Question

Momaday explains his personal encounter with the Tai-me saying, " There was a great holiness all about in the room, as if an old person had died there or a child had been born." If this is how Momaday felt about the religious relic, answer the question about the symbolism of the piece in the Kiowa history. Why does the theft of the Tai-me represent the decline of the Kiowa people
A)

The Tai-me was a symbol of Kiowa power and their spiritual existence.


B)

Tai-me was a valuable spiritual relic worth a great deal of money.


C)

The people used the Tai-me to make trades with other tribes.


D)

The peaceful Kiowas suddenly went to war.

Answer 1

A) The Tai-me  was a symbol of kiowa power and their spiritual existence

Answer 2

The correct answer is A.  There was a special ritual for the Kiowa people called Kiowa Sun Dance, and a central figure was the Tai-me, It was a doll to which the Kiowas made offerings in hopes to obtain good luck. The bundle containing the Tai-me was kept by the Kaigwu, the guardians. The Tai-me was very important for the life and culture of the Kiowa people.