A language of signs and gestures closely related to the Indian's picture writing, by which different tribes of Plains Indians communicated with one another. It was similar in a way to the sign language of deaf mutes, only Indians had no alphabet and could not spell out words, but made signs for things and ideas.
The sign language is said to have originated in the buffalo country when different tribes came together during a hunt and by sign and gestures indicated whether they were friendly or hostile. It spread throughout the Plains country and in time reached such a stage of perfection that it was easily understood by Indians of different tribes. Indians living close together, such as the Cheyenne and the Arapaho, did not trouble to learn each other's language, but communicated by the sign language.
In the sign language one or both hands was used. The Indian pointed to the position in the sky where the sun would be to say that a certain event happened at a certain time of day. To indicate a full day he would point to the east and move his finger over his head to the west. If an Indian wanted to hold a private conversation with someone, he would first point to himself, then to the other and finally to the place where they could be alone - or out of sight of others.
The sign for "man" was made by throwing out the hand, back outward, with the index finger extended upward, showing man was an animal that walked erect. "Woman" was indicated by a sweeping downward movement of the hand at the side of the head, with fingers extended toward the hair, to denote the combing of long hair. To designate a Blackfoot Indian the sign talker would touch his moccasin and then rub his finger on something black.
Just as some languages please the ear, Indian sign language "talked" by experts, pleased the eye. Said one writer: "in fluent grace of movement a conversation in the sign language between a Cheyenne and a Kiowa is the very poetry of motion."
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