CHAPTER XII.--THE LAW 364

Personal law 364

Property law 366

Corporation law 367

Government law 367

International law 368

Military law 368

Religious law 368

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

PLATE XXX.--Map showing the migrations of the Omahas

and cognate tribes 212

XXXI.--Tent of Agaha-wacuce 237

XXXII.--Omaha system of consanguinities 253

XXXIII.--Omaha system of affinities 255

FIG. 12.--The Omaha tribal circle 220

13.--Places of the chiefs, &c., in the tribal assembly 224

14.--Iñke-sabe tent 230

15.--Iñke-sabe style of wearing the hair 230

16.--Iñke-sabe Gentile assembly 231

17.--The sacred pole 234

18.--Wasabe-hit`ajĭ style of wearing the hair 237

19.--[T]e-sinde style of wearing the hair 244

20.--The weawa^n or calumet pipe 277

21.--Rattles used in the pipe dance 278

22.--The Dakota style of tobacco pouch used by the Omahas

in the pipe dance 278

23.--The position of the pipes, the ear of corn, &c. 279

24.--Decoration of child's face 280

25.--Showing positions of the long tent, the pole, and rows

of "ʇa" within the tribal circle 295

26.--Figures of pumpkins 306

27.--The Webajabe 310

28.--The Weubaja^n 311

29.--Front view of the iron 311

30.--Old Ponka fort 314

31.--Diagram showing places of the guests, messengers, etc. 315

32.--The banañge 336

33.--The sticks 336

34.--Na^na^n au hă 336

35.--₵ab¢i^n au hă 337

36.--Diagram of the play-ground 337

37.--The stick used in playing [P]a¢i^n-jahe 338

38.--The wa¢igije 338

39.--The stick used in playing I^nti^n-buʇa 341

40.--The waq¢eq¢e `a^nsa 352

41.--The Ponka style of hañga-ʞi`a^nze 359

42.--The Omaha style of hañga-ʞi`a^nze 361

OMAHA SOCIOLOGY.

BY J. OWEN DORSEY.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

§ 1. The Omaha Indians belong to the ₵egiha group of the Siouan family.

The ₵egiha group may be divided into the Omaha-₵egiha and the

Kwapa-₵egiha. In the former are four tribes, speaking three dialects,

while the latter consists of one tribe, the Kwapas. The dialects are as

follows: Pañka, spoken by the Ponkas and Omahas; Waᴐaᴐe, the Osage

dialect; [K]a^nze, that of the Kansas or Kaws, closely related to the

Waᴐaᴐe; and Ugaqpa, or Kwapa.

§ 2. ₵egiha means, "Belonging to the people of this land," and answers

to the Oto "[T]ᴐiwere," and the Iowa "[T]ᴐeʞiwere." Mr. Joseph La

Flèche, who was formerly a head chief of the Omahas, also said that

₵egiha was about equivalent to "Dakota." When an Omaha was challenged in

the dark, when on his own land, he generally replied, "I am a ₵egiha."

So did a Ponka reply, under similar circumstances, when on his own land.

But when challenged in the dark, when away from home, he was obliged to

give the name of his tribe, saying, "I am an Omaha," or, "I am a Ponka,"

as the case might be.

§ 3. The real name of the Omahas is "Uma^nha^n." It is explained by a

tradition obtained from a few members of the tribe. When the ancestors

of the Omahas, Ponkas, Osages, and several other cognate tribes traveled

down the Ohio to its mouth, they separated on reaching the Mississippi.

Some went up the river, hence the name Uma^nha^n, from ʞíma^nha^n, "to

go against the wind or stream." The rest went down the river, hence the

name Ugáqpa or Kwápa, from ugáqpa or ugáha, "to float down the stream."

EARLY MIGRATIONS OF THE ₵EGIHA TRIBES.

The tribes that went up the Mississippi were the Omahas, Ponkas, Osages,

and Kansas. Some of the Omahas remember a tradition that their ancestors

once dwelt at the place where Saint Louis now stands; and the Osages and

Kansas say that they were all one people, inhabiting an extensive

peninsula, on the Missouri River.

On this peninsula was a high mountain, which the Kansas called

Ma^n-daqpaye and Tce-dŭñga-ajabe; the corresponding Osage name being

Ma^n-ʇaqpa¢ě.[1]

Subsequently, these tribes ranged through a territory, including Osage,

Gasconade, and other adjacent counties of the State of Missouri, perhaps

most of the country lying between the Mississippi and the Osage Rivers.

The Iowas were near them; but the Omahas say that the Otos and Missouris

were not known to them. The Iowa chiefs, however, have a tradition that

the Otos were their kindred, and that both tribes, as well as the Omahas

and Ponkas, were originally Winnebagos. A recent study of the dialects

of the Osages, Kansas, and Kwapas discloses remarkable similarities

which strengthen the supposition that the Iowas and Otos, as well as the

Missouris, were of one stock.

At the mouth of the Osage River the final separation occurred. The

Omahas and Ponkas crossed the Missouri and, accompanied by the Iowas,

proceeded by degrees through Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota, till they

reached the neighborhood of the Red Pipestone quarry. This must have

taken many years, as their course was marked by a succession of

villages, consisting of earth lodges.

Thence they journeyed towards the Big Sioux River, where they made a

fort. They remained in that country a long time, making earth lodges and

cultivating fields. Game abounded. At that time the Yanktons dwelt in a

densely wooded country near the head of the Mississippi; hence the

Omahas called them, in those days, "Ja^n´aʇa ni´kaci^nga, The people

who dwelt in the woods." After that the Yanktons removed and became

known as Yanktons. By and by the Dakotas made war on the three tribes,

and many Omahas were killed by them. So at last the three tribes went

west and southwest to a lake near the head of Choteau Creek, Dakota

Territory, now known as Lake Andes (?). There they cut the sacred pole

(see §§ 36 and 153), and assigned to each gens and subgens its peculiar

customs, such as the sacred pipe, sacred tents, and the taboos. There

were a great many gentes in each tribe at that time, far more than they

have at present; and these gentes were in existence long before they cut

the sacred pole.

After leaving the lake, known as "Waq¢éxe gasai´ ¢a^n, Where they cut

the sacred pole," they traveled up the Missouri River till they arrived

at Ni-úgacúde, White Earth River. They crossed the Missouri, above

this stream, and occupied the country between the Missouri and the Black

Hills, though they did not go to the Black Hills.[2] After awhile, they

turned down stream, and kept together till they reached the mouth of the

Niobrara, where the Ponkas stopped. The Omahas and Iowas continued their

journey till they reached Bow Creek, Nebraska, where the Omahas made

their village, the Iowas going beyond till they reached Ionia Creek,

where they made a village on the east bank of the stream, near its

mouth, and not far from the site of the present town of Ponca.

[1] The writer was told by an Osage that Ma^nʇaqpa¢ě was at Fire

Prairie, Missouri, where the first treaty with the Osages was made by

the United States. But that place is on a creek of the same name, which

empties into the Missouri River on the south, in T. 50 N., R. 28 W., at

the town of Napoleon, Jackson County, Missouri. This could not have been

the original Ma^nʇaqpa¢ě. Several local names have been duplicated by

the Kansas in the course of their wanderings, and there are traces of

similar duplications among the Osages. Besides this, the Omahas and

Ponkas never accompanied the Kansas and Osages beyond the mouth of the

Osage River; and the Kansas did not reach the neighborhood of Napoleon,

Missouri, for some time after the separation at the mouth of the Osage

River.

[Illustration: MAP SHOWING MIGRATIONS OF THE OMAHAS AND COGNATE TRIBES.

_Legend._

1. Winnebago habitat.

2. Iowa habitat.

3. Arkansas habitat.

4. Kwapa habitat, after the separation from the Omahas, etc.

5. Route of the Omahas, Ponkas, Kansas, and Osages.

6. Their habitat at the mouth of the Missouri River.

7. Their course along that river.

8. Their habitat at the month of Osage River.

9. Subsequent course of the Osages.

10. Subsequent course of the Kansas.

11. Course of the Omahas and Ponkas, according to some.

12. Their course, according to others.

13. Where they met the Iowas.

14. Course of the three tribes.

15. Pipestone quarry.

16. Cliffs 100 feet high on each bank.

17. Fort built by the three tribes.

18. Lake Andes.

19. Mouth of White River.

20. Mouth of the Niobrara River.

22. Omaha village on Bow Creek.

23. Iowa village on Ionia Creek.

24. Omaha village [T]iʇañga jiñga and Zande buʇa.

25. Omaha village at Omadi.

26. Omaha village on Bell Creek.

27. Probable course of the Iowas.

28. Omaha habitat on Salt Creek.

30. Omaha habitat at Ane nat'ai ¢a^n.

31. Omaha habitat on Shell Creek.

33. Omaha habitat on the Elkhorn River.

35. Omaha habitat on Logan Creek.

37. Omaha habitat near Bellevue.]

By and by the Omahas removed to a place near Covington, Nebr., nearly

opposite the present Sioux City. The remains of this village are now

known as "[T]i-ʇañ´ga-jiñ´ga," and the lake near by is called

"₵íxucpa^n-úg¢e," because of the willow trees found along its banks.

In the course of time the Iowas passed the Omahas again, and made a new

village near the place where Florence now stands. After that they

continued their course southward to their present reservation.

The Otos did not accompany the Ponkas, Omahas, and Iowas, when they

crossed the Missouri, and left the Osages and others. The Otos were

first met on the Platte River, in comparatively modern times, according

to Mr. La Flèche.

SUBSEQUENT MIGRATIONS OF THE OMAHAS.

§ 4. After leaving [T]i-ʇañga-jiñga, where the lodges were made of

wood, they dwelt at Zandé búʇa.

2. Ta^n´wa^n-ʇañ´ga, The Large Village, is a place near the town of

Omadi, Nebr. The stream was crossed, and the village made, after a

freshet.

3. On the west side of Bell Creek, Nebraska.

4. Thence south to Salt Creek, above the site of Lincoln.

5. Then back to Ta^nwa^n-ʇañga. While the people were there, A^nba-hebe,

the tribal historian was born. This was over eighty years ago.

6. Thence they went to Áne-nát'ai ¢a^n, a hill on the west bank of the

Elkhorn River, above West Point, and near Bismarck.

7. After five years they camped on the east bank of Shell Creek.

8. Then back to Ta^nwa^n-ʇañga, on Omaha Creek.

9. Then on the Elkhorn, near Wisner, for ten years. While there,

A^nba-hebe married.

10. About the year 1832-'3, they returned to Ta^nwa^n-ʇañga, on Omaha

Creek.

11. In 1841 they went to Ta^n´wa^n-jiñgá ¢a^n, The Little Village, at

the mouth of Logan Creek, and on the east side.

12. In 1843, they returned to Ta^nwa^n-ʇañga.

13. In 1845 they went to a plateau west of Bellevue. On the top of the

plateau they built their earth lodges, while the agency was at Bellevue.

14. They removed to their present reserve in 1855.

[2] A Ponka chief, Buffalo Chips, said that his tribe left the rest at

White Earth River and went as far as the Little Missouri River and the

region of the Black Hills. Finally, they returned to their kindred, who

then began their journey down the Missouri River. Other Ponkas have told

about going to the Black Hills.

PRESENT STATE OF THE OMAHAS.

§ 5. Their reservation was about 30 miles in extent from east to west,

and 18 or 20 from north to south. It formed Black Bird County. The

northern part of it containing some of the best of the timber lands, was

ceded to the Winnebagos, when that tribe was settled in Nebraska, and is

now in Dakota County. The southern part, the present Omaha reservation,

is in Burt County. The Omahas have not decreased in population during

the past twenty-five years. In 1876 they numbered 1,076. In 1882 there

are about 1,100. Most of the men have been farmers since 1869; but some

of them, under Mr. La Flèche, began to work for themselves as far back

as 1855. Each man resides on his claim, for which he holds a patent

given him by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Many live in frame houses,

the most of which were built at the expense of their occupants.

CHAPTER II.

THE STATE.

§ 6. "A state," said Maj. J. W. Powell, in his presidential address to

the Anthropological Society of Washington, in 1882, "is a body politic,

an organized group of men with an established government, and a body of

determined law. In the organization of societies units of different

orders are discovered." Among the Omahas and other tribes of the Siouan

family, the primary unit is the gens or clan, which is composed of a

number of consanguinei, claiming descent from a common ancestor, and

having a common taboo or taboos. But starting from the tribe or state as

a whole, we find among the Omahas two half-tribes of five gentes each,

the first called "Hañga-cenu," and the second, "Ictasanda." (See § 10.)

These half-tribes do not seem to be phratries, as they do not possess

the rights of the latter as stated by Morgan: the Hañga-cenu gentes

never meet by themselves apart from the Ictasanda gentes.

Next to the half-tribes are the gentes, of which the Omahas have ten.

Each gens in turn is divided into "uʞig¢a[s]ne," or subgentes. The

number of the latter varies, at present, according to the particular

gens; though the writer has found traces of the existence of four

subgentes in each gens in former days. The subgentes seem to be composed

of a number of groups of a still lower order, which are provisionally

termed "sections." The existence of sections among the Omahas had been

disputed by some, though other members of the tribe claim that they are

real units of the lowest order. We find among the Tito^n-wa^n Dakotas,

many of these groups, which were originally sections, but which have at

length become gentes, as the marriage laws do not affect the higher

groups, the original phratries, gentes, and subgentes.

The Ponka chiefs who were in Washington in 1880, claimed that in their

tribe there used to be eight gentes, one of which has become extinct;

and that now there are ten, three subgentes having become gentes in

recent times. According to Mr. Joseph La Flèche, a Ponka by birth, who

spent his boyhood with the tribe, there are but seven gentes, one having

become extinct; while the Wajaje and Nuqe, which are now the sixth and

seventh gentes, were originally one. For a fuller discussion of the

gentes see the next chapter.

The state, as existing among the Omahas and cognate tribes, may be

termed a kinship state, that is, one in which "governmental functions

are performed by men whose positions in the government are determined by

kinship, and rules relating to kinship and the reproduction of the

species constitute the larger body of the law. The law regulates

marriage and the rights and duties of the several members of a body of

kindred to each other. Individuals are held responsible," chiefly "to

their kindred; and certain groups of kindred are held responsible," in

some cases, "to other groups of kindred. When other conduct, such as the

distribution of game taken from the forest or fish from the sea, is

regulated, the rules or laws pertaining thereto involve the

considerations of kinship," to a certain extent. (See Chapter XII, §

303.)

DIFFERENTIATION OF ORGANS IN THE STATE.

§ 7. The legislative, executive, and judicial functions have not been

differentiated. (See Government, Chapter XI.)

Whether the second mode of differentiation has taken place among the

Omahas, and just in the order described by Major Powell, is an open

question. This mode is thus stated: "Second, by the multiplication of

the orders of units and the specialization of the subordinate units so

that subordinate organizations perform special functions. Thus cities

may be divided into wards, counties into towns." Subgentes, as well as

gentes, were necessary among the Omahas for marriage purposes, as is

shown in §§ 57, 78, etc. The recent tendency has been to centralization

or consolidation, whereas there are strong reasons for believing that

each gens had four subgentes at the first; several subgentes having

become few in number of persons have been united to the remaining and

more powerful subgentes of their respective gentes.

The third mode of differentiations of organs in the State is "by

multiplication of corporations for specific purposes." The writer has

not yet been able to find any traces of this mode among the Omahas and

cognate tribes.

§ 8. Two classes of organization are found in the constitution of the

State, "those relating directly to the government, called major

organizations, and those relating indirectly to the government, called

minor organizations." The former embraces the State classes, the latter,

corporations.

STATE CLASSES.

These have not been clearly differentiated. Three classes of men have

been recognized: Níkagáhi, wanáce, and cénujiñ´ga.

In civil affairs, the nikagahi are the chiefs, exercising legislative,

executive, and judicial functions. They alone have a voice in the tribal

assembly, which is composed of them. The wanace, policemen, or braves,

are the servants or messengers of the chiefs, and during the

surrounding of a herd of buffalo, they have extraordinary powers

conferred on them. (See §§ 140 and 297.)

The cenujiñga, or young men, are the "common people," such as have not

distinguished themselves, either in war or in any other way. They have

no voice in the assembly, and during the buffalo hunt they must obey the

chiefs and wanace.

In religious affairs, which are closely associated with civil ones, we

find the chiefs having a prominent part. Besides the chiefs proper are

the seven keepers of the sacred pipes, or pipes of peace (see §§ 14-19,

287, 296), and the keepers of the three sacred tents (see §§ 13, 22-24,

36, 295). The functions of these keepers of the sacred tents, especially

those of the two Hañga men, appear to be both religious and civil. Of

these two men, [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ said: "The two old men,

Waka^n´-ma^n¢i^n and [T]e-ha^n´ma^n¢i^n, are the real governors of

the tribe, and are counted as gods. They are reverenced by all, and men

frequently give them presents. They mark the tattooed women." Frank La

Flèche denied this, saying that these two old men are the servants of

the Hañga chief, being only the keepers of the sacred tents of his gens.

J. La Flèche and Two Crows said that while there were some

"níkaci^n´ga qubé," sacred or mysterious men, among the Omahas, they

did not know who they were. Some of the chiefs and people respect them,

but others despise them. It is probable that by níkaci^n´ga qube, they

meant exorcists or conjurers, rather than priests, as the former pretend

to be "qube," mysterious, and to have supernatural communications.

There is no military class or gens among the Omahas, though the Ponka

₵ixida gens, and part of the Nika[p]aᴐna gens are said to be warriors.

Among the Omahas, both the captains and warriors must be taken from the

class of cenujiñga, as the chiefs are afraid to undertake the work of

the captains. The chiefs, being the civil and religious leaders of the

people, cannot serve as captains or even as subordinate officers of a

war party. Nor can they join such a party unless it be a large one.

Their influence is exerted on the side of peace (see §§ 191, 292), and

they try to save the lives of murderers. (See § 310.) They conduct peace

negotiations between contending tribes. (See §§ 220, 292.)

All the members of a war party, including the captains, lieutenants, and

wanace, as well the warriors, are promoted to the grade or class of

(civil) wanace on their return from battle. (See § 216.)

SERVANTS.

There are no slaves; but there are several kinds of servants called

wagáq¢a^n. In civil and religious affairs, the following are wagáq¢a^n.

The two keepers of the Hañga sacred tents are the servants of the Hañga

chief. (See above, § 295, etc.) One of these old men is always the

servant of the other though they exchange places. (See § 151.) The

keepers of the sacred pipes are the servants of the chiefs. (See §§

17-19). The ₵atada Quʞa man is the servant of the keepers of the

sacred tents. (See § 143.) Some of the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ men are servants

of the Weji^ncte gens, acting as such in the sacred tent. (See §§ 23,

24.) Some of the Iñke-sabě men are the servants of the Hañga when they

act as criers (see §§ 130, 136, etc.), and so is a [K]a^nze man (§ 152).

The wanace are the servants of the chiefs. The wag¢a or messengers

acting as criers for a feast are the servants of the giver of the feast

for the time being.

In military affairs, the following are servants: The men who act as

wag¢a for the preliminary feast; the men who carry the baggage of the

captains and wait on them; the bearer of the kettle; the bearers of the

sacred bags when there is a large party; the special followers of each

captain, including his lieutenant, the followers or warriors being about

equally divided between the captains; and the wanace or policemen. (See

War Customs, Chapter IX.)

Social classes are undifferentiated. Any man can win a name and rank in

the state by becoming "wacuce," or brave, either in war or by the

bestowal of gifts and the frequent giving of feasts. (See § 224.)

CORPORATIONS.

Corporations are minor organizations, which are indirectly related to

the government, though they do not constitute a part of it.

The Omahas are organized into certain societies for religious,

industrial, and other ends. There are two kinds, the Ikágekí¢ě or

brother-hoods, and the Úkikune¢ě, or feasting organizations. The former

are the dancing societies, to some of which the doctors belong. A fuller

description of them will be found in Chapter X.

The industrial organization of the state will be discussed in Chapters

VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI.

CHAPTER III.

THE GENTILE SYSTEM.

TRIBAL CIRCLES.

§ 9. In former days, whenever a large camping-ground could not be found,

the Ponkas used to encamp in three concentric circles; while the Omahas,

who were a smaller tribe, pitched their tents in two similar circles.

This custom gave rise to the name "Oyate yamni," The Three Nations, as

the Ponkas were styled by the Dakotas, and the Omahas became known as

the Two Nations. But the usual order of encampment has been to pitch all

the tents in one large circle or horseshoe, called "hú¢uga" by the

Indians. In this circle the gentes took their regular places,

disregarding their gentile circles, and pitching the tents, one after

another, within the area necessary for each gens. This circle was not

made by measurement, nor did any one give directions where each tent

should be placed; that was left to the women.

When the people built a village of earth-lodges, and dwelt in it, they

did not observe this order of camping. Each man caused his lodge to be

built wherever he wished to have it, generally near those of his

kindred. But whenever the whole tribe migrated with the skin tents, as

when they went after the buffaloes, they observed this order. (See §

133.)

Sometimes the tribe divided into two parties, some going in one

direction, some in another. On such occasions the regular order of

camping was not observed; each man encamped near his kindred, whether

they were maternal or paternal consanguinities.

The crier used to tell the people to what place they were to go, and

when they reached it the women began to pitch the tents.

THE OMAHA TRIBAL CIRCLE.

§ 10. The road along which they passed divided the tribal circle into

two equal parts; five gentes camped on the right of it and five pitched

their tents on its left. Those on the right were called the Hañgacenu,

and the others were known as the Ictasanda. The Hañgacenu gentes are

as follows: Wéji^ncte, Iñké-sábě, Hañ´ga, ₵átada, and [K]a^n´ze.

The Ictasanda gentes are as follows: Ma^n`¢iñka-gáxe, [T]e-sĭn´de,

[T]a-[p]á, Iñg¢é-jide, and Ictásanda.

According to Waha^n-¢iñge, the chief of the [T]e-sĭnde gens, there used

to be one hundred and thirty-three tents pitched by the Hañgacenu, and

one hundred and forty-seven by the Ictasanda. This was probably the case

when they went on the hunt the last time, in 1871 or 1872.

[Illustration: FIG. 12.--The Omaha tribal circle.

LEGEND.

HAÑGACENU GENTES.

A. Weji^ncte, or Elk.

B. Iñke-sabě.

C. Hañga.

D. ₵atada:

_a._ Wasanbe-hit`ajĭ.

_b._ Wajiñga-¢atajĭ.

_c._ [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ.

_d._ [K]e-`i^n.

E. [K]a^nze.

ICTASANDA GENTES.

F. Mañ¢iñka-gaxe.

G. [T]e-sĭnde.

H. [T]a-[p]a.

I. Iñg¢e-jide.

K. Ictasanda.

The sacred tents of the Weji^ncte and Hañga gentes are designated by

appropriate figures; so also are the seven gentes which keep the sacred

pipes. The diameter of the circle represents the road traveled by the

tribe, A and K forming the gentes in the van.]

RULES FOR PITCHING THE TENTS.

§ 11. Though they did not measure the distances, each woman knew where

to pitch her tent. Thus a [K]a^nze woman who saw a Weji^ncte tent set

up, knew that her tent must be pitched at a certain distance from that

part of the circle, and at or near the opposite end of the road or

diameter of the circle. When two tents were pitched too far apart one

woman said to the other, "Pitch the tent a little closer." Or, if they

were too close, she said, "Pitch the tent further away." So also if the

tents of neighboring gentes were too far apart or too close together. In

the first case the women of one gens might say, "Move along a little,

and give us more room." In the other they might say, "Come back a

little, as there is too much space between us." When the end gentes,

Weji^ncte and Ictasanda, were too far apart there was sometimes danger

of attacks of enemies. On one occasion the Dakotas made a dash into the

very midst of the circle and did much damage, because the space between

these two gentes was too great. But at other times, when there is no

fear of an attack, and when the women wish to dress hides, etc., the

crier said: "Halloo! Make ye them over a large tract of land." This is

the only occasion when the command is given _how_ to pitch the tents.

When the tribe returned from the hunt the gentes encamped in reverse

order, the Weji^ncte and Ictasanda gentes having their tents at the end

of the circle nearest home.

There appear indications that there were special areas, not only for

the gentes, but even for the subgentes, all members of any subgens

having their lodges set up in the same area. Thus, in the Iñke-sabě

gens, there are some that camped next the Weji^ncte, and others next

the Hañga; some of the Hañga camped next the Iñke-sabě, and others next

the ₵atada, and so on. (See § 73.)

§ 12. Within the circle were placed the horses, as a precaution against

attacks from enemies. When a man had many horses and wished to have them

near him, he generally camped within the circle, apart from his gens,

but this custom was of modern origin, and was the exception to the rule.

THE SACRED TENTS.

§ 13. The three sacred tents were pitched within the circle and near

their respective gentes: that of the Weji^ncte is the war tent, and it

was placed not more than 50 yards from its gens; those of the Hañga gens

are connected with the regulation of the buffalo hunt, etc.; or, we may

say that the former had to do with the protection of life and the latter

with the sustenance of life, as they used to depend mainly on the hunt

for food, clothing, and means of shelter.

THE SACRED PIPES.

§ 14. All the sacred pipes belong to the Hañga gens, though Hañga, in

ancient times, appointed the Iñke-sabě gens as the custodian of them.

(J. La Flèche and Two Crows.) The Iñke-sabě gens, however, claims

through its chief, Gahige, to have been the first owner of the pipes;

but this is doubtful. There are at present but two sacred pipes in

existence among the Omahas, though there are seven gentes which are said

to possess sacred pipes. These seven are as follows: Three of the

Hañgacenu, the Iñke-sabě, ₵atada, and [K]a^nze, and four of the

Ictasanda, the Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe, [T]e-sĭnde, [T]a-[p]a, and Ictasanda.

The two sacred pipes still in existence are kept by the Iñke-sabě gens.

These pipes are called "Niniba waqube," Sacred Pipes, or "Niniba jide,"

Red Pipes. They are made of the red pipestone which is found in the

famous red pipestone quarry. The stems are nearly flat and are worked

near the mouth-piece with porcupine quills.

GAHIGE'S ACCOUNT OF THE TRADITION OF THE PIPES.

§ 15. Gahige, of the Iñke-sabě gens, said that his gens had the seven

pipes at the first, and caused them to be distributed among the other

gentes. He named as the seven gentes who had the pipes, the following:

1. Iñke-sabě; 2. [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ sub-gens of the ₵atada; 3.

Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe; 4. [T]a-[p]a; 5. [T]e-sĭnde; 6. Ictasanda; 7. Hañga

(_sic_). In order to reach the Hañga again the seven old men had to go

partly around the circle a second time. These are the gentes that had

pipes and chiefs at the first. The chiefs of the three remaining gentes,

the Weji^ncte, [K]a^nze, and Iñg¢e-jide, were not made for years

afterward. He also said that the buffalo skull given to the

[T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ was regarded as equivalent to a sacred pipe.

The writer is inclined to think that there is some truth in what Gahige

has said, though he cannot accept all of his statement. Gahige gives one

pipe to the Hañga gens; Two Crows intimated that his gens was the

virtual keeper of a pipe. But A^nba-hebe's story shows that it was not a

real pipe, but the firebrand for lighting the pipes. In like manner,

[T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ has not a real pipe, but the buffalo skull, which is

considered as a pipe. Hence, it may be that the men who are called

"keepers of the pipes" in the [K]a^nze, Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe, [T]a-[p]a,

[T]e-sĭnde, and Ictasanda gentes never had real pipes but certain

objects which are held sacred, and have some connection with the two

pipes kept by the Iñke-sabě.

A^{N}BA-HEBE'S ACCOUNT OF THE TRADITION OF THE PIPES.

§ 16. The following is the tradition of the sacred pipes, according to

A^nba-hebe, the aged historian of the Omahas:

The old men made seven pipes and carried them around the tribal

circle. They first reached Weji^ncte, who sat there as a male elk,

and was frightful to behold, so the old men did not give him a pipe.

Passing on to the Iñke-sabě, they gave the first pipe to the head of

that gens. Next they came to Hañga, to whom they handed a firebrand,

saying, "Do thou keep the firebrand," _i. e._, "You are to thrust it

into the pipe-bowls." Therefore it is the duty of Hañga to light the

pipes for the chiefs (_sic_). When they reached the Bear people they

feared them because they sat there with the sacred bag of black

bear-skin, so they did not give them a pipe. The Blackbird people

received no pipe because they sat with the sacred bag of bird-skins

and feathers. And the old men feared the Turtle people, who had made

a big turtle on the ground, so they passed them by. But when they

saw the Eagle people they gave them a pipe because they did not fear

them, and the buffalo was good. (Others say that the Eagle people

had started off in anger when they found themselves slighted, but

the old men pursued them, and on overtaking them they handed them a

bladder filled with tobacco, and also a buffalo skull, saying, "Keep

this skull as a sacred thing." This appeased them, and they

rejoined the tribe.) Next the old men saw the [K]a^nze, part of whom

were good, and part were bad. To the good ones they gave a pipe. The

Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe people were the next gens. They, too, were divided,

half being bad. These bad ones had some stones at the front of their

lodge, and they colored these stones, as well as their hair,

orange-red. They wore plumes (hi^nqpe) in their hair (and a branch

of cedar wrapped around their heads.--La Flèche), and were awful to

behold. So the old men passed on to the good ones, to whom they gave

the fourth pipe. Then they reached the [T]e-sĭnde, half of whom made

sacred a buffalo, and are known as those who eat not the lowest rib.

Half of these were good, and they received the fifth pipe. All of

the [T]a-[p]a (A^nba-hebe's own gens!) were good, and they obtained

the sixth pipe. The Iñg¢e-jide took one whole side of a buffalo, and

stuck it up, leaving the red body but partially buried in the

ground, after making a tent of the skin. They who carried the pipes

around were afraid of them, so they did not give them one. Last of

all they came to the Ictasanda. These people were disobedient,

destitute of food, and averse to staying long in one place. As the

men who had the pipes wished to stop this, they gave the seventh

pipe to the fourth subgens of the Ictasanda, and since then the

members of this gens have behaved themselves.

J. La Flèche and Two Crows say that "Weji^ncte loved his waqube, the

miʞasi, or coyote, and so he did not wish a pipe" which pertained to

peace. "Hañga does not light the pipes for the chiefs", that is, he does

not _always_ light the pipes.

§ 17. The true division of labor appears to be as follows: Hañga was

the source of the sacred pipes, and has a right to all, as that gens

had the first authority. Hañga is therefore called "I¢ig¢a^n´qti aké,"

as he does what he pleases with the pipes. Hañga told Íñke-sabě to

carry the pipes around the tribal circle; so that is why the seven old

men did so. And as Hañga directed it to be done, Iñke-sabě is called

"A¢i^n´ aké," The Keeper. Ictasanda fills the pipes. When the Ictasanda

man who attends to this duty does not come to the council the pipes

cannot be smoked, as no one else can fill them. This man, who knows

the ritual, sends all the others out of the lodge, as they must not

hear the ancient words. He utters some words when he cleans out the

pipe-bowl, others when he fills the pipe, etc. He does not always

require the same amount of time to perform this duty. Then all return

to the lodge. Hañga, or rather a member of that gens, lights the pipes,

except at the time of the greasing of the sacred pole, when he, not

Ictasanda, fills the pipes, and some one else lights them for him. (See

§ 152.) These three gentes, Hañga, Iñke-sabě, and Ictasanda, are the

only rulers among the keepers of the sacred pipes. The other keepers

are inferior; though said to be keepers of sacred pipes, the pipes are

not manifest.

These seven niniba waqube are peace pipes, but the niniba waqube of the

Weji^ncte is the war pipe.

§ 18. The two sacred pipes kept by Iñke-sabě are used on various

ceremonial occasions. When the chiefs assemble and wish to make a

decision for the regulation of tribal affairs, Ictasanda fills both

pipes and lays them down before the two head chiefs. Then the Iñke-sabě

keeper takes one and the [T]e-[p]a it`ajĭ keeper the other. Iñke-sabě

precedes, starting from the head chief sitting on the right and passing

around half of the circle till he reaches an old man seated opposite

the head chief. This old man (one of the Hañga wag¢a) and the head chief

are the only ones who smoke the pipe; those sitting between them do not

smoke it when Iñke-sabě goes around. When the old man has finished

smoking Iñke-sabě takes the pipe again and continues around the circle

to the starting-point, but he gives it to each man to smoke. When he

reaches the head chief on the left he gives it to him, and after

receiving it from him he returns it to the place on the ground before

the head chiefs.

When Iñke-sabě reaches the old man referred to [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ starts

from the head chiefs with the other pipe, which he hands to each one,

including those sitting between the second head chief and the old man.

[T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ always keeps behind Iñke-sabě just half the

circumference of the circle, and when he receives the pipe from the head

chief on the left he returns it to its place beside the other. Then,

after the smoking is over, Ictasanda takes the pipes, overturns them to

empty out the ashes, and cleans the bowls by thrusting in a stick. (See

§§ 111, 130, 296, etc.)

In smoking they blew the smoke upwards, saying, "Here, Wakanda, is the

smoke." This was done because they say that Wakanda gave them the pipes,

and He rules over them.

[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Places of the chiefs, etc., in the tribal

assembly.

A.--The first head chief, on the left. B.--The second head chief, on

the right. C.--The two Hañga wag¢a, one being the old man whom

Iñke-sabě causes to smoke the pipe. D.--The place where the two

pipes are laid. The chiefs sit around in a circle. E.--The giver of

the feast.]

§ 19. Frank La Flèche told the following:

The sacred pipes are not shown to the common people. When my father

was about to be installed a head chief, Mahi^n-zi, whose duty it was

to fill the pipes, let one of them fall to the ground, violating a

law, and so preventing the continuation of the ceremony. So my

father was not fully initiated. When the later fall was partly gone

Mahi^n-zi died.

Wacuce, my father-in-law, was the Iñke-sabě keeper of the pipes.

When the Otos visited the Omahas (in the summer of 1878), the chiefs

wished the pipes to be taken out of the coverings, so they ordered

Wacuce to undo the bag. This was unlawful, as the ritual prescribed

certain words to be said by the chiefs to the keeper of the pipes

previous to the opening of the bag. But none of the seven chiefs

know the formula. Wacuce was unwilling to break the law; but the

chiefs insisted, and he yielded. Then Two Crows told all the Omahas

present not to smoke the small pipe. This he had a right to do, as

he was a Hañga. Wacuce soon died, and in a short time he was

followed by his daughter and his eldest son.

It takes four days to make any one understand all about the laws of

the sacred pipes; and it costs many horses. A bad man, _i. e._, one

who is saucy, quarrelsome stingy, etc., cannot be told such things.

This was the reason why the seven chiefs did not know their part of

the ritual.

LAW OF MEMBERSHIP.

§ 20. A child belongs to its father's gens, as "father-right" has

succeeded "mother-right." But children of white or black men are

assigned to the gentes of their mothers, and they cannot marry any women

of those gentes. A stranger cannot belong to any gens of the tribe,

there being no ceremony of adoption into a gens.

THE WEJI^NCTE OR ELK GENS.

§ 21. This gens occupies the first place in the tribal circles, pitching

its tents at one of the horns or extremities, not far from the Ictasanda

gens, which camps at the other end. When the ancient chieftainship was

abolished in 1880, Mahi^n-¢iñge was the chief of this gens, having

succeeded Joseph La Flèche in 1865.

The word "Weji^ncte" cannot be translated, as the meaning of this

archaic word has been forgotten. It may have some connection with

"waji^n´cte," _to be in a bad humor_, but we have no means of

ascertaining this.

La Flèche and Two Crows said that there were no subgentes in this gens.

But it seems probable that in former days there were subgentes in each

gens, while in the course of time changes occurred, owing to decrease in

numbers and the advent of the white men.

_Taboo._--The members of this gens are afraid to touch any part of the

male elk, or to eat its flesh; and they cannot eat the flesh of the male

deer. Should they accidentally violate this custom they say that they

are sure to break out in boils and white spots on different parts of the

body. But when a member of this gens dies he is buried in moccasins

made of deer skin.

_Style of wearing the hair._--The writer noticed that Bi^nze-tig¢e, a

boy of this gens, had his hair next the forehead standing erect, and

that back of it was brushed forward till it projected beyond the former.

A tuft of hair at the back extended about 3 inches below the head. This

style of wearing the hair prevails only among the smaller children as a

rule; men and women do not observe it.

Some say that `A^n-wega^n¢a is the head of those who join in the

worship of the thunder, but his younger brother, Qaga-ma^n¢i^n, being

a more active man, is allowed to have the custody of the Iñg¢a^n¢ě

and the Iñg¢a^nhañgac`a. J. La Flèche and Two Crows said that this

might be so; but they did not know about it. Nor could they or my

other informants tell the meaning of Iñg¢a^n¢ě and Iñg¢a^nhañgac`a.

Perhaps they refer either to the wild-cat (iñg¢añga), or to the thunder

(iñg¢a^n). Compare the Ictasanda "keepers of the claws of a wild-cat."

§ 22. _The sacred tent._--The sacred tent of the Elk gens is consecrated

to war, and scalps are given to it, but are not fastened to it, as some

have asserted. B¢a^nti used to be the keeper of it, but he has resigned

the charge of it to the ex-chief, Mahi^n-¢iñge.

The place of this sacred tent is within the tribal circle, and near the

camping place of the gens. This tent contains one of the wa¢íxabe, a

sacred bag, made of the feathers and skin of a bird, and consecrated to

war. (See § 196.) There is also another sacred bag in this tent, that

which holds the sacred ʇíhaba or clam shell, the bladder of a male elk

filled with tobacco, and the sacred pipe of the gens, the tribal

war-pipe, which is made of red pipe-stone. The ʇihaba is about nine

inches in diameter, and about four inches thick. It is kept in a bag of

buffalo hide which is never placed on the ground. In ancient days it was

carried on the back of a youth, but in modern times, when a man could

not be induced to carry it, it was put with its buffalo-skin bag into

the skin of a coyote, and a woman took it on her back. When the tribe is

not in motion the bag is hung on a cedar stick about five feet high,

which had been planted in the ground. The bag is fastened with some of

the sinew of a male elk, and cannot be opened except by a member of the

Wasabe-hit`ajĭ sub-gens of the ₵atada. (See § 45, etc.)

§ 23. _Service of the scouts._--When a man walks in dread of some unseen

danger, or when there was an alarm in the camp, a crier went around the

tribal circle, saying, "Maja^n´ i¢égasañga té wí á¢i^nhe+!" _I who

move am he who will know what is the matter with the land!_ (_i. e._, I

will ascertain the cause of the alarm.) Then the chiefs assembled in the

war tent, and about fifty or sixty young men went thither. The chiefs

directed the Elk people to make the young men smoke the sacred pipe of

the Elk gens four times, as those who smoked it were compelled to tell

the truth. Then one of the servants of the Elk gens took out the pipe

and the elk bladder, after untying the elk sinew, removed some of the

tobacco from the pouch (elk bladder), which the Elk men dare not touch,

and handed the pipe with the tobacco to the Elk man, who filled it and

lighted it. They did not smoke with this pipe to the four winds, nor to

the sky and ground. The Elk man gave the pipe to one of the bravest of

the young men, whom he wished to be the leader of the scouts. After all

had smoked the scouts departed. They ran around the tribal circle, and

then left the camp. When they had gone about 20 miles they sat down, and

the leader selected a number to act as policemen, saying, "I make you

policemen. Keep the men in order. Do not desire them to go aside." If

there were many scouts, about eight were made policemen. Sometimes there

were two, three, or four leaders of the scouts, and occasionally they

sent some scouts in advance to distant bluffs. The leaders followed with

the main body. When they reached home the young men scattered, but the

leaders went to the Elk tent and reported what they had ascertained.

They made a _detour_, in order to avoid encountering the foe, and

sometimes they were obliged to flee to reach home. This service of the

young men was considered as equivalent to going on the war path.

§ 24. _Worship of the thunder in the spring._--When the first thunder

is heard in the spring of the year the Elk people call to their

servants, the Bear people, who proceed to the sacred tent of the

Elk gens. When the Bear people arrive one of them opens the sacred

bag, and, after removing the sacred pipe, hands it to one of the

Elk men, with some of the tobacco from the elk bladder. Before the

pipe is smoked it is held toward the sky, and the thunder god is

addressed. Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows do not know the formula,

but they said that the following one, given me by a member of the

Ponka Hisada (Wasabe-hit`ajĭ) gens, may be correct. The thunder god is

thus addressed by the Ponkas: "Well, venerable man, by your striking

(with your club) you are frightening us, your grandchildren, who

are here. Depart on high. According to [P]á¢i^nna^npájĭ, one of the

Wasabe-hit`ajĭ, who has acted as a servant for the Elk people, "At the

conclusion of this ceremony the rain always ceases, and the Bear people

return to their homes." But this is denied by Joseph La Flèche and Two

Crows, who say, "How is it possible for them to stop the rain?"

While the Elk gens is associated with the war path, and the worship of

the thunder god, who is invoked by war chiefs, those war chiefs are not

always members of this gens, but when the warriors return, the keeper of

the sacred bag of this gens compels them to speak the truth about their

deeds. (See § 214.)

§ 25. _Birth names of boys._--The following are the birth names of boys

in the Elk gens. These are sacred or nikie names, and sons used to

be so named in former days according to the order of their births. For

example, the first-born son was called the Soft Horn (of the young elk

at its first appearance). The second, Yellow Horn (of the young elk

when a little older). The next, the Branching Horns (of an elk three

years old). The fourth, the Four Horns (of an elk four years old). The

fifth, the Large Pronged Horns (of an elk six or seven years old). The

sixth, the Dark Horns (of a grown elk in summer). The seventh, the

Standing White Horns, in the distance (_i. e._, those of a grown elk in

winter).

[3] Nikie names are those referring to a mythical ancestor, to some part

of his body, to some of his acts, or to some ancient rite which may have

been established by him. Nikie names are of several kinds, (_a._) The

seven birth names for each sex. (_b._) Other nikie names, not birth

names, but peculiar to a single gens. (_c._) Names common to two or more

gentes. There are two explanations of the last case. All the gentes

using the same name may have had a common mythical ancestor or a

mythical ancestor of the same species or genus. Among the Osages and

Kansas there are gentes that exchange names; and it is probable that the

custom has existed among the Omahas. Some of these gentes that exchange

names are those which have the same sacred songs.

The following law about nikie names has been observed by the Omahas:

There must never be more than one person in a gens bearing any

particular male name.

For instance, when, in any household, a child is named Wasabe-jiñga,

that name cannot be given to any new-born child of that gens. But when

the first bearer of the name changes his name or dies, another boy can

receive the name Wasabe-jiñga. As that is one of the seven birth names

of the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ it suggests a reason for having extra nikie names

in the gens. This second kind of nikie names may have been birth names,

resorted to because the original birth names were already used. This law

applies in some degree to girls' names, if parents know that a girl in

the gens has a certain name they cannot give that name to their

daughter. But should that name be chosen through ignorance, the two

girls must be distinguished by adding to their own names those of their

respective fathers.]

_Other proper names._--The following are the other nikie[3] names of

the Elk gens: Elk. Young Elk. Standing Elk. White Elk (near by). Big

Elk. `A^n-wega^n¢a (meaning uncertain). B¢a^n-ti, The odor of the dung

or urine of the elk is wafted by the wind (said of any place where the

elk may have been). (A young elk) Cries Suddenly. Hidaha (said to mean

Treads on the ground in walking, or, Passes over what is at the bottom).

Iron Eyes (of an elk). Bullet-shaped Dung (of an elk). (Elk) Is coming

back--fleeing from a man whom he met. Muscle of an elk's leg. Elk comes

back suddenly (meeting the hunter face to face). (Elk) Turns round and

round. No Knife or No Stone (probably referring to the tradition of the

discovery of four kinds of stone). Dark Breast (of an elk). Deer lifts

its head to browse. Yellow Rump (of an elk). Walking Full-grown Elk.

(Elk) Walks, making long strides, swaying from side to side. Stumpy Tail

(of an elk). Forked Horn (of a deer). Water-monster. The Brave Weji^ncte

(named after his gens). _Women's names._--Female Elk. Tail Female. Black

Moose(?) Female. Big Second-daughter (any gens can have it). Sacred

Third-daughter (Elk and Iñke-sabě gentes). Iron-eyed Female (Elk and

Hañga gentes). Land Female (Elk and ₵atada gentes). Moon that

Is-traveling (Elk, Iñke-sabě, Hañga, ₵atada, and [K]a^nze gentes);

Na^n-ze-i^n-ze, meaning uncertain (Elk, ₵atada, and Deer gentes).

Ninda-wi^n (Elk, ₵atada, and Ictasanda gentes). _Names of

ridicule._--Dog. Crazed by exposure to heat. Good Buffalo.

§ 26. According to [T]e-da-u¢iqaga, the chief A^npa^n-ʇañga, the

younger, had a boat and flag painted on the outside of his skin tent.

These were made "qube," sacred, but were not nikie, because they were

not transmitted from a mythical ancestor.

§ 27. This gens has furnished several head chiefs since the death of the

famous Black Bird. Among these were A^npa^n-skă (head chief after 1800),

A^npa^n-ʇañga, the elder, the celebrated Big Elk, mentioned by Long and

other early travelers, and A^npa^n-ʇañga, the younger. On the death of

the last, about A.D. 1853, Joseph La Flèche succeeded him as a head

chief.

THE IÑKE-SABĔ, OR BLACK SHOULDER GENS.

§ 28. This is a Buffalo gens, and its place in the tribal circle is next

to that of the Elk gens. The head chiefs of this gens in 1880 were

Gahige (who died in 1882), and Duba-ma^n¢i^n, who "sat on opposite

sides of the gentile _fire-place_." Gahige's predecessor was

Gahige-jiñga or Icka-dabi.

_Creation myth_, told by Gahige.--The first men created were seven in

number. They were all made at one time. Afterwards seven women were made

for them. At that time there were no gentes; all the people were as one

gens. (Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows never heard this, and the

following was new to them:)

_Mythical origin_ of the Iñke-sabě, as related by Gahige.--The

Iñke-sabě were buffaloes, and dwelt under the surface of the water.

When they came to the surface they jumped about in the water, making

it muddy; hence the birth-name for the first son, Ni-gaqude. Having

reached the land they snuffed at the four winds and prayed to them. The

north and west winds were good, but the south and east winds were bad.

§ 29. _Ceremony at the death of a member of the gens._--In former days,

when any member of the gens was near death, he was wrapped in a buffalo

robe, with the hair out, and his face was painted with the privileged

decoration. Then the dying person was addressed thus: "You are going to

the animals (the buffaloes). You are going to rejoin your ancestors.

(Ániʇa dúbaha hné. Wackañ´-gă, i. e.) You are going, or, Your four

souls are going, to the four winds. Be strong!" All the members of this

gens, whether male or female, were thus attired and spoken to when they

were dying. (La Flèche and Two Crows say that nothing is said about four

souls, and that "Wackañ-gă" is not said; but all the rest may be true.

See § 35 for a similar custom.) The "hañga-ʞi`a^nze," or privileged

decoration, referred to above and elsewhere in this monograph, is made

among the Omahas by painting two parallel lines across the forehead, two

on each cheek and two under the nose, one being above the upper lip and

the other between the lower lip and the chin.

§ 30. When the tribe went on the buffalo hunt and could get skins for

tents it was customary to decorate the outside of the principal

Iñke-sabě tent, as follows, according to [T]e-[p]a-u¢iqaga: Three

circles were painted, one on each side of the entrance to the tent, and

one at the back, opposite the entrance. Inside each of these was painted

a buffalo-head. Above each circle was a pipe, ornamented with eagle

feathers.

Frank La Flèche's sketch is of the regular peace pipe; but his father

drew the calumet pipe, from which the duck's head had been taken and the

pipe-bowl substituted, as during the dancing of the Hedewatci. (See §§

49 and 153.)

A model of the principal [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ tent, decorated by a native

artist, was exhibited by Miss Alice C. Fletcher, at the session of the

American Association at Montreal in 1882. It is now at the Peabody

Museum.

_Iñke-sabě style of wearing the hair._--The smaller boys have their hair

cut in this style. A A, the horns of the buffalo, being two locks of

hair about two inches long. B is a fringe of hair all around the head.

It is about two inches long. The rest of the head is shaved bare.

[Illustration: FIG. 14.--Frank La Flèche's sketch of the Iñke-sabě tent,

as he saw it when he went on the buffalo hunt.]

[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Iñke-sabě style of wearing the hair.]

§ 31. _Subgentes and Taboos._--There has evidently been a change

in the subgentes since the advent of the white man. In 1878, the

writer was told by several, including La Flèche, that there were then

three subgentes in existence, Wa¢ígije, Wata^n´zi-jíde ¢atájĭ, and

Naq¢é-it`abájĭ; the fourth, or Íekí¢ě, having become extinct. Now

(1882), La Flèche and Two Crows give the three subgentes as follows: 1.

Wa¢ígije; 2. Niníba t`a^n; 3. (a part of 2) Íekí¢ě. The second subgens

is now called by them "Wata^n´zi-ji´de ¢atájĭ and Naq¢é ít`abájĭ."

"[T]a^n¢i^n-na^nba and Nágu or Wa¢ánase are the only survivors of the

real Niniba-t`a^n, Keepers of the Sacred Pipes." (Are not these the

true Naq¢é-ít`ábájĭ, _They who cannot touch charcoal_? _I. e._, it is

not their place to touch a fire-brand or the ashes left in the sacred

pipes after they have been used.) "The Sacred Pipes were taken from

the ancestors of these two and were given into the charge of Ickadabi,

the paternal grandfather of Gahige." Yet these men are still called

Niniba-t`a^n, while "Gahige belongs to the Wata^nzi-jide ¢atajĭ and

Naq¢e-it`abajĭ, and he is one of those from whom the Iekí¢ě could be

selected."

In 1878 La Flèche also gave the divisions and taboos of the Iñke-sabě as

follows: "1. Niniba-t`a^n; 2. Wata^nzi-jide ¢atajĭ; 3. [T]e-hé-sábě

it`ájĭ; 4. [T]e-¢éze¢atájĭ;" but he did not state whether these were

distinct subgentes. The [T]e-he-sabě it`ajĭ, Those who touch not black

horns (of buffaloes), appear to be the same as the [T]e-¢eze ¢atajĭ, i.

e., the Wa¢ígije. The following is their camping order: In the tribal

circle, the Wa¢ígije camp next to the Hañga gens, of which the Wacabe

people are the neighbors of the Wa¢igije, having almost the same taboo.

The other Iñke-sabě people camp next to the Weji^ncte gens. But in the

gentile "council-fire" a different order is observed; the first becomes

last, the Wa¢igije having their seats on the left of the fire and the

door, and the others on the right.

[Illustration: FIG. 16.--The Iñke-sabě Gentile Assembly.A.--The

Wa¢igije, or Waqúbe gáxe aká, under Duba-ma^n¢i^n. B.--The Wata^nzi-jide

¢atajĭ; the Ieki¢ě, and the Naq¢e-it`abajĭ. These were under Gahige.]

The Wa¢igije cannot eat buffalo tongues, and they are not allowed to

touch a buffalo head. (See §§ 37, 49, and 59.) The name of their subgens

is that of the hooped rope, with which the game of "[P]a¢i^n-jahe" is

played. Gahige told the following, which is doubted by La Flèche and Two

Crows: "One day, when the principal man of the Wa¢igije was fasting and

praying to the sun-god, he saw the ghost of a buffalo, visible from the

flank up, arising out of a spring. Since then the members of his subgens

have abstained from buffalo tongues and heads."

Gahige's subgens, the Wata^nzi-jide ¢atajĭ, do not eat red corn. They

were the first to find the red corn, but they were afraid of it, and

would not eat it. Should they eat it now, they would have running sores

all around their mouths. Another tradition is that the first man of this

subgens emerged from the water with an ear of red corn in his hand.

The Ieki¢ě are, or were, the Criers, who went around the tribal circle

proclaiming the decisions of the chiefs, etc.

Prior to 1878, Wacuce, Gahige's brother, was the keeper of the two

sacred pipes. At his death, in that year, his young son succeeded him as

keeper; but, as he was very young, he went to the house of his father's

brother, Gahige, who subsequently kept the pipes himself.

§ 32. Gahige said that his subgens had a series of Eagle birth-names, as

well as the Buffalo birth-names common to the whole gens. This was owing

to the possession of the sacred pipes. While these names may have

denoted the order of birth some time ago, they are now bestowed without

regard to that, according to La Flèche and Two Crows.

_Buffalo birth-names._--The first son was called "He who stirs up or

muddies the water by jumping in it," referring to a buffalo that lies

down in the water or paws in the shallow water, making it spread out in

circles. The second son was "Buffaloes swimming in large numbers across

a stream." The third was [S]i-ʞa^n-qega, referring to a buffalo calf,

the hair on whose legs changes from a black to a withered or dead hue

in February. The fourth was "Knobby Horns (of a young buffalo bull)".

The fifth was "He (_i. e._, a buffalo bull) walks well, without fear

of falling." The sixth was "He (a buffalo bull) walks slowly (because

he is getting old)." The seventh was called Gaqaʇa-naji^n, explained

by the clause, "ʇenúga-wi^náqtci, júg¢e ¢iñgé, a single buffalo bull,

without a companion." It means a very old bull, who stands off at one

side apart from the herd.

_The Eagle birth-names_ (see § 64), given by Gahige, are as follows:

Qi¢á-i^n[4] (meaning unknown to La Flèche and Two Crows; word doubted by

them). Eagle Neck. Waji^n-hañga, He who leads in disposition.

Ki^nka-ʇañga, the first bird heard in the spring when the grass comes up

(the marbled godwit?). Blue Neck (denied by La Flèche and Two Crows).

Rabbit (La Flèche and Two Crows said that this name belonged to the

Hañga gens). Ash tree (doubted by La Flèche and Two Crows). A birth-name

of this series could be used instead of the corresponding one of the

gentile series, _e. g._, Gahige could have named his son, Uka^nadig¢a^n,

either Siʞa^n-qega or Waji^n-hañga. There were similar series of

birth-names for girls, but they have been forgotten.

§ 33. _Principal_ Iñke-sabě _names_.--I. _Men._--(Buffalo that) Walks

Last in the herd. (Buffalo) Runs Among (the people when chased by the

hunters). Four (buffaloes) Walking. Black Tongue (of a buffalo). The

Chief. Real Chief. Young Chief. Walking Hawk. Without any one to teach

him (_i. e._, He knows things of his own accord). (Buffalo) Makes his

own manure miry by treading in it. Horns alone visible (there being no

hair on the young buffalo bull's head). Little (buffalo) with

Yellowish-red hair. He who practices conjuring. Thick Shoulder (of a

buffalo). (Buffalo) Comes suddenly (over the hill) meeting the hunters

face to face. Swift Rabbit. Rabbit (also in Hañga gens). He who talks

like a chief; referring to the sacred pipes. Big Breast (of a buffalo).

Seven (some say it refers to the seven sacred pipes). (He who) Walks

Before (the other keepers of the sacred pipes). Badger. Four legs of an

animal, when cut off. Bent Tail. Double or Cloven Hoofs (of a buffalo).

Yonder Stands (a buffalo that) Has come back to you. Buffalo runs till

he gets out of range of the wind. Little Horn (of a buffalo). Two (young

men) Running (with the sacred pipes during the Hede-watci). Skittish

Buffalo Calf. Foremost White Buffalo in the distance. Looking around.

(Buffalo?) Walks Around it. (Buffalo) Scattering in different

directions. Big Boiler (a generous man, who put two kettles on the

fire). (Buffalo) Sits apart from the rest. He who makes one Stagger by

pushing against him. He who speaks saucily. Difficult Disposition or

Temper (of a growing buffalo calf). The Shooter. He who fears no seen

danger. Young Turkey.

II. _Women._--Sacred Third-daughter. She by Whom they were made Human

beings (see Osage tradition of the Female Red Bird). Moon in Motion

during the Day. Moon that Is traveling. Moon Has come back Visible.

Foremost or Ancestral Moon (first quarter?). Visible Moon. White Ponka

(female) in the distance. Precious Female. Visible one that has

Returned, and is in a Horizontal attitude. Precious Buffalo

Human-female. Buffalo Woman.

[4] Probably Qi¢a-hi^n, as the Osages have Qü¢a-hi^n, Eagle Feathers.

THE HAÑGA GENS.

§ 34. Hañga seems to mean, "foremost," or "ancestral." Among the Omahas

this gens is a buffalo gens; but among the Kansas and Osages it refers

to other gentes. In the Omaha tribal circle, the Hañga people camp next

to the Iñkě-sabe. Their two chiefs are Two Crows and Icta-basude,

elected in 1880. The latter was elected as the successor of his father,

"Yellow Smoke," or "Two Grizzly Bears."

_Mythical origin of the gens._--According to Yellow Smoke, the first

Hañga people were buffaloes and dwelt beneath the water. When they were

there they used to move along with their heads bowed and their eyes

closed. By and by they opened their eyes in the water; hence their first

birth-name, Niadi-icta-ugab¢a. Emerging from the water, they lifted

their heads and saw the blue sky for the first time. So they assumed the

name of [K]e¢a-gaxe, or "Clear sky makers." (La Flèche, in 1879, doubted

whether this was a genuine tradition of the gens; and he said that the

name Niadi-icta-ugab¢a was not found in the Hañga gens; it was probably

intended for Niadi-ctagabi. This referred to a buffalo that had fallen

into mud and water, which had spoiled its flesh for food, so that men

could use nothing but the hide. Two Crows said that Niadi-ctagabi was an

ancient name.)

§ 35. _Ceremony at the death of a member of the gens._--In former days,

when any member of the gens was near death he was wrapped in a buffalo

robe, with the hair out, and his face was painted with the

"hañga-ʞi`a^nze." Then the dying person was thus addressed by one of

his gens: "You came hither from the animals. And you are going back

thither. Do not face this way again. When you go, continue walking."

(See § 29.)

§ 36. _The sacred tents._--There are two sacred tents belonging to this

gens. When the tribal circle is formed these are pitched within it,

about 50 yards from the tents of the gens. Hence the proper name,

U¢uci-naji^n. A straight line drawn from one to the other would bisect

the road of the tribe at right angles.

The sacred tents are always together. They pertain to the buffalo hunt,

and are also "wéwaspe," having a share in the regulative system of the

tribe, as they contain two objects which have been regarded as "Wakañda

éga^n," partaking of the nature of deities.

These objects are the sacred pole or "waq¢éxe," and the "ʇe-sa^n´-ha."

The decoration of the outside of each sacred tent is as follows: A

cornstalk on each side of the entrance and one on the back of the tent,

opposite the entrance. (Compare the ear of corn in the calumet dance.

See §§ 123 and 163.)

_Tradition of the sacred pole._--The "waq¢exe," "ja^n´ waqúbe," or

sacred pole, is very old, having been cut more than two hundred years

ago, before the separation of the Omahas, Ponkas, and Iowas. The Ponkas

still claim a share in it, and have a tradition about it, which is

denied by La Flèche and Two Crows. The Ponkas say that the tree from

which the pole was cut was first found by a Ponka of the Hisada gens,

and that in the race which ensued a Ponka of the Maka^n gens was the

first to reach the tree. The Omahas tell the following:

At the first there were no chiefs in the gentes, and the people did

not prosper. So a council was held, and they asked one another,

"What shall we do to improve our condition?" Then the young men were

sent out. They found many cotton-wood trees beside a lake, but one

of these was better than the rest. They returned and reported the

tree, speaking of it as if it was a person. All rushed to the

attack. They struck it and felled it as if it had been a foe. They

then put hair on its head, making a person of it. Then were the

sacred tents made, the first chiefs were selected, and the sacred

pipes were distributed.

The sacred pole was originally longer than it is now, but the lower part

having worn out, a piece of ash-wood, about 18 inches long, has been

fastened to the cotton-wood with a soft piece of cord made of a buffalo

hide. The ash-wood forms the bottom of the pole, and is the part which

is stuck in the ground at certain times. The cotton-wood is about 8 feet

long.

[Illustration: FIG. 17.--The sacred pole.

A.--The place where the two pieces of wood are joined.

B.--The aqande-pa or hi^n-qpe-i¢iba^n, made of the down of the mi^nxa (a

swan. See the Ma^n¢iñka gaxe gens.)

C.--The scalp, fastened to the top, whence the proper name, Nik'umi^nje,

Indian-man's (scalp) couch.]

Two Crows said that the pole rested on the scalp when it was in the

lodge. The proper name, Mi^n-wasa^n, referring to the mi^nxasa^n or

swan, and also to the aqande-pa (B). The proper name, "Yellow Smoke"

(rather), "Smoked Yellow," or Cude-nazi, also refers to the pole, which

has become yellow from smoke. Though a scalp is fastened to the top, the

pole has nothing to do with war. But when the Omahas encounter enemies,

any brave man who gets a scalp may decide to present it to the sacred

pole. The middle of the pole has swan's down wrapped around it, and the

swan's down is covered with cotton-wood bark, over which is a piece of

ʇéha (buffalo hide) about 18 inches square. All the ʇeha and cord is

made of the hide of a hermaphrodite buffalo. This pole used to be

greased every year when they were about to return home from the summer

hunt. The people were afraid to neglect this ceremony lest there should

be a deep snow when they traveled on the next hunt.

When Joseph La Flèche lost his leg, the old men told the people that

this was a punishment which he suffered because he had opposed the

greasing of the sacred pole. As the Omahas have not been on the hunt for

about seven years, the sacred tents are kept near the house of

Waka^n-ma^n₵i^n. (See § 295.)

The other sacred tent, which is kept at present by Waka^n-ma^n₵i^n,

contains the sacred "ʇe-sa^n´-ha," the skin of a white buffalo cow,

wrapped in a buffalo hide that is without hair.

Joseph La Flèche had two horses that ran away and knocked over the

sacred tents of the Hañga gens. The two old men caught them and rubbed

them all over with wild sage, saying to Frank La Flèche, "If you let

them do that again the buffaloes shall gore them."

§ 37. _Subgentes_ and Taboos.--There are two great divisions of the

gens, answering to the number of the sacred tents: The Keepers of the

Sacred Pole and The Keepers of the [T]e-sa^n-ha. Some said that there

were originally four subgentes, but two have become altogether or nearly

extinct, and the few survivors have joined the larger subgentes.

There are several names for each subgens. The first which is sometimes

spoken of as being "Ja^n´ha-aʇá¢ica^n," pertaining to the sacred

cotton-wood bark, is the "Waq¢éxe a¢i^n´" or the "Ja^n´ waqúbe a¢i^n´,"

Keepers of the Sacred Pole. When its members are described by their

taboos, they are called the "[T]á waqúbe ¢atájĭ," those who do not eat

the "ʇa" or buffalo sides; and "Mi^nxa-sa^n ¢atájĭ" and "[P]éta^n

¢atájĭ," those who do not eat geese, swans, and cranes. These can eat

the buffalo tongues. The second subgens, which is often referred to as

being "[T]e-sa^n´-ha-ʇá¢ica^n," pertaining to the sacred skin of the

white buffalo cow, consists of the Wacábe or Hañ´gaqti, the Real Hañga

people. When reference is made to their taboo, they are called the

"[T]e¢éze ¢atájĭ," as they cannot eat buffalo tongues; but they are at

liberty to eat the "ʇa," which the other Hañga cannot eat. In the tribal

circle the Wacabe people camp next to the Iñke-sabě gens; and the

Waq¢éxe a¢i^n have the Quʞa of the ₵atada] gens next to them, as he is

their servant and is counted as one of their kindred. But, in the

gentile circle, the Waq¢éxe a¢i^n occupy the left side of the

"council-fire," and the Wacabe sit on the opposite side.

§ 38. _Style of wearing the hair._--The Hañga style of wearing the hair

is called "ʇe-nañ´ka-báxe," referring originally to the back of a

buffalo. It is a crest of hair, about 2 inches long, standing erect, and

extending from one ear to the other. The ends of the hair are a little

below the ears.

§ 39. _Birth-names of boys_, according to [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ. The first

is Niadi ctagabi; the second, Ja^n-gáp'uje, referring to the Sacred

Pole. It may be equivalent to the Dakota Tca^n-kap'oja (Ćaŋ-kapoźa),

meaning that it must be carried by one unencumbered with much baggage.

The third is named Ma^n pějĭ, Bad Arrow, _i. e._, Sacred Arrow, because

the arrow has grown black from age! (Two Crows gave this explanation. It

is probable that the arrow is kept in or with the "ʇe-sa^n-ha.")

The fourth is Fat covering the outside of a buffalo's stomach. The fifth

is Buffalo bull. The sixth, Dangerous buffalo bull; and the seventh is

Buffalo bull rolls again in the place where he rolled formerly.

§ 40. _Principal_ Hañga _names._ I. _Men._--(Buffalo) Makes a Dust by

rolling. Smoked Yellow ("Yellow Smoke"). (Buffalo) WalksinaCrowd. He who

makes no impression by Striking. Real Hañga. Short Horns (of a buffalo

about two years old). (Buffalo calf) Sheds its hair next to the eyes.

Two Crows. Flying Crow. He who gives back blow for blow, or, He who gets

the better of a foe. Grizzly bear makes the sound "ʇide" by walking.

Grizzly bear's Head. Standing Swan. He (a buffalo?) who is Standing.

(Buffalo?) That does not run. (Buffalo) That runs by the Shore of a

Lake. Seven (buffalo bulls) In the Water. Pursuer of the attacking foe.

Scalp Couch. Pointed Rump (of a buffalo?). Artichoke. Buffalo Walks at

Night. A Buffalo Bellows. Odor of Buffalo Dung. Buffalo Bellows in the

distance. (Sacred tent) Stands in the Middle (of the circle). Seeks Fat

meat. Walking Sacred one. Corn. He who Attacks.

II. _Women._--Iron-eyed Female. Moon that is Traveling. White

Human-female Buffalo in the distance.

THE ₵ATADA GENS.

§ 41. This gen occupies the fourth place in the tribal circle, being

between the Hañga and the [K]a^nze. But, unlike the other gentes, its

subgentes have separate camping areas. Were it not for the marriage law,

we should say that the ₵atada was a phratry, and its subgentes were

gentes. The present leaders of the gens are [P]edegahi of the

Wajiñga-¢atajĭ and Cyu-jiñga of the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ. When on the hunt the

four subgentes pitch their tents in the following order in the tribal

circle: 1. Wasabe-hit`ajĭ; 2. Wajiñga ¢atajĭ; 3. [T]e-da-it`ajĭ; 4.

[K]e-`i^n. The Wasabe-hit`ajĭ are related to the Hañga on the one hand

and to the Wajiñga-¢atajĭ on the other. The latter in turn, are related

to the [T]e-da-itajĭ; these are related to the [K]e-`i^n; and the

[K]e-`i^n and [K]a^nze are related.

THE WASABE-HIT`AJĬ SUBGENS.

§ 42. The name of this subgens is derived from three words: wasabe, _a

black bear_; ha, _a skin_; and it`ajĭ, _not to touch_; meaning "Those

who do not touch the skin of a black bear." The writer was told in

1879, that the uju, or principal man of this subgens, was Icta-duba, but

La Flèche and Two Crows, in 1882, asserted that they never heard of an

"uju" of a gens.

[Illustration: TENT OF AGAHA-WACUCE.]

_Taboo._--The members of this subgens are prohibited from touching the

hide of a black bear and from eating its flesh.

_Mythical origin._--They say that their ancestors were made under the

ground and that they afterwards came to the surface.

§ 43. Plate II is a sketch of a tent which belonged to Agaha-wacuce, the

father of [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ. Hupe¢a's father, Hupe¢a II, owned it before

Agaha-wacuce obtained it. The circle at the top representing a bear's

cave, is sometimes painted blue. Below the zigzag lines (representing

the different kinds of thunders?) are the prints of bear's paws. This

painting was not a nikie but the personal "qube" or sacred thing of the

owner. The lower part of the tent was blackened with ashes or charcoal.

§ 44. _Style of wearing the hair._--Four short locks are left on the

head, as in the following diagram. They are about 2 inches long.

[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Wasabe-hit`ajĭ style of wearing the hair.]

_Birth-names of boys._--[P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ gave the following: The first

son is called Young Black bear. The second, Black bear. The third, Four

Eyes, including the true eyes and the two spots like eyes that are above

the eyes of a black bear. The fourth, Gray Foot. The fifth, Cries like a

Raccoon. (La Flèche said that this is a Ponka name, but the Omahas now

have it.) The sixth, Nídaha^n, Progressing toward maturity (_sic_). The

seventh, He turns round and round suddenly (said of both kinds of

bears).

§ 45. _Sections of the subgens._--The Wasabe-hit`ajĭ people are divided

into sections. [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ and others told the writer that they

consisted of four divisions: Black bear, Raccoon, Grizzly bear, and

Porcupine people. The Black bear and Raccoon people are called brothers.

And when a man kills a black bear he says, "I have killed a raccoon."

The young black bear is said to cry like a raccoon, hence the birth-name

Miʞa-xage. The writer is inclined to think that there is some

foundation for these statements, though La Flèche and Two Crows seemed

to doubt them. They gave but two divisions of the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ; and it

may be that these two are the only ones now in existence, while there

were four in ancient times. The two sections which are not doubted are

the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ proper, and the Quʞa, _i. e._, the Raccoon people.

When they meet as a subgens, they sit thus in their circle: The

Wasabe-hit`ajĭ people sit on the right of the entrance, and the Quʞa

have their places on the left. But in the tribal circle the Quʞa

people camp next to the Hañga Keepers of the Sacred Pole, as the former

are the servants of the Hañga. The leader of the Quʞa or Singers was

himself the only one who acted as quʞa, when called on to serve the

Hañga. [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ's half-brother, Hupe¢a, commonly styled

[T]e-da-u¢iqaga, used to be the leader. Since the Omahas have abandoned

the hunt, to which this office pertained, no one has acted as quʞa;

but if it were still in existence, the three brothers, Dangerous,

Gihajĭ, and Ma^n-¢i`u-ke, are the only ones from whom the quʞa could

be chosen.

Quʞa men.--Dried Buffalo Skull. Dangerous. Gihajĭ. Black bear. Paws

the Ground as he Reclines. Young (black bear) Runs. Mandan. Hupe¢a.

Laugher. Maqpiya-qaga. [T]añga-gaxe. Crow's Head. Gray Foot. J. La

Flèche said that Hupe¢a, Laugher, Maqpiya-qaga, and [T]añga-gaxe were

servants of the Elk gens; but [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ, their fellow-gentile,

places them among the Quʞa. (See § 143.)

In the tribal circle the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ proper camp next to the

Wajiñga-¢atajĭ. These Wasabe-hit`ajĭ are the servants of the Elk people,

whom they assist in the worship of the thunder-god. When this ceremony

takes place there are a few of the Quʞa people who accompany the

Wasabe-hit`ajĭ and act as servants. These are probably the four men

referred to above. Though all of the Wasabe-hit`ajĭ proper are reckoned

as servants of the Weji^ncte, only two of them, [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ and

Sida-ma^n¢i^n, take a prominent part in the ceremonies described in §§

23, 24. Should these men die or refuse to act, other members of their

Section must take their places.

Wasabe-hit`ajĭ men.--He who fears not the sight of a Pawnee. White Earth

River. Four Eyes (of a black bear). Without Gall. Progressing toward

maturity. Visible (object?). Gaxekati¢a.

Quʞa and Wasabe-hit`ajĭ women.--Da^nabi. Da^nama. Land Female.

Mi^nhupeg¢e. Mi^n-ʇa^ni^nge. She who is Coming back in sight. Weta^nne.

Wete wi^n.

THE WAJINGA ¢ATAJĬ SUBGENS.

§ 46. This name means, "They who do not eat (small) birds." They can eat

wild turkeys, all birds of the mi^nxa or goose genus, including ducks

and cranes. When sick, they are allowed to eat prairie chickens. When

members of this subgens go on the warpath, the only sacred things which

they have are the g¢eda^n (hawk) and nickucku (martin). (See § 196.)

_Style of wearing the hair._--They leave a little hair in front, over

the forehead, for a bill, and some at the back of the head, for the

bird's tail, with much over each ear, for the wings. La Flèche and Two

Crows do not deny this; but they know nothing about it.

_Curious custom during harvest._--These Wajiñga-¢atajĭ call themselves

"The Blackbird people." In harvest time, when the birds used to eat the

corn, the men of this subgens proceeded thus: They took some corn, which

they chewed and spit around over the field. They thought that such a

procedure would deter the birds from making further inroads upon the

crops.

Wacka^n-ma^n¢i^n of this subgens keeps one of the great wa¢ixabe, or

sacred bags, used when a warrior's word is doubted. (See § 196.)

§ 47. _Sections and subsections of the subgens._--Waniʇa-waqě of the

[T]a-da gens told me that the following were the divisions of the

Wajiñga-¢atajĭ; but La Flèche and Two Crows deny it. It may be that

these minor divisions no longer exist, or that they were not known to

the two men.

I.--Hawk people, under Standing Hawk.

II.--Mañg¢iqta, or Blackbird people, under Waji^na-gahige.

Subsections: (_a_) White heads. (_b_) Red heads. (_c_) Yellow heads.

(_d_) Red wings.

III.--Mañg¢iqta-qude, Gray Blackbird (the common starling), or

Thunder people, under Wa¢idaxe. Subsections: (_a_) Gray Blackbirds.

(_b_) Meadow larks. (_c_) Prairie-chickens; and, judging from the

analogy of the Ponka Hisada, (_d_) Martins.

IV.--Three subsections of the Owl and Magpie people are (_a_) Great

Owls. (_b_) Small Owls. (_c_) Magpies.

§ 48. _Birth-names of boys._--The first son was called, Mañg¢iqta,

Blackbird. The second, Red feathers on the base of the wings. The third,

White-eyed Blackbird. The fourth, Dried Wing. The fifth, Hawk (denied by

La Flèche). The sixth, Gray Hawk. The seventh, White Wings. This last is

a Ponka name, according to La Flèche and Two Crows.

Wajiñga-¢atajĭ _men_.--Red Wings. Chief who Watches over (any thing).

Becomes Suddenly Motionless. Poor man. Standing Hawk. He from whom they

flee. Rustling Horns. Scabby Horns. The one Moving towards the Dew (?).

White or Jack Rabbit. Gray Blackbird. White Blackbird. Four Hands (or

Paws). Ni-¢actage. Yellow Head (of a blackbird). Fire Chief. Coyote's

Foot. Buffalo bull Talks like a chief. Bad temper of a Buffalo bull.

White Buffalo in the distance. Hominy (a name of ridicule). He who

continues Trying (commonly translated, "Hard Walker"). He who makes the

crackling sound "Gh+!" in thundering. Bird Chief.

Wajiñga-¢atajĭ _women_.--(Female eagle) Is Moving On high. Moon in

motion during the Day. Turning Moon Female. Mi^ndaca^n-¢i^n. Mi^ntena.

Visible one that Has returned, and is in a Horizontal attitude.

THE [T]E-[P]A-IT`AJĬ SUBGENS.

§ 49. These are the Eagle people, and they are not allowed to touch a

buffalo head. (See Iñke-sabě gens, §§ 30, 32.) The writer was told that

their uju or head man in 1879 was Mañge-zi.

He who is the head of the Niniba t`a^n, Keepers of a (Sacred) Pipe, has

duties to perform whenever the chiefs assemble in council. (See Sacred

Pipes, § 18.)

The decoration of the tents in this subgens resemble those of the

Iñke-sabě.

§ 50. _Birth names of boys._--The first was called Dried Eagle.

[P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ said that this really meant "Dried buffalo skull;" but

La Flèche and Two Crows denied this, giving another meaning, "Dried

Eagle skin." The second was Pipe. The third, Eaglet. The fourth, Real

Bald Eagle. The sixth, Standing Bald Eagle. The seventh, He (an eagle)

makes the ground Shake suddenly by Alighting on it.

§ 51. _Sections of the Subgens._--Lion gave the following, which were

doubted by La Flèche and Two Crows. I. _Keepers of the Pipe_, or

_Workers_, under Eaglet. II. _Under The-Only_-Hañga are Pidaiga,

Wadjepa, and Ma^nze-guhe. III. _Under Real Eagle_ are his son, Eagle

makes a Crackling sound by alighting on a limb of a tree, Wasaapa,

Gakie-ma^n¢i^n, and Tcaza-¢iñge. IV. To the _Bald Eagle section_ belong

Yellow Breast and Small Hill. The Omahas reckon three kinds of eagles,

the white eagle, the young white eagle, and the spotted eagle. To these

they add the bald eagle, which they say is not a real eagle. These

probably correspond with the sections of the [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ.

THE [K]E-`I^n, OR TURTLE SUBGENS.

§ 52. This subgens camps between the [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ and the [K]a^nze,

in the tribal circle. Its head man in 1879 was said to be

[T]enuga-ja^n-¢iñke. [K]e`i^n means "to carry a turtle on one's back."

The members of this subgens are allowed to touch or carry a turtle, but

they cannot eat one.

_Style of wearing the hair._--They cut off all the hair from a boy's

head, except six locks; two are left on each side, one over the

forehead, and one hanging down the back, in imitation of the legs, head,

and tail of a turtle. La Flèche and Two Crows did not know about this,

but they said that it might be true.

_Decoration of the tents._--The figures of turtles were painted on the

outside of the tents. (See the Iñke-sabě decorations, §§ 30-32.)

_Curious custom during a fog._--In the time of a fog the men of this

subgens drew the figure of a turtle on the ground with its face to the

south. On the head, tail, middle of the back, and on each leg were

placed small pieces of a (red) breech-cloth with some tobacco. This they

imagined would make the fog disappear very soon.

§ 53. _Birth names of boys._--The first son was called He who Passed by

here on his way back to the Water; the second, He who runs very swiftly

to get back to the Water; the third, He who floats down the stream; the

fourth, Red Breast; the fifth, Big Turtle; the sixth, Young one who

carries a turtle on his back; the seventh, Turtle that kicks out his

legs and paws the ground when a person takes hold of him.

_Sections of the subgens._--Lion gave the following as sections of the

[K]e-`i^n, though the statement was denied by La Flèche and Two Crows.

"The first section is Big Turtle, under [P]ahe-ʇa[p]`ě, in 1878. The

second is Turtle that does not flee, under Cage-skă or Nistu-ma^n¢i^n.

The third is Red-breasted Turtle, under [T]enuga-ja^n-¢iñke. The fourth

is Spotted Turtle with Red Eyes, under Ehna^n-juwag¢e."

_Turtle men._--Heat makes (a turtle) Emerge from the mud. (Turtle) Walks

Backward. He Walks (or continues) Seeking something. Ancestral Turtle.

Turtle that Flees not. (Turtle that) Has gone into the Lodge (or Shell).

He alone is with them. He Continues to Tread on them. Turtle Maker.

Spotted Turtle with Red Eyes. Young Turtle-carrier. Buzzard. He who

Starts up a Turtle.

One of the women is Egg Female.

THE [K]A^nZE GENS.

§ 54. The place of the [K]a^nze or Kansas gens is between the [K]e-`i^n

and the Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe in the tribal circle. The head man of the gens

who was recognized as such in 1879 was Za^nzi-mande.

_Taboo._--The [K]a^nze people cannot touch verdigris, which they call

"wase-ʇu," green clay, or "wase-ʇu-qude," gray-green clay.

Being Wind people, they flap their blankets to start a breeze which will

drive off the musquitoes.

_Subgentes._--La Flèche and Two Crows recognize but two of these:

Keepers of a Pipe and Wind People. They assign to the former

Maja^nha¢i^n, Maja^n-kide, &c., and to the latter Waji^n-¢icage,

Za^nzi-mandě, and their near kindred. But Lion said that there were four

subgentes, and that Maja^nha¢i^n was the head man of the first, or

Niniba t`a^n, which has another name, Those who Make the Sacred tent. He

gave Waji^n-¢icage as the head man of the Wind people, Za^nzi-mandě as

the head of the third subgens, and Maja^n-kide of the fourth; but he

could not give the exact order in which they sat in their gentile

circle.

A member of the gens told the writer that Four Peaks, whom Lion assigned

to Za^nzi-mandě's subgens, was the owner of the sacred tent; but he did

not say to what sacred tent he referred.

Some say that Maja^nha¢i^n was the keeper of the sacred pipe of his gens

till his death in 1879. Others, including Frank La Flèche, say that Four

Peaks was then, and still is, the keeper of the pipe.

According to La Flèche and Two Crows, a member of this gens was chosen

as crier when the brave young men were ordered to take part in the sham

fight. (See § 152.) "This was Maja^nha-¢i^n" (_Frank La Flèche_).

§ 55. _Names of Kansas men._--Thick Hoofs. Something Wanting. Not worn

from long use. He only is great in his own estimation. Boy who talks

like a chief. Young one that Flies [?]. He Lay down On the way. Young

Beaver. Two Thighs. Brave Boy. Kansas Chief. Young Kansas. Making a

Hollow sound. Gray Cottonwood. The one Moving toward the Land. He who

shot at the Land. Young Grizzly bear. White Grizzly bear near at hand.

He started suddenly to his feet. Heartless. Chief. Four Peaks. Hair on

the legs (of a buffalo calf takes) a withered appearance. Swift Wind.

Wind pulls to pieces. He Walks In the Wind. Buffalo that has become Lean

again. Lies at the end. Young animal Feeding with the herd. He who makes

an object Fall to pieces by Punching it. Blood. He who makes them weep.

Bow-wood Bow.

_Names of Kansas women._--Kansas Female. Moon that Is traveling.

Ancestral or Foremost Moon. Moon Moving On high. Last [?] Wind. Wind

Female. Coming back Gray.

THE MA^n₵IÑKA-GAXE GENS.

§ 56. This gens, which is the first of the Ictasanda gentes, camps next

to the [K]a^nze, but on the opposite side of the road.

The chief of the gens is Cañge-skă, or White Horse, a grandson of the

celebrated Black Bird.

The name Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe means "the earth-lodge makers," but the members

of this gens call themselves the Wolf (and Prairie Wolf) People.

_Tradition._--The principal nikie of the Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe are the coyote,

the wolf, and the sacred stones. La Flèche and Two Crows say that these

are all together. Some say that there are two sacred stones, one of

which is red, the other black; others say that both stones have been

reddened. (See § 16.) La Flèche and Two Crows have heard that there were

four of these stones; one being black, one red, one yellow, and one

blue. (See the colors of the lightning on the tent of Agaha-wacuce, §

43.) One tradition is that the stones were made by the Coyote in ancient

days to be used for conjuring enemies. The Osage tradition mentions four

stones of different colors, white, black, red, and blue.

_Style of wearing the hair._--Boys have two locks of hair left on their

heads, one over the forehead and another at the parting of the hair on

the crown. Female children have four locks left, one at the front, one

at the back, and one over each ear. La Flèche and Two Crows do not know

this, but they say that it may be true.

§ 57. _Subgentes._--La Flèche and Two Crows gave but two of these:

Keepers of the Pipe and Sacred Persons. This is evidently the

classification for marriage purposes, referred to in § 78; and the

writer is confident that La Flèche and Two Crows always mean this when

they speak of the divisions of each gens. This should be borne in mind,

as it will be helpful in solving certain seeming contradictions. That

these two are not the only divisions of the gens will appear from the

statements of Lion and Cañge-skă, the latter being the chief of the

gens. Cañge-skă said that there were three subgentes, as follows: 1.

Qube (including the Wolf people?). 2. Niniba t`a^n. 3. Mi^n´xa-sa^n

wet`ájĭ. Lion gave the following: 1. Mi´ʞasi (Coyote and Wolf people).

2. I^n´`ě waqúbe, Keepers of the Sacred Stones. 3. Niníba t`a^n. 4.

Mi^n´xa-sa^n wet`ájĭ. According to Cañge-skă, Qube was the name given to

his part of the gens after the death of Black Bird; therefore it is a

modern name, not a hundred years old. But I^n´`ě-waqúbe points to the

mythical origin of the gens; hence the writer is inclined to accept the

fourfold division as the ancient one. The present head of the Coyote

people is [T]aqie-tig¢e, whose predecessor was Hu-¢agebe. Cañge-skă, of

the second subgens, is the successor of his father, who bore the same

name. Uckadajĭ is the rightful keeper of the Sacred Pipe, but as he is

very old Ca^nta^n-jiñga has superseded him, according to

[P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ. Mi^nxa-skă was the head of the Mi^nxa-sa^n wet`ajĭ,

but Mañga`ajĭ has succeeded him. The name of this last subgens means

"Those who do not touch swans," but this is only a name, not a taboo,

according to some of the Omahas.

Among the Kansas Indians, the Ma^nyiñka-gaxe people used to include the

Elk gens, and part of the latter is called, Mi^n´xa únikaci^nga, Swan

people. As these were originally a subgens of the Kansas Ma^nyiñka-gaxe,

it furnishes another reason for accepting the statement of Lion about

the Omaha Mi^nxa-sa^n-wet`ajĭ.

§ 58. _Birth-names of boys._--[P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ gave the following, but

he did not know their exact order: He who Continues to Travel (denied by

the La Flèche and Two Crows). Little Tail (of a coyote). Sudden

Crunching sound (made by a coyote or wolf when gnawing bones). (Coyote)

Wheels around suddenly. (Coyote) Stands erect very suddenly. Surly Wolf.

_Names of men._ I. _Wolf subgens._--Sudden crunching sound. Wacicka.

Continues Running. Wheels around suddenly. The Standing one who is

Traveling. (Wolf) Makes a sudden Crackling sound (by alighting on twigs

or branches). Ghost of a Grizzly bear. Stands erect Very suddenly.

Little Tail. Young Traveler. He who Continues to Travel, or Standing

Traveler. Standing Elk. Young animal Feeding or grazing with a herd. II.

I^n`ě-waqube _subgens_.--White Horse. Ancestral Kansas. Thunder-god.

Village-maker. Brave Second-son. Black Bird (_not_ Blackbird). Big Black

bear. White Swan. Night Walker. He whom they Reverence. Big Chief.

Walking Stone. Red Stone. [P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ said that the last two names

were birth-names in this subgens. III. Niniba-t`a^n _subgens_.--He who

Rushes into battle. Young Wolf. Saucy Chief. IV. _Swan subgens._--He

whom an Arrow Fails to wound. Willing to be employed. A member of this

gens, Tailless Grizzly bear, has been with the Ponkas for many years.

His name is not an Omaha name.

_Names of women._--Hawk-Female. New Hawk-Female. Miacte-cta^n, or

Miate-cta^n. Mi^n-miʇega. Visible Moon. (Wolf) Stands erect. White Ponka

in the distance. Ponka Female. She who is Ever Coming back Visible.

Eagle Circling around. Wate wi^n.

THE [T]E-SĬNDE GENS.

§ 59. The [T]e-sĭnde, or Buffalo-tail gens, camps between the

Ma^n¢iñka-gaxe and the [T]a-[p]a gentes in the tribal circle. Its

present chief is Waha^n-¢iñge, son of Takunaki¢abi.

_Taboos._--The members of this gens cannot eat a calf while it is red,

but they can do so when it becomes black. This applies to the calf of

the domestic cow, as well as to that of the buffalo. They cannot touch a

buffalo head.--_Frank La Flèche._ (See §§ 31, 37, and 49.) They cannot

eat the meat on the lowest rib, ʇe¢iʇ-ucag¢e, because the head of the

calf before birth touches the mother near that rib.

[Illustration: FIG. 19.--[T]e-sĭnde style of wearing the hair.]

_Style of wearing the hair._--It is called "[T]áihi^n-múxa-gáxai," _Mane

made muxa_, _i. e._, to stand up and hang over a little on each side. La

Flèche and Two Crows do not know this style.

§ 60. _Birth-names of boys._--[P]a¢i^n-na^npajĭ was uncertain about

them. He thought that six of them were as follows: Gray Horns (of a

buffalo). Uma-abi, refers to cutting up a buffalo. (A buffalo that is

almost grown) Raises his Tail in the air. Dark Eyes (A buffalo calf when

it sheds its reddish-yellow hair, has a coat of black, which commences

at the eyes). (Buffalo Calf) Unable to Run. Little one (buffalo calf)

with reddish-yellow hair.

§ 61. _Subgentes._--For marriage purposes, the gens is undivided,

according to La Flèche and Two Crows; but they admitted that there were

at present two parts of the gens, one of which was The Keepers of the

Pipe. Lion said that he knew of but two subgentes, which were The

Keepers of the Pipe, or, Those who do not Eat the Lowest buffalo rib,

under Wild sage; and Those who Touch no Calves, or, Keepers of the Sweet

Medicine, under Orphan. J. La Flèche said that all of the [T]e-sĭnde had

the sweet medicine, and that none were allowed to eat calves.

§ 62. _Names of men._--Wild Sage. Stands in a High and marshy place.

Smoke Coming back Regularly. Big ax. (Buffalo) Bristling with Arrows.

Ancestral Feather. Orphan, or, (Buffalo bull) Raises a Dust by Pawing

the Ground. Unable to run. (Body of a buffalo) Divided with a knife.

Playful (?) or Skittish Buffalo. Little one with reddish-yellow hair.

Dark Eyes. Lies Bottom-upwards. Stands on a Level. Young Buffalo bull.

Raises his Tail in the air. Lover. Crow Necklace. Big Mane. Buffalo

Head. He who is to be blamed for evil.

_Names of women._--Mi^n-akanda. Sacred Moon. White Buffalo-Female in the

distance. Walks in order to Seek (for something).

THE [T]A-[P]A OR DEER-HEAD GENS.

§ 63. The place of this gens in the tribal circle is after that of the

[T]e-sĭnde. The chief of the gens is Sĭnde-xa^nxa^n.

_Taboo._--The members of this gens cannot touch the skin of any animal

of the deer family; they cannot use moccasins of deer-skin; nor can they

use the fat of the deer for hair-oil, as the other Omahas can do; but

they can eat the flesh of the deer.

_Subgentes._--La Flèche and Two Crows recognized three divisions of the

gens for marriage purposes, and said that the Keepers of the Sacred Pipe

were "uʞa^nha jiñga," _a little apart from the rest_. Waniʇa-waqě, who

is himself the keeper of the Sacred Pipe of this gens, gave four

subgentes. These sat in the gentile circle in the following order: On

the first or left side of the "fire-place" were the Niniba t`a^n,

_Keepers of the Pipe_, and Jiñga-gahige's subgens. On the other side

were the Thunder people and the real Deer people. The Keepers of the

Pipe and Jiñga-gahige's subgens seem to form one of the three divisions

recognized by La Flèche. Waniʇa-waqě said that his own subgens were

Eagle people, and that they had a special taboo, being forbidden to

touch verdigris (see [K]a^nze gens), charcoal, and the skin of the

wild-cat. He said that the members of the second subgens could not touch

charcoal, in addition to the general taboo of the gens. But La Flèche

and Two Crows said that none of the [T]a-[p]a could touch charcoal.

The head of the Niniba t`a^n took the name Waniʇa-waqě, The Animal that

excels others, or Lion, after a visit to the East; but his real Omaha

name is Disobedient. [P]a¢i^n-gahige is the head of the Thunder subgens,

and Sĭnde-xa^nxa^n, of the Deer subgens.

§ 64. _Birth-names for boys._--Lion said that the following were some of

the Eagle birth-names of his subgens (see Iñke-sabě birth-names, § 32):

The thunder-god makes the sound "ʇide" as he walks. Eagle who is a chief

(keeping a Sacred Pipe). Eagle that excels. White Eagle (Golden Eagle).

Akida-gahige, Chief who Watches over something (being the keeper of a

Sacred Pipe).

He gave the following as the Deer birth-names: He who Wags his Tail. The

Black Hair on the Abdomen of a Buck. Horns like phalanges. Deer Paws the

Ground, making parallel or diverging indentations. Deer in the distance

Shows its Tail White Suddenly. Little Hoof of a deer. Dark Chin of a

deer.

§ 65. _Ceremony on the fifth day after a birth._--According to Lion,

there is a peculiar ceremony observed in his gens when an infant is

named. All the members of the gens assemble on the fifth day after the

birth of a child. Those belonging to the subgens of the infant cannot

eat anything cooked for the feast, but the men of the other subgentes

are at liberty to partake of the food. The infant is placed within the

gentile circle and the privileged decoration is made on the face of the

child with "wase-jide-nika," or Indian red. Then with the tips of the

index, middle, and the next finger, are red spots made down the child's

back, at short intervals, in imitation of a fawn. The child's

breech-cloth (_sic_) is also marked in a similar way. With the tips of

three fingers are rubbed stripes as long as a hand on the arms and chest

of the infant. All the [T]a-[p]a people, even the servants, decorate

themselves. Rubbing the rest of the Indian red on the palms of their

hands, they pass their hands backwards over their hair; and they finally

make red spots on their chests, about the size of a hand. The members of

the Pipe subgens, and those persons in the other subgentes who are

related to the infant's father through the calumet dance, are the only

ones who are allowed to use the privileged decoration, and to wear

hi^nqpe (_down_) in their hair. If the infant belongs to the Pipe

subgens, charcoal, verdigris, and the skin of a wild-cat are placed

beside him, as the articles not to be touched by him in after-life. Then

he is addressed thus: "This you must not touch; this, too, you must not

touch; and this you must not touch." The verdigris symbolizes the blue

sky.

La Flèche and Two Crows said that the custom is different from the

above. When a child is named on the fifth day after birth, all of the

gentiles are not invited, the only person who is called is an old man

who belongs to the subgens of the infant.[5] He puts the spots on the

child, and gives it its name; but there is no breech-cloth.

§ 66. _Names of men._ I. _Pipe subgens._--Chief that Watches over

something. Eagle Chief. Eagle that excels, or Eagle-maker (?). Wags his

Tail. Standing Moose or Deer. (Lightning) Dazzles the Eyes, making them

Blink. Shows Iron. Horns Pulled around (?). Forked Horns. (Fawn that)

Does not Flee to a place of refuge. (Deer) Alights, making the sound

"stapi." Pawnee Tempter, a war name. White Tail. Gray Face. Like a

Buffalo Horn (?). Walks Near. Not ashamed to ask for anything. (Fawn) Is

not Shot at (by the hunter). White Breast. Goes to the Hill. Elk.

II._ Boy Chief's subgens._--Human-male Eagle (a Dakota name, J. La

Flèche). Heart Bone (of a deer; some say it refers to the thunder; J. La

Flèche says that it has been recently brought from the Kansas). Fawn

gives a sudden cry. Small Hoofs. Dark Chin. Forked Horns. (Deer) Leaps

and raises a sudden Dust by Alighting on the ground. He who Wishes to be

Sacred (or a doctor). Flees not. Forked Horns of a Fawn.

III. _Thunder subgens._--Spotted Back (of a fawn). Small Hoofs. Like a

Buffalo Horn. Wet Moccasins (that is, the feet of a deer. A female name

among the Osages, etc.). Young Male-animal. White Tail. Dazzles the

Eyes. Spoken to (by the thunder-god). Young Thunder-god. Dark Chin.

Forked Horns. Distant Sitting one with White Horns. Fawn. Paws the

Ground, making parallel or diverging indentations. Black Hair on a

buck's Abdomen. Two Buffalo bulls. Red Leaf (a Dakota name). Skittish.

Black Crow. Weasel. Young Elk. Pawnee Chief.

IV. _Deer subgens._--(Deer's) Tail shows red, now and then, in the

distance. White-horned animal Walking Near by. White Neck. Tail Shows

White Suddenly in the distance. (Deer) Stands Red. (Deer) Starts up,

beginning to move. Big Deer Walks. (Deer that) Excels others as he

stands, or, Stands ahead of others. Small Forked Horns (of a fawn). Four

Deer. Back drawn up (as of an enraged deer or buffalo), making the hair

stand erect. Four Hoofs. He who Carves an animal. Shows a Turtle. Runs

in the Trail (of the female). (Fawn) Despised (by the hunter, who

prefers to shoot the full-grown deer). Feared when not seen. White Elk.

Lion said that White Neck was the only servant in his gens at present.

When the gens assembled in its circle, the servants had to sit by the

door, as it was their place to bring in wood and water, and to wait on

the guests. La Flèche and Two Crows said that there were no servants of

this sort in any of the gentes.

Yet, among the Osages and Kansas, there are still two kinds of servants,

kettle-tenders and water-bringers. But these can be promoted to the rank

of brave men.

_Names of women in the gens._--Eᴐna-maha. Habitual-Hawk Female. Hawk

Female. Precious Hawk Female. Horn used for cutting or chopping (?). Ax

Female. Moon-Hawk Female. Moon that is Flying. Moon that Is moving On

high. Na^nzéi^nze. White Ponka in the distance. Ponka Female.

[5] This agrees substantially with the Osage custom.

THE IÑG¢E-JIDE GENS.

§ 67. The meaning of this name has been explained in several ways. In

Dougherty's Account of the Omahas (_Long's Expedition to the Rocky

Mountains_, I, 327) we read that "This name is said to have originated

from the circumstance of this band having formerly quarreled and

separated themselves from the nation, until, being nearly starved, they

were compelled to eat the fruit of the wild cherry tree, until their

excrement became red". (They must have eaten buffalo berries, not wild

cherries. La Flèche.) A^nba-hebe did not know the exact meaning of the

name, but said that it referred to the bloody body of the buffalo seen

when the seven old men visited this gens with the sacred pipes. (See §

16). Two Crows said that the Iñg¢ejide men give the following

explanation: "[T]éjiñga ídai tědi, iñg¢é zí-jide éga^n": _i. e._, "When

a buffalo calf is born, its dung is a yellowish red."

The place of the Iñg¢e-jide in the tribal circle is next to that of the

[T]a-[p]a. Their head man is He-mu[s]nade.

_Taboo._--They do not eat a buffalo calf. (See [T]e-sĭnde gens.) It

appears that the two Ictasanda buffalo gentes are buffalo calf gentes,

and that the two Hañgacenu buffalo gentes are connected with the grown

buffalo.

_Decoration of skin tents._--This consists of a circle painted on each

side of the entrance, within which is sketched the body of a buffalo

calf, visible from the flanks up. A similar sketch is made on the back

of the tent.

§ 68. _Birth names of boys._--These are as follows, but their exact

order has not been gained: Buffalo calf. Seeks its Mother. Stands at the

End. Horn Erect with the sharp end toward the spectator. Buffalo (calf?)

Rolls over. Made dark by heat very suddenly. Ma^nzeda^n, meaning

unknown.

_Subgentes._--The Iñg¢e-jide are not divided for marriage purposes.

Lion, however, gave four subgentes; but he could not give the names and

taboos. He said that _Horn Erect_ was the head of the first. The present

head of the second is _Little Star_. _Rolls over_ is the head of the

third; and _Singer_ of the fourth.

_Names of men._--Walking Buffalo. Buffalo Walks a little. (Buffaloes)

Continue Approaching. Tent-poles stuck Obliquely in the ground. Becomes

Cold suddenly. Hawk Temper. Bad Buffalo. (Buffalo calf) Seeks its

Mother. (Buffalo bull) Rolls over. Stands at the End. Singer. Crow Skin.

Small Bank. Kansas Head. Rapid (as a river). Sacred Crow that speaks in

Visions. White Feather. Walks at the End.

_Names of women._--Moon-Hawk Female. Moon Horn Female. (Buffaloes) Make

the ground Striped as they run. Walks, seeking her own.

THE ICTASANDA GENS.

§ 69. The meaning of "Ictasanda" is uncertain; though Say was told by

Dougherty that it signifies "gray eyes." It probably has some reference

to the effect of lightning on the eyes. The place of the Ictasanda is at

the end of the tribal circle, after the Iñg¢e-jide, and opposite to the

Weji^ncte. The head of the gens is Ibaha^nbi, son of Wanuʞige, and

grandson of Wacka^nhi.

_Taboo._--The Ictasanda people do not touch worms, snakes, toads, frogs,

or any other kinds of reptiles. Hence they are sometimes called the

"Wag¢ícka níkaci^n´ga," or Reptile people. But there are occasions when

they seem to violate this custom. If worms trouble the corn after it has

been planted, these people catch some of them. They pound them up with a

small quantity of grains of corn that have been heated. They make a soup

of the mixture and eat it, thinking that the corn will not be troubled

again--at least for the remainder of that season.

§ 70. _Birth names of boys._--Ibaha^nbi said that the first son was

called Gaagig¢e-hna^n, which probably refers to thunder that is passing

by. The second is, The Thunder-god is Roaring as he Stands. The third,

Big Shoulder. The fourth, Walking Forked-lightning. The fifth, The

thunder-god Walks Roaring. The sixth, Sheet-lightning Makes a Glare

inside the Lodge. The seventh, The Thunder-god that Walks After others

at the close of a storm.

_Birth names of girls._--The first is called The Visible (Moon) in

Motion. The second, The Visible one that has Come back and is in a

Horizontal attitude. The third, Zizika-wate, meaning uncertain; refers

to wild turkeys. The fourth, Female (thunder?) who Roars. The fifth, She

who is Ever Coming back Visibly (referring to the moon?). The sixth,

White Eyed Female in the distance. The seventh, Visible ones in

different places.

§ 71. _Subgentes._--For marriage purposes the gens is divided into three

parts, according to La Flèche and Two Crows. I. Niniba-t`a^n, Keepers of

the Pipe, and Real Ictasanda, of which [T]e-uʞa^nha, [K]awaha,

Waji^n-a^nba, and Si-¢ede-jiñga are the only survivors. II. Waceta^n, or

Reptile people, under Ibaha^nbi. III. Ing¢a^n, Thunder people, among who

are Ui¢a^nbe-a^nsa and Wanace-jiñga.

Lion divided the gens into four parts. I. Niniba-t`a^n, under

[T]e-uʞa^nha. II. Real Ictasanda people, under Waji^n-a^nba. III.

Waceta^n (referring to the thunder, according to Lion, but denied by Two

Crows), Reptile people, under Ibaha^nbi. These are sometimes called

Keepers of the Claws of the Wild-cat, because they bind these claws to

the waist of a new-born infant, putting them on the left side. IV. The

Real Thunder people are called, Those who do not touch the Clam shell,

or, Keepers of the Clam shell, or, Keepers of the Clam shell and the

Tooth of a Black bear. These bind a clam shell to the waist of a child

belonging to this subgens, when he is forward in learning to walk. (See

§§ 24, 43, 45, and 63.)

At the time that Waniʇa-waqě gave this information, March, 1880, he said

that there were but two men left in the Niniba-t`a^n, [T]e-uʞa^nha,

and [K]awaha. Now it appears that they have united with Waji^n-a^nba and

Si¢ede-jiñga, the survivors of the Ictasandaqti. [T]e-uʞa^nha, being

the keeper of the Ictasanda sacred pipe, holds what was a very important

office, that of being the person who has the right to fill the sacred

pipes for the chiefs. (See §§ 17 and 18.) [T]e-uʞa^nha, does not,

however, know the sacred words used on such occasions, as his father,

Mahi^nzi, died without communicating them to him.

But some say that there is another duty devolving on this keeper. There

has been a custom in the tribe not to cut the hair of children when they

were small, even after they began to walk. But before a child reached

the age of four years, it was necessary for it to be taken, with such

other children as had not had their hair cut, to the man who filled the

sacred pipes. Two or three old men of the Ictasanda gens sat together on

that occasion. They sent a crier around the camp or village, saying,

"You who wish to have your children's hair cut bring them." Then the

father, or else the mother, would take the child, with a pair of good

moccasins for the child to put on, also a present for the keeper of the

sacred pipe, which might consist of a pair of moccasins, some arrows, or

a dress, etc. When the parents had arrived with their children each one

addressed the keeper of the pipe, saying, "Venerable man, you will

please cut my child's hair," handing him the present at the same time.

Then the old man would take a child, cut off one lock about the length

of a finger, tie it up, and put it with the rest in a sacred buffalo

hide. Then the old man put the little moccasins on the child, who had

not worn any previously, and after turning him around four times he

addressed him thus: "[T]ucpáha, Wakan´da ¢a`é¢i¢é-de ʞáci ma^n¢iñ´ka

si á¢ag¢é taté--_Grandchild, may Wakanda pity you, and may your feet

rest for a long time on the ground!_" Another form of the address was

this: "Wakan´da ¢a`é¢i¢e taté! Ma^n¢iñ´ka si á¢ag¢é taté. Gúdihéga^n hné

taté!--_May Wakanda pity you! May your feet tread the ground! May you go

ahead_ (_i. e._, may you live hereafter)!" At the conclusion of the

ceremony the parent took the child home, and on arriving there the

father cut off the rest of the child's hair, according to the style of

the gens. La Flèche told the following, in 1879: "If it was desired,

horns were left, and a circle of hair around the head, with one lock at

each side, over the ear. Some say that they cut off more of the hair,

leaving none on top and only a circle around the head." But the writer

has not been able to ascertain whether this referred to any particular

gens, as the Ictasanda or to the whole tribe. "It is the duty of

Waji^n-a^nba, of the Real Ictasanda, to cut the children's hair. The

Keepers of the Pipe and the Real Ictasanda were distinct subgentes, each

having special duties." (_Frank La Flèche._)

§ 72. _Names of men._--[T]e-uʞa^nha (Sentinel Buffalo Apart from the

herd) and his brother, [K]awaha, are the only survivors of the _Keepers

of the Pipe_. Hañga-cenu and Mahi^n-zi (Yellow Rock) are dead.

II. _Real Ictasanda people._--Waji^n-a^nba and Small Heel are the only

survivors. The following used to belong to this subgens: Reptile

Catcher. (Thunder-god) Threatens to strike. Wishes to Love. Frog.

(Thunder) Makes a Roar as it Passes along. Night Walker. Runs (on) the

Land. Sacred Mouth. Soles of (gophers') Paws turned Outward. The

Reclining Beaver. Snake. Touched the distant foe. Rusty-yellow Corn-husk

(an Oto name). Young Black bear. He who Boiled a Little (a nickname for

a stingy man). Small Fireplace. He who Hesitates about asking a favor.

Maker of a Lowland forest. Stomach Fat.

III. Waceta^n _subgens_.--Roar of approaching thunder. He who made the

foe stir. He who tried to anticipate the rest in reaching the body of a

foe. Cedar Shooter. Flat Water (the Platte or Nebraska). He is Known.

(Thunder-god) Roars as he Stands. Sharp Stone. (Thunder that) Walks

after the others at the close of a storm. Big Shoulder. (Thunder) Walks

On high. Wace-jiñga (Small Reptile?) Wace-ta^n (Standing Reptile?).

Wace-ta^n-jiñga (Small Standing Reptile?). (Snake) Makes himself Round.

Sheet-lightning Flashes Suddenly. Forked-lightning Walks. Thunder makes

the sound "z+!" Black cloud in the horizon. Walks during the Night.

White Disposition (or, Sensible). Sole of the foot. He got the better of

the Lodges (of the foe by stealing their horses). Ibaha^nbi (He is

Known) gave the following as names of Ictasanda men, but J. La Flèche

and Two Crows doubt them. Large Spotted Snake. (Snake) Makes (a frog)

Cry out (by biting him).[6] Small Snake.[6] (Snake) Lies Stiff. Big

Mouth. Black Rattlesnake. (Snake that) Puffs up itself.

IV. _Thunder subgens._--Sheet-lightning Flashes inside the Lodge. Swift

at Running up a hill. Young Policeman. Cloud. He Walks with them. He who

Is envied because he has a pretty wife, a good horse, etc., though he is

poor or homely.

_Names of women._--Da^nama. She Alone is Visible. Skin Dress. She who Is

returning Roaring or Bellowing. She who is made Muddy as she Moves. Moon

has Returned Visible. Moon is Moving On high.[7]

[6] These names are found in the corresponding Ponka gens, the Wajaje or

Osage, a reptile gens.

[7] Many names have been omitted because an exact translation could not

be given, though the references to certain animals or mythical ancestors

are apparent. It is the wish of the writer to publish hereafter a

comparative list of personal names of the cognate tribes, Omahas,

Ponkas, Osages, Kansas, and Kwapas, for which considerable material has

been collected.

CHAPTER IV.

THE KINSHIP SYSTEM AND MARRIAGE LAWS.

CLASSES OF KINSHIP.

§ 73. Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows recognize four classes of kinship:

1. Consanguineous or blood kinship, which includes not only the gens of

the father, but also those of the mother and grandmothers.

2. Marriage kinship, including all the affinities of the consort, as

well as those of the son's wife or daughter's husband.

3. Weawa^n kinship, connected with the Calumet dance. (See § 126.)

4. Inter-gentile kinship, existing between contiguous gentes. This last

is not regarded as a bar to intermarriage, _e. g._, the Weji^ncte and

Iñke-sabě gentes are related; and the Weji^ncte man whose tent is at the

end of his gentile area in the tribal circle is considered as a very

near kinsman by the Iñke-sabě man whose tent is next to his. In like

manner, the Iñke-sabě Wa¢igije man who camps next to the Hañga gens is a

brother of his nearest Hañga neighbor. The last man in the Hañga area is

the brother of the first ₵atada (Wasabe-hit`ajĭ), who acts as Quʞa for

the Hañga. The last ₵atada [K]e-`i^n man is brother of the first

[K]a^nze man, and so on around the circle.