Fireplaces.
Within the tent, in the center, was the fireplace (une[|c][)e]), formed
by excavating a small hollow. Beside this was erected a forked post
(isag[|c][)e]), on which was hung the apparatus for suspending a kettle
over the fire. This apparatus was called [|c]exe u[|c]ugacke by the
Ponka, literally, "that by means of which the kettle is hung." The Omaha
have two names for it, uha^{n} u[|c]ugacke, and u[|c]ugackeg[|c]e, the
last syllable of the latter name referring to the attitude of the post.
Around the fireplace was a circular space for the feet of the people as
they sat about the fire. The couches of the occupants of the tent were
arranged outside of and all around this circular space.
Beds and Bedding.
A couch was formed by laying down two or three winter hides dried with
the hair on. These hides were placed around the fireplace at a safe
distance. In the earth lodges, according to Joseph La Fleche, the Omaha
used sahi, or grass mats, for seats, as is the present custom of the
Winnebago; but at night they reclined on dressed hides with thick hair
on them, and covered themselves with similar hides.
For pillows they used ibehi^{n} or i^{n}behi^{n}. When the vegetation
was about 3 inches high in the spring, the Indians killed deer and
pulled off the hair in order to remove the thin skin or tissue next to
it. This latter, when thoroughly dried, is smooth and white, resembling
parchment. It was used for pillows and moccasin-strings. When used for
pillows the case was filled with goose feathers or the hair of the deer
until it was about 2 feet long and 9 inches high. During the day, and
whenever there was occasion, they were used as seats; but if none could
be had, the people sat on winter robes or hides forming the couches.[1]
Back of the couches and next to the interior tent-poles were placed the
baggage, sacks of corn, and other household properties.
The upright tent is one form of the Dakota "wake[']ya," the plural of
which, "wake[']yapi," undoubtedly gave rise to the familiar "wick[']iup"
of the plains, and also to "wae-ka[']-yo" of Morgan.[2]
Cradles.
A board of convenient size, usually about a yard long and a foot wide,
was selected to form a cradle or u[|c]uhe. No pillow was needed. A
soft skin ([p]aq[|c]uqaha [|c]a^{n}) covered with plenty of thick hair
was laid on the board, and on it was placed the infant.
[Footnote 1: Hammocks and bedsteads were unknown prior to their
introduction by the traders and other white people.]
[Footnote 2: Contributions to North American Ethnology, vol. iv., 1881,
p. 114.]
[Illustration: Fig. 311.--Omaha cradle--plan.]
In the annexed figures, <i>a</i> is the [)i]ndua[|c]isi^{n}ka^{n}he, the
object painted on the board at the end where the infant's head is laid;
<i>b</i> is the [)i]ndei[|c]id[)i]ndi^{n} ("that which is drawn taut over
the face"), the two strings of beads and sinew or thread (sometimes made of
red calico alone), which keep in place the fan, etc.; the fan
([)i]ndeagani), which is suspended from a bow of wood, (<i>c</i>) is about
6 inches square, and is now made of interwoven sinew on which beads have
been strung. Occasionally thimbles and other bright objects dangle from
the bottom of the fan. The i[|c]a[|c]istage (<i>d</i>) is the band by which
the infant is fastened to the cradle.
[Illustration: Fig. 312.--Omaha cradle--side view.]
Children's Swings.
For swings the ends of two withes of buffalo hide were secured to four
trees or posts which formed the corners of a parallelogram. A blanket
was thrown across the withes and folded over on them. The infant was
laid on top of the fold and swung from side to side without falling.
Brooms.
Brooms were of two kinds. One form was made of sticks tied together, and
was used for sweeping the ground outside of the tent or earth lodge, and
the interior of the earth lodge, except the fireplace. The other kind
was made of goose or turkey feathers, and was used for sweeping the
fireplace of an earth lodge.
Pottery.
Pottery has not been made by the Omaha for more than fifty years. The
art of making it has been forgotten by the tribe.
Mortar and Pestles.
A mortar was made by burning a large hole in a round knot or piece of
wood about 7 inches in diameter. The lower end was sharpened to a
point, which was thrust into the ground when needed for use. After
putting corn in a mortar of this description, the woman grasped the
wooden pestle in the middle, with the larger end upward; the smaller
end, which was about an inch in diameter, was put into the mortar. The
operation of pounding corn among the Omaha was called "he." The mortar
(uhe) and pestle (wehe) were both made commonly of elm, although
sometimes they were fashioned of white oak. Mortars were of various
sizes, some of them measuring 2 feet in diameter. Pestles were always of
hard and heavy wood, and fully 3 feet long, taperring from 4 inches to
an inch in diameter.
[Illustration: Fig. 314.--Omaha pestle.]
[Illustration: Fig. 313.--Omaha mortar.]
Spoons, Ladles and Drinking Vessels.
Spoons were made of horn, wood, or pottery. The black spoons made of
buffalo horn ([t]ehe sab[)e]), are not used by such Omaha as belong to
the Buffalo gentes (Inkesab[)e], [|C]atada, [T]esinde, etc.) which may
not touch a buffalo head. Other horn spoons of light color are made of
cow horn. These are of modern origin. Wooden spoons (ja^{n}[t]ehe) were
made of knobs or knots of trees. Spoons made of buffalo horn are found
among the Omaha and Ponka, but the Osage, Kansa, and Kwapa use clam
shells ([t]ihaba, in [|C]egiha; tcuehaba, tcuehuba, in Kansa), so the
Kansa call a small spoon, tcuehaba jinga. Spoons of buffalo horn had
their handles variously ornamented by notches and other rude carving,
often terminating in the head of a bird, the neck or handle of each
being elevated at an angle of 50 deg. or 60 deg. with the bowl, which, was about
3 inches in width by about 5 in length. As the handle of such a spoon
usually terminates in a head or hook, it was impossible for it to slip
into the bowl when the hook rested on the outside of the rim of the
bowl.
Food was served in bowls of a very wide and simple form and of various
sizes, generally carved out of large knots of wood. These served as
drinking cups (ni[']i[|c]ata^{n}), but now cups of tin or earthenware
are used for that purpose.