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SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 137
before such presents had been made, the marriage was not recognized
as legal, and they legalized it by calling them in and going over
the proper ceremony. At that time the head chief and captains made
a final inquiry as to whether there was any possible blood connection
between the two parties. Sometimes this took an entire day.
All obstacles having now been removed, the girl was placed some
25 paces in advance of the crowd and the youth set out in pursuit of
her. They followed a circular course, each being assisted by the
members of his or her respective family. The harder the race the
stronger it was believed would be their love for each other, but if
the girl were soon caught, it was considered a sign that her love
was weak. There was great excitement and much shouting. Some-
times the youth would fall and so enable his intended bride to get
a long lead; sometimes she would fall and be caught almost imme-
diately. It is claimed that the object of this race was to determine
whether either party was indifferent to the match, as would be
shown by running in a half-hearted manner. It is said that Little
Leader (Hopaii iskitini), captain of the Sukanatcha band, put an
end to the marriage race at the time when Sukanatcha was settled.
The other marriage laws held on longer.
The girl having at last been caught, the two were brought back
to the place where the feast was to be held and seated side by side,
the boy being placed in his seat by the girl's people and she in her
seat by the boy's. The chief or captain now made a speech in which
he stated upon whom the obligation fell of decorating the girl, and
upon whom the obligation of decorating the boy, the boy's people in
the former case and the girl's in the latter. Those not related were
directed to decorate both unless unable, for any reason, to do so, when
they must remain quiet. Each p^rty brought several yards of
ribbon— perhaps from 5 to 7—or 10 to 40 yards of cloth, or dresses,
which they laid upon the heads of the two until they were completely
covered. This was to indicate their consent, and it was made the
occasion of a property contest between the families, each striving
to " outdress " the other. Afterwards each family took the property
which had been acquired in this way and distributed it to the
nearest blood relations. Then they sat down to eat, a long*
speech was made by the chief or captain, and the dance followed,
in which, if all was harmonious, all of the connections of both
participated. If all of the relatives were not present the wedding
was outlawed, and this was one of the ways in which trouble was
created, usually by some outsiders, and perhaps by some one who had
wanted to marry one of the parties to the match.
When a married woman came back to visit her parents, her husband
did not usually accompany her. Wliether or not she were
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