Spirituality

Arapaho women were in charge of making the clothing for their families out of animal skin. They used everything from deer to elk to buffalo. First they would have to scape all of the flesh off of the hides, then they would strech the skins on to pegs to dry stiff. This was called rawhide. The Arapaho women then took this rawhide and tanned it, turning it into soft buckskin. Finally, they cut the buckskin into smaller pieces and sewed them into clothes using sinew thread.

During the earlier days, when the Arapaho lived in the North woods, the women would wear a simple buckskin skirt and a poncho-style shirt. Later, when the Arapaho lived primarily on the plains, the Arapaho women wore moccasins, knee-length leggings, and a dress. The dress would be ankle-length, fringed with buckskin. For ornamentation, they used porcupine-quills, paint, elk-teeth, and beads. Their knee-length leggings laced in the front and were often decorated with yellow ochre and bands of quillwork.

Arapaho men wore a breechcloth, sometimes a shirt, hip-length leggings of deerskin, a robe and moccasins. The breechcloth, or breechblout, consisted of a rectangular piece of buckskin that was drawn between the legs and then tied around the waist. When the Arapaho men did wear the hip-length leggings, they had bands of quillwork and long fringes on the sides. The shirts were also poncho style, just like the women's, and were fringed with buckskin. In the 19th Century, the Arapaho men began wearing breastplates made out of hairpipe beads. Warriors often wore necklaces. They were symbolic designs that they based from their dreams.

There was a deluge, nothing but water. A man was walking around on the water for four day and four nights, carrying a Flat Pipe.  He wondered what he could do to protect it. For a total of six days he walked around with the Pipe, weeping and fasting. 

On the morning of the seventh day, he decided that there needed to be earth for the Pipe to rest on.  So he called to the four directions (northwest, northeast, southeast, and southwest) for people to come and help find land.  Then he called forth seven cottonwood trees (though there was still no dry land), and then called forth creatures of the air and of the sea.

He asked if anyone knew where land was.  The Turtle said that it was at the bottom of the ocean.  So the Man asked the animals if they could dive down and find it.   A series of creatures dives for the land.  First: The Grebe; Second: two waterfowls; Third: three waterfowls, including the Kingfisher; Fourth: Otter, Beaver, Packed Bird (coot), and Garter snake; Fifth: black snake, two kinds of ducks, goose, and crane; Sixth: all the creatures dive. But each time, they fail. 

Then, the seventh dive is made by Turtle in the company of the Man.  Before the Man dives, he ritually moves the Flat Pipe four times, then touches it to his body a fifth time.  It turns into a Red-headed Duck and it accompanies him on the dive along with the Turtle.  Both the Duck and the Turtle succeed in bringing up a sod of earth for the Man (Arapaho). 

The Man then dried the earth, then cast it in four directions (southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast) and created the Earth. 

Recorded by Alfred Kroeber around 1900, published in 1916.
Retranscribed and retranslated by Andrew Cowell in consultation with Alonzo Moss, Sr, and William C'Hair

hehheisonoonin neniitoneino', noh hebesiibeih'in.
Let them hear us, our fathers and our grandfathers.

Hee3ei'iinoh'oeseihiit, noh nohkunihiitowoo;
I say this in conjunction with all the heavenly lights;

Hiisi' niihooyoo', heseisen hii3eti',
The yellow day, the good wind,

Neeyeici' hii3eti', biito'owu' huu3eti'.
the good timber, the good earth.

Cese'eihii heetihceh'e3tiin he3oowowu'!
You animals who live below the earth, I pray that you hear my words!

No'xuutowu' cese'eihii, neci'  cese'eihiiho', cihbehceh'e3tii'!
You animals who live on the earth, and in the water, listen to my prayer!

Heciiyowooninoo, heetwonibiini' heetih'i3eihit,
Your surplus is going to be eaten so that the people will prosper,

Heetihcihkoutee' hoowu3oow hiine'etiit,
so that the breath of life will endure for a long time,

Heetih'iihooho'owoo' hinenteeniit, tei'yoonehe' heeneicxooyeiht,
so that the tribe will be numerous: the children of all ages,

Hiseihihi' noh honoh'oehihi' noh hinen heeneicxooyeiht,
the girls and boys and men of all ages,

Hisei, beh'eihehi' heeneicxooyeihin betebi.
he women and old men, and you old women, of all ages. 

Heetniini'o'xonei'eenou'u, bii3iwo, hooniikoohu3i hiisiis.
(we pray that) these foods will keep us healthy as long as the sun follow s its path in the sky. 

Hee3o' neixoo! Cihceh'e3tii, nebesiwoo, neinihii3ooo.
I say to him "my father, listen, and my grandfather," the one I am praying to. 

Kokoh'u3ecoot, betee, bixoo3etiit honowuune'etiit.
(We ask for good) thoughts, a (good) heart, love and a joyful life.

Heetniinii3ixonebe3en.
I am now going to share this feast with you, (Man Above).

The Arapaho concept of the Creator

The Arapaho people believed that power, and the life force itself emanated from their Creator ("Our Father" or "Man Above"), and that it was present in elements of nature, plants, animals, and some minerals, which acted as intermediaries between man and the Creator. They would reach out to these intermediaries for wisdom and power when they were in need. This could be done in sacred ceremonies by the community as a whole, or by a single individual who would engage in a Vision Quests. Arapaho people today continue to follow the traditional religion.

Vision Quests

When the time came for an Arapaho man to reach out to the Creator for wisdom or power to help his people, he would embark on a vision quest, during which he would fast for four days and four nights and pray to the Creator. The wisdom or supernatural power sought by the man would come to him in the form of an animal or other element of nature and offer him special knowledge and power. He would then take this newly acquired knowledge back home to help his people. Such vision questions are still occasionally done today.   

Sacred Ceremonies

There were many sacred Arapaho ceremonies. Some are no longer practiced, while others continue to be done. The most important is the so-called "Sun Dance" or "Offerings Lodge." The entire tribe gathers for this event each Summer. Other important ceremonies
involve the Sacred Wheel, the Sacred Pipe, ceremonial Sweat Lodges, the Crow Dance, and ceremonies for specific occasions, such as Naming Ceremonies, funerals, ceremonial feasts, Paint Ceremonies (which cleanse people and restore harmony), ceremonial blessings, and other events. All of these ceremonies are still practiced today. Important ceremonial positions among the Arapaho today are the Wheel Keeper, the Pipe Keeper, the Sun Dance Director, and the Four Old Men, who are the designated spiritual elders of the Tribe.

In former times, there was also a series of "Age-Grade" lodges, to which men of varying ages belonged. As men got older, they advanced up through these societies. Each one had its own specific songs, dances, and rituals, as well as social roles. They included the Swift Fox society, the Star Men, the Spear Lodge, the Tomahawk Lodge, the Crazy Men,
and the Water-Sprinkling Old Men, as well as a women's Buffalo Lodge. These ceremonies died out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Why no pictures or no more information?    

The spiritual beliefs and rituals of the Arapaho people are sacred to them and for the most part are not shared with those outside of the tribe. All of the information contained on this webpage is based on previously published information, and is approved by the Arapaho.