Societies of the Crow, Hidatsa and Mandan Indians (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1913 edition. Excerpt: ... CLOWNS. The clowns (akbi'arusacarica1) are not permanently organized among the Crow and are not at all connected with the system of military societies. Nevertheless, I give the data obtained on the subject in this place in order to facilitate reference for comparative purposes. The clowns' performance can nowadays be seen once a year, during the week of the Fourth of July celebrations; formerly it took place in the spring. While attending a Tobacco adoption ceremony at Lodge Grass on July 3rd, 1910, my attention was called to a disturbance outside. Two men were-dashing through camp dressed as clowns and riding a horse appropriately caparisoned. They were followed by the younger men. I was told that the clowns did not go through the customary performance, because the spectators had identified them. The man who takes the initiative in the arrangement of the performance bids his friends meet in the brush, bringing with them gunnysack, mud, and leaves. They make leggings of gunnysack and one-piece shirts with an opening for the head. Mud is used instead of body-paint. A mask is made out of cloth, slits being cut for the eyes and mouth, and is blackened with charcoal. There is only one face to this mask. The nose is sometimes fashioned out of mud and stuck on, at other times it is simply marked with charcoal. When the clowns have disguised themselves so as to be quite irrecognizable they leave their hiding-place and approach the camp. As soon as the people catch sight of them, they cry, "The akbi'arusacarica are coming " The clowns walk as if they were lame and act as clumsily as possible, so that the spectators cannot refrain from laughing at them. The people crowd in on the performers to watch their antics. One of the clowns is dressed up...