"The Good Hearts"

  Native American Nations | Among the Arrapaho                   

    The Arapaho call themselves “The Good Hearts” and are universally designated by toughing the left breast.  A tipi is indicated by both forefingers crossed near the nails, as in the cut A, so as to present the general outline of a lodge; while the hands partly folded, as in B, in imitation of the corner of an ordinary rail fence, signify a settlement or town. The sign for "on horseback" is made by separating the fore and middle fingers (C) of the right hand over the fingers of the left, extended and joined. The forefingers crossed at right angles, (D) mean a trade, or “swap”  Darkness or night is expressed  by a simultaneous motion of the hands from a position at their respective sides, fore-arms horizontal, and palms up, in a circularly approaching manner, so as to bring them palms down, one above the other, in front of the body (E), as though to nay that "everything is closed." " Everything open," that is, day or daylight, is this motion reversed (F), and both are very significant.

Indian Sign Language

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