Note 43 — COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PLAINS PEYOTISM

The authority of the leader finds ritual reflection throughout the John Wilson “moon”: e.g., only the leader might smoke and pray, and others calling for smokes were frowned upon as presumptuous. Further, John Wilson’s “moon” contains his “grave” alongside that of Jesus Christ, and his initials W. (Wilson) or M. (Moonhead). The altar, indeed, represented Moonhead’s face; he even prescribed face-painting styles with his initials in them. A man equated with Jesus Christ is scarcely a negligible person. Koshiway (Oto) performed marriages and baptisms and conducted funerals in the Church of the First-born. The point is just as well demonstrated by the negative cases of those who aspired to peyote leadership and failed. Even the local Pawnee President of the Native American Church, James Sun-eagle, does not lead meetings.