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Signals Executed by Bodily Action
Some of these are
identical, or nearly so, with the
gesture signs used by the same
people.
Alarm. See Notes on Cheyenne and
Arapaho signals, infra.
Anger.
Close the hand, place it against the
forehead, and turn it back and forth
while in that position. (Col. R.B.
Marcy, U.S.A., Thirty Years of
Army Life on the Border, New York,
1866, p. 34.)
Come Here.
The right hand is to be advanced
about eighteen inches at the height
of the navel, horizontal, relaxed,
palm downward, thumb in the palm;
then draw it near the side and at
the same time drop the hand to bring
the palm backward. The farther away
the person called is, the higher the
hand is raised. If very far off, the
hand is raised high up over the head
and then swung forward, downward,
and backward to the side. (Dakota
I, IV.)
Danger.
There is something dangerous in
that place.—Right-hand
index-finger and thumb forming a
curve, the other fingers closed;
move the right hand forward,
pointing in the direction of the
dangerous place or animal. (Omaha
I.)
Defiance.
Right-hand index and middle fingers
open; motion to ward the enemy
signifies "I do not fear you."
Reverse the motion, bringing the
hand toward the subject, means "Do
your worst to me." (Omaha I.)
Direction.
Pass around that object or place
near you—she-í-he ti-dhá-ga.—When
a man is at a distance, I say to him
"Go around that way." Describe a
curve by raising the hand above the
head, forefinger open, move to right
or left according to direction
intended and hand that is used,
i.e., move to the left, use
right hand; move to the right, use
left hand. (Omaha I; Ponka
I.)
Halt!
—— To inquire disposition.
Raise the right hand with the palm
in front and gradually push it
forward and back several times; if
they are not hostile it will at once
be obeyed. (Randolph B. Marcy,
The Prairie Traveler. New York,
1859, p. 214.)
—— Stand there! He is coming to you.
Right hand extended, flat, edgewise,
moved downward several times. (Omaha
I.)
—— Stand there! He is going toward
you.
Hold the open right hand, palm to
the left, with the tips of the
fingers toward the person signaled
to; thrust the hand forward in
either an upward or downward curve.
(Omaha I; Ponka I.)
—— Lie down flat where you are—she-dhu
bis-pé zhan'-ga.
Extend the right arm in the
direction of the person signaled to,
having the palm down; move downward
by degrees to about the knees. (Omaha
I; Ponka I.)
Peace; Friendship.
Hold up palm of hand.—Observed as
made by an Indian of the Kansas
tribe in 1833. (John T. Irving,
Indian Sketches. Philadelphia,
1835, vol. ii, p. 253.)
Elevate the extended hands at arm's
length above and on either side of
the head. Observed by Dr. W.J.
Hoffman, as made in Northern Arizona
in 1871 by the Apaches, Mojaves,
Hualpais, and Seviches. "No
arms"—corresponding with "hands up"
of road-agents. Fig. 335.
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A signal of peace.
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The right hand held
aloft, empty. (General G.A. Custer,
My Life on the Plains, New York,
1874, p. 238.) This may be collated
with the lines in Walt Whitman's
Salut au Monde—
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Toward all |
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I raise high the
perpendicular hand,—I make the
signal.
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The Natchez in 1682
made signals of friendship to La
Salle's party by the joining of the
two hands of the signalist, much
embarrassing Tonty, La Salle's
lieutenant, in command of the
advance in the descent of the
Mississippi, who could not return
the signal, having but one hand. His
men responded in his stead. (Margry,
Decouvertes et Établissments des
Français dans l'ouest et dans le sud
de l'Amérique Septentrionale, &c.)
Question.
—— I do not know you. Who are you?
After halting a party coming: Right
hand raised, palm in front and
slowly moved to the right and left.
[Answered by tribal sign.] (Marcy's
Prairie Traveler, loc. cit.,
214.) Fig. 336. In this illustration
the answer is made by giving the
tribal sign for Pani. |
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Signal, "Who are you?" Answer, "Pani."
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—— To inquire if
coming party is peaceful.
Raise both hands, grasped in the
manner of shaking hands, or by
locking the two forefingers firmly
while the hands are held up. If
friendly they will respond with the
same signal. (Marcy's Prairie
Traveler, loc. cit., 214.)
Submission.
The United States steamer Saranac in
1874, cruising in Alaskan waters,
dropped anchor in July, 1874, in
Freshwater Harbor, back of Sitka, in
latitude 59° north. An armed party
landed at a T'linkit village,
deserted by all the inhabitants
except one old man and two women,
the latter seated at the feet of the
former. The man was in great fear,
turned his back and held up his
hands as a sign of utter
helplessness. (Extract from notes
kindly furnished by
Lieutenant-Commander Wm. Bainbridge
Hoff, U.S.N., who was senior aid to
Rear-Admiral Pennock, on the cruise
mentioned.)
Surrender.
The palm of the hand is held toward
the person [to whom the surrender is
made]. (Long.)
Hold the palm of the hand toward the
person as high above the head as the
arm can be raised. (Dakota
I.) |
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Sign Language
Among North American Indians Compared with
that Among Other Peoples and Deaf-Mutes,
1881
Indian Sign
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