Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 33

Draw the lower edge of the right hand across the left arm as if gas.h.i.+ng it with a knife. (_Burton_.)

With the index-finger of the right hand proceed as if cutting the left arm in different places with a sawing motion from the wrist upward, to represent the cuts or burns on the arms of that nation. (_Long_.)

Bridge palm of left hand with index-finger of right. (_Macgowan_.)

Draw the extended right hand, fingers joined, across the left wrist as if cutting it. (_Arapaho_ I.)

Pa.s.s the ulnar side of the extended index repeatedly across the extended finger and back of the left hand. Frequently, however, the index is drawn across the wrist or forearm. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Ponka_ II; _Pani_ I.) Fig. 289. See p. 345 for remarks.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 289.]

The extended index, palm upward, is drawn across the forefinger of the left hand (palm inward), several times, left hand stationary, right hand is drawn toward the body until the index is drawn clear off; then repeat. Some Cheyennes believe this to have reference to the former custom of cutting the arm as offerings to spirits, while others think it refers to a more ancient custom of cutting off the enemy's fingers for necklaces. (_Cheyenne_ II.)

Place the extended index at the right side of the nose, where it joins the face, the tip reaching as high, as the forehead, and close to the inner corner of the eye. This position makes the thumb of the right hand rest upon the chin, while the index is perpendicular. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.) It is considered that this sign, though given to the collaborator as expressed, was an error. It applies to the Southern Arapahos. Lieutenant Creel states the last remark to be correct, the gesture having reference to the Southern bands.

As though sawing through the left forearm at its middle with the edge of the right held back outward, thumb upward. Sign made at the left side of the body. (_Dakota_ I.) "Same sign as for a _saw_. The Cheyenne Indians are known to the Sioux by the name of 'The Saws.'"

Right-hand fingers and thumb extended and joined (as in S), outer edge downward, and drawn sharply across the other fingers and forearm as if cutting with a knife. (_Dakota_, III.)

Draw the extended right index or the ulnar (inner) edge of the open right hand several times across the base of the extended left index, or across the left forearm at different heights from left to right.

This sign is also made by the Arapahos. (_Dakota_ IV.) "Because their arms are marked with scars from cuts which they make as offerings to spirits."

Draw the extended index several times across the extended forefinger from the tip toward the palm, the latter pointing forward and slightly toward the right. From the custom of striping arms transversely with colors. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ II, III; _Apache_ II; _Ute_ I; _Wichita_ II.)

Another: Make the sign for DOG, viz: Close the right hand, leaving the index and second fingers only extended and joined, hold it forward from and lower than the hip and draw it backward, the course following the outline of a dog's form from head to tail; then add the sign TO EAT, as follows: Collect the thumb, index, and second fingers to a point, hold them above and in front of the mouth and make a repeated dotting motion toward the mouth. This sign is generally used, but the other and more common one is also employed, especially so with individuals not fully conversant with the sign language as employed by the Comanches, &c. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "Dog-eaters."

Draw the extended index across the back of the left hand and arm as if cutting it. The index does not touch the arm as in signs given for the same tribe by other Indians, but is held at least four or five inches from it. (_Shoshoni and Banak_ I.)

CHIPEWAY. SEE OJIBWA.

COMANCHE.

Imitate, by the waving of the hand or forefinger, the forward crawling motion of a snake. (_Burton_, also _Blackmore_ in introduction to Dodge's _Plains of the Great West_. _New York_, 1877, p. xxv.) The same sign is used for the Shoshoni, more commonly called "Snake", Indians, who as well as the Comanches belong to the Shoshonian linguistic family. "The silent stealth of the tribe." (_Dodge; Marcy_ in _Thirty Years of Army Life on the Border_. _New York_, 1866, p. 33.) Rev. A.J. Holt remarks, however, that among the Comanches themselves the conception of this sign is the trailing of a rope, or lariat. This refers probably to their well-known horsemans.h.i.+p.

Motion of a snake. (_Macgowan_.)

Hold the elbow of the right arm near the right side, but not touching it; extend the forearm and hand, palm inward, fingers joined on a level with the elbow, then with a shoulder movement draw the forearm and hand back until the points of the fingers are behind the body; at the same time that the hand is thus being moved back, turn it right and left several times. (_Creel_; _Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.) "Snake in the gra.s.s. A snake drawing itself back in the gra.s.s instead of crossing the road in front of you."

Another: The sign by and for the Comanches themselves is made by holding both hands and arms upward from the elbow, both palms inward, and pa.s.sing both hands with their backs upward along the lower end of the hair to indicate _long hair_, as they never cut it. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.)

Right hand horizontal, flat, palm downward (W), advanced to the front by a motion to represent the crawling of a snake. (_Dakota_ III.)

Extend the closed right hand to the front and left; extend the index, palm down, and rotate from side to side while drawing it back to the right hip. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ VI, VII, VIII; _Ponka_ II; _Kaiowa_ I; _Pani_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) This motion is just the reverse of the sign for _Shoshoni_, see Fig. 297 _infra_.

Make the reverse gesture for _Shoshoni_, i.e., begin away from the body, drawing the hand back to the side of the right hip while rotating it. (_Comanche_ II.)

CREE, KNISTENO, KRISTENEAUX.

Sign for WAGON and then the sign for MAN. (_Dakota_ I.) "This indicates the Red River half-breeds, with their carts, as these people are so known from their habit of traveling with carts."

Place the first and second fingers of the right hand in front of the mouth. (_Kutine_ I.)

CROW. SEE ABSAROKA.

DAKOTA, OR SIOUX.

The edge of the hand pa.s.sed across the throat, as in the act of cutting that part. (_Long_; _Marcy_ in _Army Life_, p. 33.)

Draw the lower edge of the hand across the throat. (_Burton_.)

Draw the extended right hand across the throat. (_Arapaho_ I.) "The cut-throats."

Pa.s.s the flat right hand, with palm down, from left to right across the throat. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ VI, VIII; _Ponka_ II; _Pani_ I.)

Draw the forefinger of the left hand from right to left across the throat. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.) "A cut-throat."

Forefinger and thumb of right hand extended (others closed) is drawn from left to right across the throat as though cutting it. The Dakotas have been named the "cut-throats" by some of the surrounding tribes.

(_Dakota_ I.) "Cut-throats."

Right hand horizontal, flat, palm downward (as in W), and drawn across the throat as if cutting with a knife. (_Dakota_ II, III.)

Draw the open right hand, or the right index, from left to right horizontally across the throat, back of hand upward, fingers pointing toward the left. This sign is also made by the Arapahos. (_Dakota_ IV.) "It is said that after a battle the Utes took many Sioux prisoners and cut their throats; hence the sign "cut-throats."

Draw the extended right hand, palm downward, across the throat from left to right. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ II, III; _Shoshoni and Banak_ I; _Ute_ I; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "Cut-throats." Fig 290.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 290.]

----, Blackfoot (Sihasapa).

Pa.s.s the flat right hand along the outer edge of the foot from the heel to beyond the toes. (_Dakota_ VIII; _Hidatsa_ I; _Ponka_ II; _Arikara_ I; _Pani_ I.) Same as Fig. 286, above.

Pa.s.s the right hand quickly over the right foot from the great toe outward, turn the heel as if brus.h.i.+ng something therefrom. (_Dakota_ V.)

Pa.s.s the widely separated thumb and index of the right hand over the lower leg, from just below the knee nearly down to the heel. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.)

----, Brule.

Rub the upper and outer part of the right thigh in a small circle with the open right hand, fingers pointing downward. This sign is also made by the Arapahos. (_Dakota_ IV.) "These Indians were once caught in a prairie fire, many burned to death, and others badly burned about the thighs; hence the name Si-can-gu 'burnt thigh' and the sign.

According to the Brule chronology, this fire occurred in 1763, which they call 'The-People-were-burned-winter.'"

Pa.s.s the flat right hand quickly over the thigh from near the b.u.t.tock forward, as if brus.h.i.+ng dust from that part. (_Dakota_ V, VI, VII, VIII.)

Brush the palm of the right hand over the right thigh, from near the b.u.t.tock toward the front of the middle third of the thigh. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.)

----, Ogalala.

Fingers and thumb separated, straight (as in R), and dotted about over the face to represent the marks made by the small-pox. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ III, VI, VII, VIII.) "This band suffered from the disease many years ago."