Note 89 — THE ETHNOLOGY OF PEYOTISM

The Kiowa now have five Easter meetings, six on New Year’s Day, four to six on Thanksgiving, and two or three on Armistice Day (by World War soldiers and sailors). Bert Crow-lance vowed to eat a hundred if all the Kiowa boys returned safely from the War (but this is an enormous quantity actually to have eaten). The Kiowa differ from other groups in having no funeral meetings; mourners commonly abstain for several months from meetings. Meetings have been held for heyoka-like display. The Comanche formerly held meetings before a war journey to invoke peyote’s protection from the enemy, and to prophesy the outcome of the battle.