The Cutting Scene, Mandan O-kee-pa Ceremony
The Cutting Scene is part of a series of four paintings by Catlin that depict the O-kee-pa ceremony, the central religious activity of the Mandan Indians. The young men in this painting were willing participants in this sacred ceremony, which was held to ensure the community’s prosperity. During the part of the ritual depicted in this painting, wooden splints were inserted into the participant’s chest and back muscles (a procedure that, although painful, didn’t cause lasting injury).