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SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 193
long, take up the greater part of the uight. These dances are very complicated
and almost incomprehensible to a white person. The first dance is " nakni
hihla," " the men's dance," which the men alone dance. This dance over, the
young women are now masters of the situation. Each woman selects her own
man as her partner for the five coming dances. The man selected cannot back
out, but must dance with his partner as long as she chooses to dance, no matter
how weary he niay become. If the woman herself should finally become weary
of dancing, she simply says to her partner, " kil issa," " let us quit," whereupon
both withdraw and neither dances any more that night. The second dance is
" shatanih hihla," " the tick dance." The third, " nita hihla," " the bear dance."
The fourth, " yahyachi hihla," " the trotter's dance." The fifth, " ittisanali
hihla," " the dance of those that oppose each other." The sixth, " ittihalanli
hihla," " the dance of those that hold each other," which dance, after many
evolutions, comes to an end by both sexes standing in two lines facing each
other, both hands of the men holding the two first fingers of the women's two
hands. Sometimes one of these dances is repeated. It is indispensable that
they all be finished before daybreak, for at daybreak there must be a short
period—about fifteen or twenty minutes—of quietness in the camp. There is a
song sung with every dance, occasionally one of these songs being composed on
the spot. On a bright moonlight night these dances with their various
evolutions have a wonderful fascination to the on-looking white man. The
plumes, the sashes and silver bands of the men, the gaudy dresses, the beads,
the gorgets and other silver ornaments of the women, the graceful movements
of the dancers, the strange, wild Choctaw songs, all unite to make some of the
unique attractions of savage life.
About two hours before day, whilst the dancing of the young people is
still under full swing, a short cry is made by the mourners. Some
one of them, be it man or woman, sitting by a camp fire, suddenly lifts up his
voice in a wailing sound. The other mourners approach him, group them-
selves around him, cover their heads with their blankets, and for about ten
minutes the mourners give vent to cries of wailing and lamentation.
It is now broad daylight. Suddenly the loud voices of the two headmen are
heard telling their people that the time is now at hand for the last cry over
the dead. The headmen have already appointed the six pole-pullers, three from
each iksa. The pole-pullers may be the same men as the pole-planters, or they
may be entirely new appointees. All, men, women and children, now repair to
the grave. The pole-pullers stand, each one near his pole, three from one iksa
on one side of the grave, the other three on the other side. AH, except the
headmen and the pole-pullers, with covered heads, now kneel upon the ground
and for a long time the sound of lamentation and weeping and great mourning
goes up to high heaven. The crowd may be very great, so that for some distance
around the grave the ground is covered with the kneeling forms of the mourning
Indians. Many are the exclamations and expressions of grief, especially fi-om
the women. It is an affecting scene ; for, even though much of the lamentation
on the part of some may be a matter of form, still, with the immediate family,
the near kindred and the intimate friends of the dead it is a manifestation of
genuine and heartfelt sorrow. After a while, the headman of the iksa opposite
to that of the deceased begins his funeral oration, in which he expatiates upon
the virtues of their departed friend. The oration is usually short. When the
speaker comes to a close, he and his brother headman lift up their voices and
utter what is called " tashka paiya," " the warrior's call," consisting of the
four following exclamations : " Yo, hyu, hyu, hyu," to which the pole-pullers
respond with " ho-ee, ho-ee, ho-ee, ho-ee," as noticed, " ho-ee " being said four
times. The headmen again utter their exclamations just as at first, and again