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Show U to Trifee Sets Aug. 8 11 For Annual Sun Oanoe August 8 to 11 has been set by the Ute Indian Tribe in the Uiniah Basin for their age-old Sun Dance, which is held an nually at Whiterocks. The colorful color-ful affair begins at sundown on the first day and continues until sundown on the final day. Originally the ceremonies of this dance included self-torture and was therefore prohibited by the United States Government on a majority of reservations. There are now but few Indian tribes which stage this weird and awesome Sun Dance, notably notab-ly the Ute, Shoshone, Bannock, Crow and Sioux tribes. The dance takes place about a center pole which is surrounded by forked posts with the only opening an entrance space. Twelve long overhead poles are laid at regular intervals from these spiked posts to the center pole, which in times of old was mounted with the head of a freshly killed buffalo. A mounted mount-ed head is often used now that (Continued on back page) Sun Dance .... (Continued from rjage 1) the great buffalo is nearly extinct. ex-tinct. A tight, shady enclosure is formed by placing leafy saplings close between the posts. The center pole represents the sun. and the posts around are the rays of the sun. Any amount of men may join in the dance, wearing a decorative decora-tive skirt held up by a sash or wide belt and reaching to the ankles. Many time eagle feathers feath-ers are worn in the hair and charm necklaces hang around the neck, and usually the bodies of , the dancers are brightly painted. A huge feast is prepared on the second day of the dance by the women, who, although usually us-ually not allowed to take part in the dance, take part in building build-ing the lodge and making' the dancers' costumes. Originally, according to legend, leg-end, the great Sun Dance was held only in time of great need such as an imminent battle, but gradually tradition has changed the purpose of the dance for prayer for the sick, which is often of-ten the function of the modern Sun Dance. |