White Deerskin Dance

The White Deerskin Dance of the Hupa Indian tribe was a ceremonial dance that symbolized the regeneration or renewal of their society, and functioned as an important “part of the ritual calendar that makes up the religious life of the tribe and it expresses the supernatural sentiments of the people in their most poignant form” (Goldschmidt et al., 121). The ceremony served “to wipe out the evil brought into the world by members of the society who have broken taboos” (Goldschmidt et al., 121); as these white deerskins were seen as a sacred mascot “which will protect the owner and his friends from every trouble” (Pierce 9). The dance commenced after a ceremonial ground was selected “between the several places of importance (Goldschmidt et al.,
The dance consisted of: “(1) the medicine man, who sits by a fire in front of the line of dancers and burns angelica root to the accompaniment of incantations; (2) the singer, kdta"an, who leads the song from the center of the line of dancers; (3) two side singers, who accompany the leader in the chorus; (4) the four or more side dancers, ya'd,'lyeortakttdjidi'lyE, who carry the beat by rhythmic stamping; and (5) the four flint carriers, hodje'wana'wai, who do a special dance in front of the line” (Goldschmidt et al., 108). The selected dancers who are outfitted by the designated leaders are then “line up before the medicine man in the order in which the leaders want them, and they receive their deerskins and the final touches to their costumes” (Goldschmidt et al., 108). They then enter the ceremonial dancing ground, lead by the medicine man and take up their selected