Mr. Hatfield motioned for the Cubs to gather about in a semi-circle. Eagle Feather squatted in the center and began to talk, speaking formally, but in perfect English.
He told the Cubs that the Navajos had 27 major chants which they used on ceremonial occasions or for the cure of the sick.
The Fire Dance, or Mountain Chant as it sometimes was called, was the most showy of all the Navajos’ ceremonies, he went on.
“The medicine man’s whistle marks the start of the dance,” Eagle Feather described it. “Twelve dancers with their bodies sprayed white, come in bearing cedar bark torches. As they dance about the log fire, they sing the Fire Dance song about a Sleepy Owl.
“The leader throws a bundle of burning bark to the East. Three other bundles are lighted and hurled to the West, North and South. This, my people believe, will drive away colds and bad luck.
“The dance ends with the lighting of torches and a wild race about the fire. The dancers move faster and faster, fanning their torches into a long flame. The ceremony lasts until daybreak.”
“We’ll offer a simplified version of the Fire Dance at our pow-wow,” Mr. Hatfield declared. “The Cubs are using flashlights instead of torches.”
“Tell us about other dances,” urged Dan.
Now that his tongue had been loosened, Eagle Feather was willing enough to talk. He described other versions of the fire Dance, the Feather Dance and one which he called the Plumed Arrow.
He then told the Cubs a few Navajo words. Medicine man, he said, was Hah-tahnc, and sand painting, ee-kah.