At the same time well-marked
zootheistic features are found in the mythic thunder-birds and in the more
or less complete deification of various animals, in the exaltation of the
horse into the rank of the mythic dog father, and in the animal forms of
the water-monsters and earth-beings; and the living application of
zootheism is found in the animal fetiches and totems. On the whole, it
seems just to assign the Siouan mythology to the upper strata of
zootheism, just verging on physitheism, with vestigial traces of
hecastotheism.
SOMATOLOGY
The vigorous avocations of the chase and war were reflected in fine
stature, broad and deep chests, strong and clean limbs, and sound
constitution among the Siouan tribesmen and their consorts. The skin was
of the usual coppery cast characteristic of the native American; the teeth
were strong, indicating and befitting a largely carnivorous diet, little
worn by sandy foods, and seldom mutilated; the hands and feet were
commonly large and sinewy. The Siouan Indians were among those who
impressed white pioneers by the parallel placing of the feet; for, as
among other walkers and runners, who rest sitting and lying, the feet
assumed the pedestrian attitude of approximate parallelism rather than the
standing attitude of divergence forward. The hair was luxuriant, stiff,
straight, and more uniformly jet black than that of the southerly stocks;
it was worn long by the women and most of the men, though partly clipped
or shaved in some tribes by the warriors as well as the worthless dandies,
who, according to Catlin, spent more time over their toilets than ever did
the grande dame of Paris.
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