120
everywhere, whether they were white or red” p. 188. John Cooper feels the sheer excitement and exhilaration of the buffalo hunt itself. He realizes that the hunt
evokes all the old-aged pulsating drama of the eternal hunter of the Ayuhwa Sioux and also becomes the climax to which all his senses and young vitality are
channeled. The highest mark of John Cooper’s success in building social relationship
with the Ayuhwa Sioux is the jubilant acceptance and the blood-brother ritual that he has with Kandaka. The blood-brother ritual represents the sign of total
acceptance to be one of them where the skin and race distinction seem vanished away. John Cooper, until his last day of his living with the Ayuhwa, has shown
them the good demeanors and this, indeed, proves that he is worthy to be a dear friend of the Ayuhwa Sioux.
4.3.3.2 The Skidi Pawnee
John Cooper’s social experience with the Skidi Pawnee does not last longer as it happens with the Ayuhwa Sioux. Soon after he leaves the Ayuhwa
Sioux, John Cooper encounters with braves from the Skidi Pawnee who then take him to their village. The only social interference that John Cooper takes part is the
purification tests that the Skidi Pawnee insist on him as the requirement of his acceptance.
There are three tests of purification that John Cooper must pass if he wants to be accepted by the tribe. The first test is that he must run the gauntlet among
two hundred braves. The second test is that he must endure the torture of the chocking smoke and the lashes of the women while he is tied on the pole of the
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
121
smoke house. And, the last test is that he must hunt without using any single weapon even a knife and Lije must not follow him pp. 219-227. John Cooper
has completed all the tests that are given to him. This impresses the Skidi Pawnee people and even the elders honor him for his bravery, endurance and skills in
hunting. Thus, they proudly teach him the supreme beliefs of their gods where no ordinary people will be granted.
John Cooper’s success in completing the purification tests and his eagerness to learn their ways of life have granted him with jubilant acceptance
from the Skidi Pawnee. “John Cooper’s success—he killed eighteen buffalo— won him jubilant acceptance as a mighty hunter who had earned his right to live
among the Skidi Pawnee” p. 235. John Cooper realizes that the Skidi Pawnee give their utmost respect to the mighty hunter. Thus, John Cooper manages
himself to be accepted and makes himself a good friend of them. Even though he does not have the occasion to hunt the animals with the
Skidi Pawnee, John Cooper has learned some characteristics of their social life. Wandering around the village and making universal sign of peace, instead of
speaking the language, to every people he meets at the village are the ways of social communicating that John Cooper does with the Skidi Pawnee. They
appreciate his good intension even when they find that John Cooper speaks with straight tongue. ‘You have shown that you are indeed a hunter and warrior and
that you have courage. If it is your wish, stay with us and, with your long stick that thunders and spits fire, join our braves in hunting the great shaggy ones’ pp.
226-227. That is the appraisal that the chief of the Skidi Pawnee expresses to him
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
122
after his success in the last purification test and as he has shown his sincerity in every words he speaks.
John Cooper’s social relationship with the Skidi Pawnee lasts only until they teach him the rules of their gods, like Mother Corn, Morning Star, Evening
Star and Tirawa, the supreme god. John Cooper, after learning that in order to please their gods, the Skidi Pawnee must give human sacrifice, decides to flee
from the village and save the girl being kidnapped.
4.3.3.3 The Dakota Sioux
