Stránka:roll girls 1916.djvu/21

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Sachem – a member who has won forty-eight Coups or Honors.

Grand Sachem – a member who has won forty-eight Grand Coups or High Honors.

Fire-Keeper – a member of the Band or Tribe appointed by the Chief to attend to the Council Fire for any given period.

Chief or the Dog Soldiers – chief of a small body of police appointed by the Chief.

Band – a group of not less than five or more than ten members under a Chief and a Guide. The Band cannot bestow honors, but must receive them from the Tribal Council.

Tribe – a group of not less than two Bands, that is at least ten members, chartered from Headquarters, and empowered to bestow honors and degrees according to the laws of the Birch Bark Roll. The maximum number in a Tribe is fifty members.

RITUAL OF THE COUNCIL

When all are assembled and seated, give a short roll of the drum.

Then let the Guide or the appointed Chief of the Council call out: “My friends, give ear – we hold a Council”; or if using the Indian words, “Yo-hay-y-y-y, Yo-hay-y-y-y! Meetah Kola Nahoonpo Omnee-chee-yay nee-chopi”.

The Chief still standing now says in a loud clear voice:

“Now light we the Council Fire after the manner of the Forest children, not in the way of the white man, but – even as Wakonda himself doth light his fire – by the rubbing together of two trees in the storm-wind, so cometh forth the sacred fire from the wood of the forest.”

(He uses the drill; the smoke comes, the flame bursts forth.) “Now know we that Wakonda, whose dwelling is above the Thunder-bird, whose messenger is the Thunder-bird, hath been pleased to smile on His children, hath sent down the sacred fire. By this we know He will be present at our Council, that His wisdom will be with us.

(The firewood is ready prepared and the blazing tinder is thrust into it. As it catches and grows, the Chief calls out): “This is our Fire of Council in which we every one have part, so let each come now and add her fuel portion to the flame.” All the first rank of the Council stand, go forth, holding up in one hand a dry fire-stick or fuzz-stick, carefully selected and prepared before hand. (Very small if for indoor Council.) Holding this stick high in the air, they look up, match once around the fire singing the “Payyo” or Hither Thunder: “Oh,

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