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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
John Cooper’s social relationship with the Dakota Sioux happens after his rescuing the daughter of Weshtimago, Damasha, from being the human sacrifice
for the gods of the Skidi Pawnee. As the first event that John Cooper has, the blood-brother ritual is given by the chief of the Dakota Sioux. This represents the
deep gratitude of Weshtimago to John Cooper for saving his daughter. “The honor which Weshmatigo offered to him was the highest that could be paid, since it was
offered by the chief himself” p. 260. The chief also exclaims that there will be no house or a Dakota Sioux Indian that will not give him food, shelter and
friendship. The blood-brother John Cooper receives incarnates him as the part of them and hence begins his relationships with them.
As the common tradition like many other Indian tribes have, John Cooper often joins the Dakota Sioux braves in the hunting games. His rifle has impacted
special amazement to the Dakota Sioux who witness him shooting the biggest and the most hunting animals in the game. John Cooper also realizes that the Indians
are appreciative. Thus, he always shares the meat with the people in the village,
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especially Weshmatigo and Sanimito. “Knowing what stock Indians placed upon gifts and gestures of generosity, John Cooper insisted that the game he had killed
should be divided between Weshmatigo and Sanimito” p. 263. His way of sharing the meat and joining the braves in the hunting game shows that John
Cooper manages to adapt himself to the environment where he is. The people respect him as they respect their own and especially because John Cooper is a
young wasichu who intelligibly welcomes and learns their way of life. John Cooper is eager to learn the language that the Dakota Sioux speak.
Patiently Sanimito teaches him the rudimentary of Dakota Sioux words and in months, John Cooper can speak it fluently as if he is Sanimito himself. He often
communicates with the braves and in polite expressions he shows his gratitude to Weshmatigo for what he has done to him. As the appreciation of John Cooper’s
eagerness in learning the ways of the Dakota Sioux, Weshtimago rewards him a strong horse and the people build him a tepee of his own as the sign that they
accept him as one of them. By the end of the next day, John Cooper could not suppress a smile of
amusement at the extreme contrast between the rude welcome he had received form Sanimito and the honor he was now being paid by the
people of the village. A new tepee had been built near the entrance of the village, and it had been covered with buffalo skins…It even had a
picturegraph of him killing the bear, which a tribal elder had painted after seeing his wampum belt pp. 262-263.
It is an indication that John Cooper is welcomed and has built good relationship with the tribe. It is depicted that John Cooper is treated badly at the first time he
comes to the village after he takes back Damasha. After some wise explanation from Weshmatigo about why Sanimito and the other braves treat him such a way,
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John Cooper realizes that there is a misunderstanding between his intension and Sanimito’s first perception about John Cooper. John Cooper tends to be
unemotional and think the positive ways to be accepted by the people of the Dakota Sioux rather than counter the confrontation.
There is also a sun dance that John Cooper has joined in. This sun dance remarks the preparation for the great hunting of the buffalo. But, different from
the one John Cooper has joined in the Ayuhwa Sioux, here the women also take parts as they worship their gods and pray for the safety of their men. Meanwhile,
the men are, like the Ayuhwa Sioux, attacking the chosen tree as the symbol of their enemy and the fallen buffalo pp. 276-277. John Cooper receives the highest
honor as a mighty hunter by sitting on the right side of the chief. This honor the chief has given him as symbols of their brotherhood, friendship, and to show the
village that John Cooper is a mighty hunter after his success in bringing back the most meat than the other braves.
John Cooper feels more comfortable to live among the Dakota Sioux. He realizes that the way of the Dakota Sioux lives is simpler compared to the Skidi
Pawnee’s. There is no urge for John Cooper neither to adopt the religion of the Dakota Sioux nor to take a wife as the previous tribal chiefs have done to him.
There is an exclamation from Weshtimago to John Cooper. “‘You have learned our ways already. Our thoughts come easily to you. This is a good sign…Live
with us in peace, and come with us on the hunt. For, in the short time that you have been with us, my young blood brother, you have made many friends. You
are welcome here’” p. 276. Weshtimago’s exclamation has proved John Cooper
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good relationship with the people of the tribe and especially to himself. John Cooper responds him politely and tells him that he will bring more meat for the
village and to maintain the friendships he has built with them. It indeed strengthens their relationships and John Cooper has once again successfully built
social relationship with the Dakota Sioux. Unfortunately, the social relationship between John Cooper and the
Dakota Sioux must tragically end. It is due to the fact that John Cooper unwillingly has killed Ikinitse, the son of the Dakota Sioux shaman. The shaman
urges Weshmatigo as the tribal chief to send a war party to chase John Cooper and his dog. The people consider that John Cooper is a traitor who has betrayed their
trust by killing the one they respect. Thus, they mean to pursue him and punish him for what he has done.
4.3.3.4 The Jicarilla Apache
