moon
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Description
(meaning: night sun.) Make the sign for NIGHT, and then partially curve the thumb and index of right hand, space of about an inch between tips, closing other fingers; then raise the hand in a direction a little to south of zenith, and well up, the plane of the circle formed with index and thumb perpendicular to the line of sign, from the eye through the incompletely circle of thumb and index to the position in the heavens where the moon is supposed to be.
References: night
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Notes
Clarks notes some Indians, in making the circle which represents the moon, use the index fingers and thumbs of both hands. The nomenclature used by the Teton Sioux and Cheyennes, beginning with the moon just before winter, is as follows: 1st. The moon, "the leaves fall off."
2nd. The moon, "the buffalo cow's fetus is getting large."
3rd. The moon, "the wolves run together."
4th. The moon, "the skin of the fetus of buffalo commencing to color."
5th. The moon, "the hair gets thick on buffalo fetus;" called also "men's mouth," or "hard mouth."
6th. "The sore-eyed moon" (buffalo cows drop their calves.)
7th. The moon, "the ducks come."
8th. The moon, "the grass commences to get green, and some roots are fit to be eaten."
9th. The moon, "the corn is planted."
10th. The moon, "the buffalo bulls are fat."
11th. The moon, "the buffalo cows are in season."
12th. The moon, "that the plums get red." Lieutenant Scott gives the following as the nomentclature used by the Sisseton and other Eastern bands of Sioux: January. Called "very hard to bear."
February. "The month the coons come out, or Coon's Moon."
March. "Sore-eyed month"
April. "The month the geese lay eggs."
May. "Planting month."
June. "The month the strawberries ripen."
July.
August. "Harvest moon."
September. "The wild rice becomes ripe."
October.
November. "Deer-rutting month."
December. "When deer shed their horns." Clarks notes from the Bannacks: 1st. "Running season for game."
2nd. "Big moon."
3rd. "Black smoke" (cold).
4th. "Bare spots along the trail" (no snow in places).
5th. "Little grass, or grass first comes up." They have no names for moons after the season gets warm. Tomkins list of Indian Moons. January. Snow moon (or Cold Moon)
February. Hunger Moon
March. Crow Moon (Awaking Moon or Warm Moon)
April. Grass Moon (Geese Moon)
May. Planting Moon (Flower Moon)
June. Rose Moon (Buck Moon)
July. Heat Moon (Blood Moon)
August. Thunder Moon (Strugeon Moon)
September. Hunting Moon (Corn Festival Moon)
October. Falling Leaf Moon (Traveling Moon)
November. Beaver Moon (Mad Moon)
December. Long Night Moon
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