then they imitate the various actions and gaits of horses. No shooting occurs as in the dance of the Wacicka a¢in-ma. They whiten themselves, rub earth on their shoulders, and Indian red on some parts of their bodies. They wear necklaces of horses' manes, from each of which a feather is suspended. Each one wears a horse's tail in a belt. The tail is dried stiff, and stands out from his body. At short intervals are suspended feathers.
Members.—Wacuce was a member. Those now living are G¢edan-najin, Eᴐnan-hañga (who has no horses!), Watan-najin, Majan-kide, Ui¢an-be-`ansa, [P]a-san-najin, Tcaza-¢iñge, Cyu-jiñga (who wears a necklace), Haci-man¢in, Waq¢a-¢utan, Une-man¢in, Waniʇa-waqě, Ta-i-kawahu, Jiñga-gahige, [K]e-baha, etc. According to Mr. J. La Flèche, this dance is now obsolete.
§ 261. The Wolf dance.—Canʇañga-í¢ae¢é-ma, The society of those who have supernatural communications with Wolves, The members of the Wolf Dance. These men cannot dance except with the buffalo dancers, and with the consent of the latter. Two Crows has seen them dance but twice. He and J. La Flèche do not know much about them.
In this dance there are no women, and none are doctors, according to La Flèche and Two Crows. No shooting is done, though the dancers act mysteriously. They wear wolf skins, and redden the tips of the wolves' noses, according to [P]a¢in-nanpajĭ and Frank La Flèche (but denied by Two Crows). They paint their bodies in imitation of the "blue wolves, canʇañga-ʇú-ma égan-ma-¢an." Those who have held enemies, or have cut them up, paint the hands and wrists red, as if they were bloody. Others whiten their hands, wrists, ankles, and feet. Some go barefoot. All whiten their faces from the right ear to the corner of the mouth; then from the opposite corner of the mouth to the left ear. They dance in imitation of the actions of wolves.
§ 262. The Grizzly bear dance.—Mantcú-í¢ae¢é-ma, Those who have supernatural communications with grizzly bears, also called Mantcú-gáxe watcígaxe, The dance in which they pretend to be grizzly bears. This has not been danced for about ten years, so La Flèche and Two Crows cannot tell who belong to the society. In former days there were women that belonged, but in modern times none have been members.