Chapter III (1)

CULTS OF THE OMAHA, PONKA, KANSA, AND OSAGE.

BELIEFS AND PRACTICES NOT FOUND.

§ 17. There are certain beliefs and practices which have not been found among the four tribes whose cults are treated of in this chapter. Ancestors were not worshiped. They were addressed reverently when alive, and when they died it was not contrary to custom to refer to them by name, nor did their deaths involve the change of name for a single object or phenomenon. It was a very common occurrence for the name of the deceased to be assumed by a surviving kinsman. This is shown by genealogical tables of a few Siouan tribes, the material for which was collected by the author, and which will form part of his monograph on “Indian Personal Names,” now in course of preparation for publication by the Bureau of Ethnology.

§ 18. They never heard of Satan or the devil until they learned of him from the white people. Now they have adopted the terms, “Wanáxe piäjĭ,” “Iñgȼaⁿxe piäjĭ,” and “Wakanda piäjĭ.” The first is used by the Omaha and Ponka, the others were heard only among the Ponka. They have a certain saying, applicable to a young man who is a liar, or who is bad in some other way: “Wanáxe piä´jĭ égaⁿ áhaⁿ,” i.e. “He is like the bad spirit!” This becomes, when addressed to the bad person, “Wanáxe piä´jĭ éȼikigaⁿ´-qti jaⁿ´,” i.e. “You act just like the (or a) bad spirit.”

§ 19. Though it has been said that hero worship was unknown among the Omaha and Ponka, it has been learned that Omaha mothers used to scare their unruly children by telling them that Icibajĭ (a hero of the ┴e-sĭnde gens) or his friend ┴exujaⁿ (a hero of the [K]aⁿze gens) would catch them if they did not behave. There was no worship of demigods, as demigods were unknown. Two Crows and Joseph La Flèche said that phallic worship was unknown, and they were surprised to hear that it had been practiced by any tribe. (See § 132, 164.) As the Ponka obtained the sun-dance from their Dakota neighbors, it is probable that they practiced the phallic cult.

§ 20. Totems and shamans were not worshiped, though they are still reverenced. Altars or altar-stones were unknown. Incense was not used, unless by this name we refer to the odor of tobacco smoke as it ascended to the Thunder-being, or to the use of cedar fronds in the sweat lodge. There were no human sacrifices, and cannibalism was not practiced.

OMAHA, PONKA, AND KANSA BELIEF IN A WAKANDA.

§ 21. According to Two Crows and Joseph La Flèche, the ancestors of the Omaha and Ponka believed that there was a Supreme Being, whom they called Wakanda. “Wakanda t‘aⁿi tĕ eȼegaⁿi, they believed that Wakanda existed.” They did not know where He was, nor did they undertake to say how He existed. There was no public gathering at which some of the people told others that there was a Wakauda, nor was there any general assembly for the purpose of offering Him worship and prayer. Each person thought in his heart that Wakanda existed. Some addressed the sun as Wakanda, though many did not so regard him. Many addressed Wakanda, as it were, blindly or at random. Some worshiped the Thunder-being under this name. This was especially the case when men undertook to go on the war path. [7] Mr. Say recorded of the Kansa: “They say that they have never seen Wakanda, so they cannot pretend to personify Him; but they have often heard Him speak in the thunder. They often wear a shell which is in honor or in representation of Him, but they do not pretend that it resembles Him, or has anything in common with his form, organization, or size.”

SEVEN GREAT WAKANDAS.

§ 22. Ԁaȼiⁿ-naⁿ-pajĭ said that there were seven great Wakandas, as follows: “Ugahana[p]aze or Darkness, Maxe or the Upper World, ┴ande or the Ground, Iñgȼaⁿ or the Thunder-being, Miⁿ or the Sun, Niaⁿba or the Moon, and the Morning Star. The principal Wakanda is in the upper world, above everything.” (This was denied by Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows; see § 93.) The author thought at first that these were the powers worshiped by Ԁaȼiⁿ-naⁿpajĭ and the members of his gens or subgens; but subsequent inquiries and statements occurring in the course of texts furnish cumulative evidence favoring the view that some or all these powers had many believers among the Omaha and the cognate tribes.

INVOCATION OF WARMTH AND STREAMS.

§ 23. Ԁaȼiⁿ-naⁿpajĭ said that Macte or Warmth was a good Wakanda. Ni ȼiⁿ, the flowing Stream, according to him, was thus addressed by a man who wished to ford it: “You are a person and a Wakanda. I, too, am a person. I desire to pass through you and reach the other side.” Two Crows denied this, saying that his people never prayed to a stream; but George Miller said that it was true, for his father, Little Soldier, prayed to a stream when he was on the war path, and that such invocations were made only in time of war.

PRAYER TO WAKANDA.

§ 24. Prayer to Wakanda, said La Flèche and Two Crows, was not made for small matters, such as going fishing, but only for great and important undertakings, such as going to war or starting on a journey. When a man wished to travel he first went alone to a bluff, where he prayed to Wakanda to help him and his family by protecting them during his absence and by granting him a successful journey. At a time when the Ponka were without food, Horse-with-yellow-hair, or Cañge-hiⁿ-zi, prayed to Wakanda on the hill beyond the Stony Butte. The latter is a prominent landmark in northern Nebraska (in what was Todd county, Dakota, in 1871-’73), about 7 miles from the Missouri River and the Ponka Agency (of 1870-’77)[8]. Several Omaha said that the places for prayer were rocks, high bluffs, and mountains. “All Omaha went to such places to pray, but they did not pray to the visible object, though they called it Grandfather.”--(Frank La Flèche.) They smoked towards the invoked object and placed gifts of killickinnick, etc., upon it. Compare with this the Dakota custom of invoking a bowlder on the prairie; calling it Tŭñkaⁿcidaⁿ (Tuŋkaŋśidaŋ), or Grandfather, symbolizing the Earth-being.[9] Though it has been said that a high bluff was merely a place for praying to Wakanda, and that it was not itself addressed as Wakanda, the author has learned from members of the Omaha and Pouka tribes that when they went on the warpath for the first time, their names were then changed and one of the old men was sent to the bluffs to tell the news to the various Wakandas, including the bluffs, trees, birds, insects, reptiles, etc.[10]

ACCESSORIES OF PRAYER.

Among the accessories of prayer were the following: (_a_) The action called ȼistube by the Omaha and Ponka, riçtowe by the three ┴ɔiwere tribes, and yuwiⁿtapi (yuwiŋtapi) by the Dakota, consisting of the elevation of the suppliant’s arms with the palms toward the object or the face of the being invoked, followed by a passage of the hand downward toward the ground, without touching the object or person (see §§ 28, 35, 36). (_b_) The presentation of the pipe with the mouthpiece toward the power invoked (see §§ 29, 35, 40). (_c_) The use of smoke from the pipe (See §§ 27, 36), or of the odor of burning cedar needles, as in the sweat lodge. (_d_) The application of the kinship term, “grandfather,” or its alternative, “venerable man,” to a male power, and “grandmother” to a female power (see §§ 30, 31, 35, 39, 59, 60, etc.). (_e_) Ceremonial wailing or crying (Xage, to wail or cry--Dakota ćeya. See § 100).[11] (_f_) Sacrifice or offering of goods, animals, pieces of the suppliant’s flesh, etc. In modern times the Kansa have substituted the lives of animals, as deer, grouse, etc., for those of human enemies (see §§ 28, 33, etc.).

OMAHA AND KANSA EXPRESSIONS ABOUT WAKANDA.

§ 25. Samuel Fremont said that before the advent of the white race the Omaha had certain expressions which they used in speaking of Wakanda. When an Indian met with unexpected good fortune of any sort the people used to say, “Wakanda has given him some assistance.”[12] Or they might say, “Wakanda knows him.”[13] Sometimes they said, “Wakanda has planned for his own (i. e., for his friend, relation, or subject).”[14] If a Kansa prospers, he says, “Wakan´da aká aⁿmaⁿ´yüxü´dje aka´ eyaú,” i. e., “Wakanda has indeed been looking at me!” And in speaking of the success of another, he says, “Wakan´da aká níka yiñké uyü´xüdje aká eyaú,” i. e., “Wakanda has indeed been looking at the man.”

Samuel Fremont said that when an animal detected the approach of the hunter and consequently fled from him, the man prayed thus:

Hau´ Wakan´da, wani´ta wiⁿ aⁿȼá‘i éiⁿte cĭ iⁿȼégȼize
Ho, Wakanda, quadruped one you gave perhaps again you take
to me yours
back
from me

égaⁿ. Cĭ wiⁿ´ waȼíɔnaaⁿȼákiȼe kaⁿbȼégaⁿ,
somewhat again one you cause to appear I hope
to me

i. e., “Ho, Wakanda, you may have given me an animal, but now it seems that you have taken it from me. I hope that you will cause another to appear to me.” But if the hunter shot at an animal and missed it, he said nothing.

PONKA BELIEF ABOUT MALEVOLENT SPIRITS.

§ 26. About eighteen years ago, the author was told by the Ponka, whose reservation was then in southern Dakota, that they believed death to be caused by certain malevolent spirits, whom they feared. In order to prevent future visits of such spirits, the survivors gave away all their property, hoping that as they were in such a wretched plight the spirits would not think it worth while to make them more unhappy. At the burial of Mazi-kide, an Omaha, the author observed that some one approached the corpse and addressed it. In referring to this in 1888, Samuel Fremont said that the speaker said, “Wakanda has caused your death.” In telling this, Fremont used the singular. “Wakanda aka.” On repeating this to George Miller, the latter said that it should have been “Wakanda ama,” in the plural, “the Mysterious Powers,” as the Omaha believed in more than one Wakanda before they learned about the one God of monotheism.

This agrees with what was learned about the Dakota by the late missionaries, Messrs. S. R. Riggs and G. H. Pond, and by the late James W. Lynd, as stated in chapter V.

AN OLD OMAHA CUSTOM.

§ 27. “Abicude,” said Samuel Fremont, “is a word which refers to an old Omaha and Ponka custom, i.e., that of blowing the smoke downward to the ground while praying. The Omaha and Ponka used to hold the pipe in six directions while smoking: toward the four winds, the ground, and the upper world.” The exact order has been forgotten by Fremont, but Lewis and Clarke have recorded the corresponding Shoshoni custom. Capt. Lewis tells how the Shoshoni chief, after lighting his pipe of transparent greenstone (instead of catlinite), made a speech, after which he pointed the stem of the pipe toward the four points of the heavens, beginning with the east and concluding with the north. After extending the stem thrice toward Capt. Lewis, he pointed it first toward the heavens and then toward the center of the little circle of guests, probably toward the ground, symbolizing the subterranean power.[15]

In addressing the four winds, a peculiar expression is employed by the Omaha:

┴a[p]é dúba híȼaȼĕ ȼáȼiⁿcé, iⁿ wiñ´ʞaⁿi-gă, Thou who causest
Wind four you cause you (sing.) help ye me.
it to reach who move
there

the four winds to reach a place, help ye me! Instead of the singular classifier, ȼaȼiⁿce, the regular plural, nañkácĕ, ye who sit, stand, or move, might have been expected. (See § 33.)

In smoking toward the ground and upper world, the suppliant had to say, “I petition to you who are one of the two, you who are reclining on your back, and to you who are the other one, sitting directly above us. Both of you help me!” “Here,” said Fremont, “the ground itself was addressed as a person.” Two Crows said that some Omaha appealed to a subterranean Wakanda when their word was doubted, saying, “Iⁿc‘áge hídeaʇa aká aⁿná‘aⁿi,” “The venerable man at the bottom hears me.” The author is unable to say whether this was ┴ande or Wakandagi. (See § 37.)

The following was recorded of the Omaha, and refers to a custom relating to the buffalo hunt.[16]

On coming in sight of the herd, the hunters talk kindly to their
horses, applying to them the endearing names of father, brother,
uncle, etc. They petition them not to fear the bisons, but to run
well and keep close to them, but at the same time to avoid being
gored.
The party having approached as near to the herd as they suppose
the animals will permit without taking alarm, they halt to give
the pipe bearer an opportunity to perform the ceremony of
smoking, which is considered necessary to their success. He lights
his pipe, and remains a short time with his head inclined, and the
stem of the pipe extended toward the herd. He then smokes, and
puffs the smoke toward the bisons, and the earth, and finally to
the cardinal points successively.

THE SUN A WAKANDA.

§ 28. In the Osage traditions the “mysterious one of day” is invoked as “grandfather.”[17]

He replies that he is not the only Wakanʇa. That the Kansa worshiped the sun as a Wakanda appears from the following: “On one occasion, when the Kansa went against the Pawnees, the stick was set up for the mystic attack or ‘waqpele gaxe.’ The war captain addressed the rising sun thus:

“Páyiⁿ áqli kŭⁿ´bla eyaú. Cŭñ´ge wábliⁿ alí kŭⁿ´bla
Pawnee I stun by I wish indeed. Horse I have I have I wish
hitting them come back

eyaú. Wayü´qpe ckí kŭⁿ´bla eyaú. Haléje uɯíblage.
indeed. Pulling down too I wish indeed. Calico (shirt) I tell you
(a foe) about it.

Haqiⁿ´ uɯíblage. Haská cki Páyiⁿ áqli-daⁿ´ mík’ü
Robe I tell you Blanket too Pawnee I stun when I give to
about it. by hitting you

tá miñke, Wákanda-é, é gü´aⁿyakiyé-daⁿ. “I wish to kill
will I who O Wakanda! that you cause me to when.
(sit) be returning

[Transcriber's note: the hyphen in “gü´aⁿyakiyé-daⁿ” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “gü´aⁿyakiyédaⁿ” or “gü´aⁿyakiyé-daⁿ”.]

a Pawnee! I desire to bring horses when I return. I long to pull down an enemy! I promise you a calico shirt and a robe. I will give you a blanket also, O Wakanda, if you allow me to return in safety after killing a Pawnee!” When warriors performed the “waqpele gaxe” or the attack on the stick representing the foe, no member of the Lṵ or Thunder gens could participate. On such an occasion the warrior turned to the east and said: “Aⁿmaⁿ´pye kŭⁿ´bla aú. Haská To follow me(?) I wish . Blanket or We follow it(?)

uɯíblage aú, Wákanda-é,” i.e., I wish my party to pass along
I tell you of it . O Wakanda

the road to the foe(?). I promise you a blanket, O Wakanda (if I succeed?).” On turning to the west he said: “Uⁿ´hŭⁿ Boiling

uɯíblage aú, Wákanda-é,” i.e., “I promise you a feast, O
I tell you of it . O Wakanda

Wakanda (if I succeed?).”

When it was decided to perform the “waqpele gaxe,” the dudaⁿhañga or war captain made one of the lieutenants carry the sacred bag, and two of the kettle tenders took bundles of sticks, which they laid down in the road. The four remaining kettle tenders remained at the camping place. The next morning all the warriors but those of the Lṵ gens went to the place where the sticks had been laid, drew a circle around the bundles, set up one of the sticks, and attacked it, as if it were a Pawnee. This ceremony often caused the death of real enemies.

Among the Osage and Kansa prayer was made toward the rising sun in the morning and towards the setting sun in the afternoon and evening.

Among the Omaha and Kansa the head of a corpse is laid towards the east. For this reason no Omaha will consent to recline with his head towards that point. The Kansa lodges also are orientated, and so were those of the Omaha (see § 59). The east appears to symbolize life or the source thereof, but[18] the west refers to death; so among the Osage the course of a war party was towards the mythic or symbolic west, towards which point the entrances of the lodges were turned[19] (see §§ 83 and 384).

Gahige, the late Omaha chief, said that when he was young all the Omaha prayed to the sun, holding up their hands with the palms towards the sun and saying, “Wakan´da, ȼá‘eaⁿ´ȼa-gă,” etc., i. e., “O Wakanda, pity me!” They abstained from eating, drinking, and (ordinary) smoking from sunrise to sunset; but after sunset the restrictions were removed.[20]

For four nights the men who thus prayed did not sleep at home. At the end of that period the task was finished. “Íwackaⁿ gáxai,” i. e., they made or gained superhuman power. They could thus pray at any time from the appearance of grass in the spring until the ground became frozen.

THE OFFERING OF TOBACCO.

§ 29. In 1889 George Miller gave an account of what he called “Niní bahaí tĕ,” i. e. the offering or presentation of tobacco. Whether this phrase was ever used except in a religious or superhuman connection is more than the author is able to say. Whenever the Indians traveled they used all the words which follow as they extended the pipe with the mouthpiece toward the sun: “Haú, niní gakĕ´ Wakan´da, Miⁿ´ ȼé Ho tobacco that Wakanda Sun this lg. ob.

niñkĕ´cĕ! Ujañ´ge ȼiȼíʇa kĕ égaⁿqti uáha té ă.
you who sit Road your the just so I follow will !
lg. ob. its course

Iñgáxa-gă! Edádaⁿ ctécte údaⁿqti ákipañkiȼa´-gă! Edádaⁿ
Make it for me What soever very good cause me to meet it What

júajĭ wiⁿ´ ĕdedíte ʞĭ´ íbetaⁿañkiȼá-gă! Ȼi´-naⁿ
inferior one it is there if cause me to pass Only thou
around it

ámusta waȼíɔna ȼagȼiⁿ´, ní-uȼan´da ȼéȼaⁿ ȼéȼaⁿska édegaⁿ,
directly in sight you sit island this this large but
above (us) place

edádaⁿ waníta ʇan´de uckaⁿ´ckaⁿ ȼaⁿ bȼúgaqti níkaciⁿga
what quadruped ground mv. on it here the all person
and there

ȼaⁿ´ ctĕwaⁿ´ wiⁿ´ aⁿ´ba ataⁿ´ íȼaɔni´gȼaⁿ ʞĭ, égaⁿ-naⁿ.
the soever one day how you decide for when always so.
long him

Ádaⁿ wi´ʞa-naⁿ maⁿ´ hă, Wakan´da” This may be rendered
Therefore I ask a favor alone . Wakanda
of you

freely thus: “Ho, Mysterious Power, you who are the Sun! Here is tobacco! I wish to follow your course. Grant that it may be so! Cause me to meet whatever is good (i. e., for my advantage) and to give a wide berth to anything that may be to my injury or disadvantage. Throughout this island (the world) you regulate everything that moves, including human beings, when you decide for one that his last day on earth has come, it is so. It can not be delayed. Therefore, O Mysterious Power, I ask a favor of you.”

THE PONKA SUN DANCE OF 1873.

In the summer of 1873, when the author was missionary to the Ponka in what was Todd County, Dakota, that tribe had a sun dance on the prairie near the mission house. The scarifications and subsequent tortures and dancing lasted but three hours instead of a longer period, owing to the remonstrances of Bishop Hare, the agent, and the missionary. The head chief, White Eagle, was tied to his pony, after he had been scarified and fastened to the sun pole. Some of his policemen, armed with whips, lashed the pony until it leaped aside, tearing out the lariat that fastened the chief to the sun pole, and terminating his participation in the ceremony. (See Pl. XLVI and § 187.) For obvious reasons the author did not view the sun dance, but he was told about it by some of the spectators. As the chief, Standing Buffalo, had said to Bishop Hare in the council previous to the sun dance, “You white people pray to Wakanda in your way, and we Indians pray to Wakanda in the sun dance. Should you chance to lose your way on the prairie you would perish, but if we got lost we would pray to Wakanda in the sun dance, and find our way again.”

THE MOON A WAKANDA.

§ 30. No examples of invocations of the moon have yet been found among the Omaha and Ponka. But that the moon is “qube” appears from the decorations of robes and tents. (See §§ 45-47.)

The moon is addressed as a “grandfather” and is described as the “Wakanʇa of night” in “Osage Traditions,” lines 55-59.[21]

BERDACHES.

The Omaha believe that the unfortunate beings, called “Miⁿ-qu-ga,” are mysterious or sacred because they have been affected by the Moon Being. When a young Omaha fasted for the first time on reaching puberty, it was thought that the Moon Being appeared to him, holding in one hand a bow and arrows and in the other a pack strap, such as the Indian women use. When the youth tried to grasp the bow and arrows the Moon Being crossed his hands very quickly, and if the youth was not very careful he seized the pack strap instead of the bow and arrows, thereby fixing his lot in after life. In such a case he could not help acting the woman, speaking, dressing, and working just as Indian women used to do. Louis Sanssouci said that the miⁿ-quga took other men as their husbands. Frank La Flèche knew one such man, who had had several men as his husbands. A Ponka child once said to the author, “Miⁿjiñga-ma nujiñga ama ʇi-gaxe-nandi, miⁿquga, ai,” i.e., “If boys make a practice of playing with the girls they become (or are called) miⁿquga.” This term may be rendered “hermaphrodite” when it refers to animals, as “ʇe miⁿquga,” a hermaphrodite buffalo. It must have been of this class of persons, called “Miⁿ-quge” by the Kansa that Say wrote when he said:

Many of the subjects of it (i.e., sodomy among the Kansa) are
publicly known, and do not appear to be despised or to excite
disgust. One was pointed out to us. He had submitted himself to it
in consequence of a vow he had made to his mystic medicine, which
obliged him to change his dress for that of a woman, to do their
work, and to permit his hair to grow.[22]

After giving an account of the Miⁿquga which agrees with what has been written above, Miss Fletcher[23] tells of “a man who had the misfortune to be forced to this life and tried to resist. His father gave him a bow and some arrows, but the penalty of his vision so wrought upon his mind that, unable to endure the abnormal life, he committed suicide.” (See §§ 212, 353.)

STARS AS WAKANDAS.

§ 31. That the Omaha and Ponka regarded the stars as Wakandas seems probable from the existence of nikie names and the personal mystery decorations. (See §§ 45, 47, and 52.) There are star names in the Night gens of the Kansa, and they point to the mythical origin of the gens. The Kansa made offerings to the morning star. Among the Osage the traditions of the Tsiɔu Wactaʞe and Bald Eagle people mention several Wakanʇas among the stars. These are as follows: Watse ʇuʞa, a “grandfather;” Watse miⁿʞa, a “grandmother;” Miⁿkak’e peȼŭⁿ[p]a, the Seven Stars (Pleiades?), a “grandfather;” the constellation Ta ȼa[p]ȼiⁿ or the Three Deer, a “grandfather;” the morning star, Miⁿkak’e tañʞa (literally, large star), a “grandfather;” the small star, a “grandfather;” the bowl of the Dipper, called “Wa[p]aha ȼiñkce; the Funeral Bier,” a “grandfather,” and the Female Red Bird, a “grandmother,” the eponym of the Tsiɔu Wactaʞe or “Red Eagle” gens. She, too, was probably a star.[24]

§ 32 Gaⁿ edádaⁿ ȼiⁿ´ ctĕwaⁿ ȼahaⁿ´-naⁿi ni´aciⁿ´ga ama´, [p]ahe´
And what the soever usually Indian the hill
col. prayed (to) pl.
ob. sub.

ʇañga´ ȼiⁿ, ctĕwaⁿ´. “Wakan´da bȼu´gaqti wi´ʞai ă,” e´-naⁿi.
large the soever Wakanda all I ask a ! they said
col. favor of usually
ob.

“Hau, ┴an´de niñkĕ´ cĕ, ʞa´ci jiñ´ga e´gaⁿ a´witaⁿ te´ ă,”
Ho Ground you who sit some little so I tread will !
time on you

ai´ ni´kaciⁿ´ga ama´. ┴ade´ ui´ȼĕ du´baha tĕ´ ctĭ
say Indians the Whence the wind in four the too
pl. sub. is sent hither(?) places

ȼahaⁿ´-naⁿi. “┴ade´ ui´ȼĕ du´baha nañka´cĕ, iⁿwiñ´ʞaⁿi-gă.”
they usually Whence the wind in four ye who are help ye me
pray (to) is sent hither(?) places

Gaⁿ´ gage´giȼaⁿ´i ni´aciⁿ´ga uke´ȼiⁿ ama´, Wakan´da
and they speak in that Indian ordinary the pl. Wakanda
manner to (one) sub.

wa´ȼahaⁿi tĕ´di. “The Indians used to invoke various objects,
they pray to when
them

including the mountains, saying, ‘O, all ye mysterious powers, I ask a favor of you!’ They prayed to the ground, saying, ‘O, you who are the ground! May I tread you a little while longer!’ i. e., ‘May my life on earth be prolonged!’ When one prayed to the four winds, he would say, ‘Ho, ye four winds, help me!’ Thus did speak when they prayed to the Wakandas.”--(George Miller.)

THE WINDS AS WAKANDAS.

§ 33. The Omaka and Ponka invoked the winds, as has been stated in part of the preceding section. See also the statement of Samuel Fremont (§ 27).[25]

In preparing for the pipe dance the tobacco pouch, two gourd rattles, and the ear of corn have a figure drawn on each of them with green paint; it is the cross, indicating the four quarters of the heavens or the four winds.[26]

KANSA SACRIFICE TO THE WINDS.

“In former days the Kansa used to remove the hearts of slain foes and put them in the fire as a sacrifice to the four winds. Even now (1882) offerings are made to every Wakanda by the Kansa, to the power or powers above, to those under the hills, to the winds, the thunder-being, the morning star, etc. As Aliⁿkawahu and Pahaⁿlegaqli are Yata men (i. e., members of gentes camping on the left side of the tribal circle), they elevate their left hands and begin at the left with the east wind, then they turn to the south wind, then to the west wind, and finally to the north wind, saying to each, ‘Gá-tcĕ, Wakan´da, mik’ü´ eyau´,’ i. e., ‘O Wakanda, I really give that to you.’ In former days they used to pierce themselves with knives and splinters of wood, and offer small pieces of their flesh to the Wakandas.”[27]

OSAGE CONSECRATION OF MYSTIC FIREPLACES.

The author considers that the following statement of the Osage chief, [K]ahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa (of the Tsiɔu Wactaʞe gens), refers to the invocation of the four winds. It appears to have been associated with fire or hearth worship. Whenever a permanent village of earth lodges was established among the Osage and Kansa, there was a consecration of a certain number of fireplaces before the ordinary fireplaces could be made by the common people. The consecrated fireplaces were made in two parallel rows, beginning at the west and ending at the east. Among the Kansa there were seven on one side and six on the other, but among the Osage there seem to have been seven on each side. Among the Osage, the Tsiɔu Wactaʞe and Paⁿɥka gentes were the ‘roadmakers,’ i. e., those who consecrated the two rows of fireplaces. [K]ahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa said, “When the old Tsiɔu man made his speech, he went into details about every part of a lodge, the fireplace, building materials, implements, etc. Four sticks were placed in the fireplace, the first one pointing to the west (see §§ 40, 84). When the first stick was laid down, the Tsiɔu leader spoke about the west wind, and also about a young buffalo bull (Tseʇṵ-ɔiñʞa), repeating the name, Wanie-skă (meaning not gained). When the stick pointing to the north was laid down he spoke of Tsehe-qṵʇ[s]e (gray buffalo horns), or a buffalo bull. When the stick at the east was laid down, he spoke of Tse-ʇṵʞa-tañʞa (a large buffalo bull). On laying down the fourth stick, pointing to the south, he spoke of Tse miⁿʞa (a buffalo cow). At the same time a similar ceremony was performed by the aged Paⁿɥka man for the gentes on the right side of the tribal circle. In placing the stick to the east, he mentioned Taʇ[s]e [K]aqpa tsĕ (the east wind) and Tahe ca[p]e (dark horned deer). In placing that to the north, Taʇ[s]e Ԁa[s]aⁿ tsĕ (the north wind, literally, ‘the pine wind’) and Tahe qṵʇ[s]e (the deer with gray horns) were mentioned. In placing that pointing to the west, Taʇ[s]e Maⁿha tsĕ (the west wind) and an animal which makes a lodge and is with the Tahe pa[s]iʞe (probably a deer name) were mentioned. In placing the stick pointing to the south, he spoke of Taʇ[s]e Ak’a tsĕ (the south wind) and Ta wañka he aʞȼaɔi skutañʞa (probable meaning, a large white female deer without any horns).

§ 34. In time of war, prayers were made about the fire (§ 287), when a warrior painted his face red, using the “fire paint,” a custom of the left or Tsiɔu side of the tribe. Those on the right or Hañʞa side used “the young buffalo bull decoration,” and probably offered prayer in connection therewith, in order to be filled with the spirit of their “little grandfather” (the young buffalo bull), as they rushed on the enemy. This will be seen from the words employed by the warrior: “My little grandfather is always dangerous as he makes an attempt. Very close do I stand, ready to go to the attack!”[28]

THE THUNDER-BEING A WAKANDA.

OMAHA AND PONKA INVOCATION OF THE THUNDER-BEING.

§ 35. Among the Omaha and Ponka, when the first thunder was heard in the spring of the year, the Black bear people went to the sacred tent of the Elk gens, and there they assisted the Elk people in the invocation of the Thunder-being. At a similar gathering of the Ponka, the Ponka Black bear people said, “Hau, iⁿc‘áge, ȼiʇúcpa ȼéȼu añ´ga-taⁿ ganáxiwaȼáȼai. Maⁿciáʇahá maⁿȼiñ´gă,” i. e., “Ho, venerable man! by your striking (with your club) you are frightening us, your grandchildren, who are here. Depart on high.”[29]

[Transcriber’s note: The hyphen in “añ´ga-taⁿ” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “añ´gataⁿ” or “añ´ga-taⁿ”.]

THUNDER-BEING INVOKED BY WARRIORS.

The Thunder-being is invoked by all present during the feast preparatory to starting on the warpath, when there is a small party of warriors. Each one addresses the Thunder-being as “Nudaⁿhañga,” leader in war, or war captain.[30]

When a large war party is desired, the Thunder-being is invoked (See history of Wabaskaha, in Contr. N. A. Ethn., Vol. VI, p. 394). Wabaskaha himself prayed, saying, “Oh, Wakanda, though foreigners have injured me, I hope that you may help me.” All who heard him knew that he desired to lead a large war party. When the four captains were chosen, they had to cry incessantly at night as well as by day, saying, “Oh, Wakanda! pity me! help me in that about which I am in a bad humor.” During the day they abstained from food and drink; but they could satisfy their thirst and hunger when night came.

At the feast preparatory to starting off as a large war party, the keepers of the sacred bags sing thunder songs as well as other sacred songs. One of the thunder songs used on such an occasion begins thus:

“Wi-ʇí-gaⁿ naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ é-gaⁿ,
Wi-ʇí-gaⁿ naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ é-gaⁿ,
Wé-tiⁿ kĕ gȼi-haⁿ´-haⁿ ʞĭ,
Naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ ----.”
“As my grandfather is dangerous,
As my grandfather is dangerous,
Dangerous when he brandishes his club,
Dangerous ----.”

When he had proceeded thus far, Ԁaȼiⁿ-naⁿpajĭ stopped and refused to tell the rest, as it was very “waqube.” He said that the principal captains of a large war party tied pieces of twisted grass around their wrists and ankles, and wore similar pieces around their heads. But Two Crows, who has been a captain, says that he never did this. (See, however, the Iowa custom in § 75.)

ICTASANDA CUSTOM.

The following “nikie” or ancient custom of the Ictasanda gens was related by George Miller:

Najiⁿ´ daⁿ´ctĕaⁿ´ ʞĭ, naⁿ´pai ʞĭ, gaⁿ´ Wakan´da-ma
Rain perhaps if they fear if so the Wakandas (pl. ob.)
seen danger

nini´ uji´ wa‘i´i tĕ. Gaⁿ´ nini´ uji´ wa‘i´i
tobacco put in they the (past and tobacco put in they gave
gave to act) to them
them

tĕ´di e´giȼaⁿ´i tĕ: Ȼéȼu waqpa´ȼiⁿ-qti a´ȼiⁿhe´,
when they said to the Here very poor I who move
(one) (past act)

[Transcriber’s note: the hyphen in “waqpa´ȼiⁿ-qti” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “waqpa´ȼiⁿqti” or “waqpa´ȼiⁿ-qti”.]

aⁿwaⁿ´waʇa´ȼicaⁿ cte´ctewaⁿ ȼiúde ti´gȼe gáxai-gă,
in what direction soever to become abandoned make ye
(suddenly)

ʇigaⁿ´ha. Ĕ´dedi´ ȼa´ȼiⁿcé (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´.
O grandfather. You are mv. there I suspect.

Ȼigȼíze-maⁿ´ȼiⁿ, ĕ´dedí ȼáȼiⁿcé (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´.
Walking Forked-lightning, you are mv. there I suspect.

Ȼiaⁿ´ba-ti´gȼe, ĕ´dedí ȼa´ȼiⁿcé. (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´.
Sheet-lightning flashes you are mv. there I suspect.
suddenly

Ȼiaⁿ´ba-gí-naⁿ, ĕ´dedi´ ȼáȼiⁿcé (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´.
Sheet-lightning is often you are mv. there I suspect.
returning hither.

Gáagigȼédaⁿ ĕ´dedí ȼáȼiⁿcé (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. Gaⁿ´
(a name referring you are mv. there I suspect. And
to passing thunder)

gatégaⁿ gáxa-bájĭ ʞĭ´ctĕ níaciⁿ´ga ciⁿȼiqáde ȼégaⁿ
in that manner he does not if man (See Note.) thus

najiⁿ´i, maqpi´ kĕʇáȼicaⁿ xagé najiⁿ´i. Gaⁿ´ Wakan´da
stands, cloud toward the lg ob. crying stands. And Wakanda

amá wégi[p]ahaⁿ´-bi, aí. Níkaciⁿ´ga
the pl. sub. that they know about they say. Person
them, their own

taⁿ´waⁿgȼaⁿ wédajĭ amá aȼiⁿ´ naⁿ´pai,
gens elsewhere the pl. sub. to have it they fear seen danger,

ijáje gĕ´ ctĕwaⁿ. Águdi´ctĕ níkaciⁿ´ga amá
name the pl. in. ob. even. In some places person the pl. sub.
(not specified.)

iȼa‘e´ȼĕ amá Icta´sanda úckaⁿ eʇai´ tĕ e´gaⁿ
those who have visions, etc. Ictasanda custom their the ob. so

ga´xai. Waaⁿ´ ĕ´qti ga´xai daⁿ´ctĕ giaⁿ´
they do. song they themselves they make perhaps singing their own

najiⁿ´i. Nini´ba kĕ uji´ aȼiⁿ´i e´gaⁿ maqpi´
they stand. Pipe the lg. ob. filled they have as cloud

kĕʇáȼicaⁿ úgaqȼe baha´ najiⁿ´i. Ni´kaciⁿ´ga
towards the lg. ob. facing holdingoutto they stand. Person

ama´ a´ji ctĭ ga´xe-naⁿ´i. Ataⁿ´ctĕ nini´ba
the pl. sub. different too they often do. Sometimes pipe

aȼiⁿ´-bajĭ gaⁿ´ waaⁿ´ si´aⁿȼe´ daⁿ´ctĕ najiⁿ´-naⁿi. Kĭ
they do not have so singing alone perhaps they stand often. And

ni´kaciⁿ´ga ama´ ȼe´ i´ȼa‘e´ȼĕ ama´ úckaⁿ eda´daⁿ údaⁿ
person the pl. sub. this those who have deed what good
visions, etc.

uha´ ‘i´ȼĕ tai´ ʞĭ´ctĕ i´bahaⁿ´i, cĭ úckaⁿ
to follow the course promise will even they know, again deed

júajĭ a´kipa tai´ ʞĭ´ctĕ i´bahaⁿ´i. Gaⁿ ni´kaciⁿ´ga ȼiⁿ
unsuitable they will meet even they know. And person the
mv. one

aⁿwaⁿ´waʇa gaqȼaⁿ´ maⁿȼiⁿ´ ctĕwaⁿ´ nini´ uji´
in what direction large hunting walks soever tobacco puts in
expedition

‘i´i e´gaⁿ waȼi´gȼañkiȼai´. E‘aⁿ´ ujañ´ge uha´ tai
gives to as causes him to prophesy. How road he will follow its
him course

ʞĭ´ctĕ i´bahaⁿ gi´gaⁿȼai´ e´gaⁿ waañ´kiȼai´. Kĭ
even to know wishes for him as causes him to sing. And

ataⁿ´ctĕ ni´kaciⁿ´ga ama´ e´gaⁿi, a´ȼade-naⁿ´i,
sometimes person the pl. sub. just so, they often pronounce,

wani´ta daⁿ´ctĕ ube´[s]niⁿ ʞĭ, wani´ta d‘u´ba aⁿ‘i´i hă, e´
quadruped perhaps they find if quadruped some they have . he
out given to me says

daⁿ´ctĕaⁿ´i.
perhaps.
_Notes._

383, 4, et passim. Ȼaȼiⁿce ejaⁿmiⁿ, contracted in rapid pronunciation to, ȼaȼiⁿcejaⁿmiⁿ.

383, 4-6. Ȼigȼize-maⁿȼiⁿ, Ȼiaⁿba-tigȼe, Ȼiaⁿba-gínaⁿ, and Gaagigȼedaⁿ are “nikie names” of the Ictasanda or Thunder gens of the Omaha. They may refer to four Thunder beings, one at each point of the compass, or one dwelling in the direction of each of the four winds.

383, 8. Ciⁿȼiqade, with the arms elevated and the hands stretched out, palms down, towards the clouds.

383, 9-10. Nikaciⁿga wedajĭ ama, etc. Other gentes of Omaha fear to mention these Ictasanda names, or to bestow them on members of their gentes.

383, 11. Agudictĕ ... iȼa‘eȼĕ ama, etc. Refers to the Iñgȼaⁿ iȼa‘eȼĕ ama, or the Thunder shamans, of the other Omaha gentes.

_Translation._

When the Ictasanda people become fearful during a shower, they fill a pipe with tobacco and offer it to the Thunder-beings. And when they offer the tobacco, they speak thus: “O grandfather! I am very poor here. In some direction or other cause a place to be abandoned by those (who would injure me?). I think that you are there O Ȼigȼize-maⁿȼiⁿ! I think that you are there. O Ȼiaⁿba-tigȼe! I think that you are there. O Ȼiaⁿba-gi naⁿ! I think that you are there. O Gaagigȼedaⁿ! I think that you are there.”

And when they do not offer the tobacco, they stand with the arms elevated and the hands stretched out, palms down, as they cry towards the clouds. And they say that the Thunder-beings know about them, their worshippers.

The Omaha of the other gentes fear to mention these Ictasanda nikie names, or to bestow them on members of their gentes, as well as to invoke the Thunder-being or beings, unless they belong to the order of Thunder shamans. In that case, they can do as the Ictasanda people do. They make songs about the Thunder-beings, and stand singing their own songs. They fill the pipe with tobacco, and stand, holding it with the mouth-piece toward the clouds, as they gaze towards them.

These shamans often act otherwise. Sometimes they do not fill the pipe, and then they stand singing the Thunder songs, without offering anything to the Thunder-beings.

And these shamans know when anything promises to result in good or evil to the person undertaking it. So when a person wishes to join a large hunting party, he fills a pipe with tobacco, and offers it to a shaman, thus causing him to prophesy. As he wishes him to know the result of following a certain course, (i. e., of traveling in a certain direction), he induces the shaman to sing (sacred songs). And sometimes the shaman predicts the very occurrence which comes to pass; if, for instance, he foretells that the inquiring man will kill game, he may say, ‘The Thunder-beings (?) have given me some quadrupeds.’

KANSA WORSHIP OF THE THUNDER-BEING.

§ 36. The following was a custom of the Lṵ or Thunder-being gens. At the time of the first thunder-storm in the spring of the year, the Lṵ people put a quantity of green cedar on a fire, making a great smoke. The storm ceased after the members of the other gentes offered prayers. The Buffalo or Tcedŭñga gens aided the Lṵ gens in the worship of the Thunder-being, by sending one of their men to open the sacred bag of gray hawk skin and remove the mystery pipe. These objects were kept by a Lṵ man, Kinuyiñge, who was not allowed to open the bag.

Pahaⁿle-gaqli, of the Large Hañga gens, and Aliⁿkawahu, of the Small Hañga, are the leaders in everything pertaining to war. Pahaⁿle-gaqli furnished the author with a copy of his war chart, on which are represented symbols of the mystery songs. In the middle of the chart there should be a representation of fire, but Pahaⁿle-gaqli said that he was afraid to draw it there, unless he fasted and took other necessary precautions. The songs used in connection with the chart are very “wakandagi,” or mysterious. They are never sung on common occasions, or in a profane manner, lest the offender should be killed by the Thunder-being. One of the three songs about the sacred pipe, sung when the wrappings are taken from the pipe (See § 85) by Aliⁿkawahu is as follows:

“Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Hü-hü´!”

(Unintelligible to the author. Said when Aliⁿkawahu presses down on the covers or wrappings of the pipe.)

“Yu! yu! yú! Hü-hü´! Hü-hü´!”

(Chorus sung by all the Large and Small Hañga men.)

This last line is an invocation of the Thunder-being. The arms, which are kept apart and parallel, are held up toward the sky, with the palms of the hands out. Each arm is then rubbed from the wrist to the shoulder by the other hand.[31]

After the singing of these three songs, Pahaⁿle-gaqli carries the sacred clam shell on his back.

The second figure on the chart is that of the venerable man or Wakanda, who was the first singer of all the Hañga songs. When Aliⁿkawahu and Pahaⁿle-gaqli are singing them, they think that this Wakanda walks behind them, holding up his hands toward the Thunder-being, to whom he prays for them.

When the war pipe is smoked by any Hañga man, he holds the pipe in his right hand, and blows the smoke into the sacred clam shell, in his left. The smoke ascends from the clam shell to the Thunder-being, to whom it is pleasant.

The Kansa used to “cry to” the Thunder-being before going on the warpath. When the captain (the head of the Large Hañga gens) smoked his pipe, he used to say, Haú, Wákanda-é, Páyiⁿ-máhaⁿ miⁿ´ ts’e kŭⁿ´bla Ho? O Wakanda! Skidi one to die I wish

eyau,” i. e. “Ho, Wakanda! I really wish a Skidi” (or, Pawnee Loup)
indeed

“to die!”

The men of the two Hañga gentes unite in singing songs to stop rain, when fair weather is needed, and songs to cause rain when there has been a drought. (See § 43.)

SUBTERRANEAN AND SUBAQUATIC WAKANDAS.

§ 37. The Omaha and Ponka believe in the Wakandagi, monsters that dwell beneath the bluffs and in the Missouri river. These monsters have very long bodies, with horns on their heads. One myth relates how an orphan killed a Wakandagi with seven heads.[32]

The Omaha have a tradition that a Wakandagi was seen in the lake into which Blackbird creek empties, near the Omaha agency. It is impossible to say whether the Wakandagi and the ┴ande or Ground were differentiated (See § 27). The Kansa Mi-á-lṵ-cka were somewhat like the Wakandagi, though in one respect they resembled the mythical Ԁá-[s]nu-ta of the Omaha, i. e., in having enormous heads. The Kansa speak of the Mialṵcka as a race of dreadful beings with large heads and long hair.[33] They dwelt in remote places, to which they were supposed to entice any unwary Indian who traveled alone. The victim became crazy and subsequently lived as a miⁿquga or catamite. Some of the Mialṵcka dwelt underground or in the water, sitting close to the bank of the stream. The ancient Mialṵcka was a benefactor to the Indians, for he took some wet clay and made first a buffalo calf and then three buffalo bulls, which he ordered the Indians to shoot, after teaching them how to make bows and arrows and to use them.

THE INDAȻIÑGA.

§ 38. The Ponka, in 1871, told the author of a being whom they called the Ĭndáȼiñga. This being was a superhuman character, who dwelt in the forests. He hooted like an owl, and he was so powerful that he could uproot a tree or overturn a lodge. The Ponka had a song about him, and mothers used to scare their children by saying, “Behave, else the Ĭndaȼiñga will catch you!” Joseph La Flèche had heard it spoken of as a monster in human shape, covered with thick hair. As the Ponka for wearing a mask is “Ĭndáȼiñga gáxe,” or “to act the Ĭndáȼiñga,” it may be that this character was an aboriginal bogy. Compare the Dakota Ćaŋotidaŋ, Hoḣnoġića, Uŋgnaġićala, etc. (§ 232.) Omaha mothers used to scare their children by telling them that if they did not behave, Icibajĭ (a hero of the ┴e-sĭnde gens) or ┴exujaⁿ (a hero of the [K]aⁿze gens) would catch them.[34] Another fearful being was Ĭnde-naⁿba, or Two Faces, the very sight of whom killed a woman who was enceinte.[35] This being resembled, in some respects, Ictinike, the deceiver,[36] though Ictinike was usually the counterpart of the Dakota Ikto, Iktomi, or Uŋktomi. (See §§ 228-231.) As a worker of evil Ictinike may be compared with the Dakota Anŭŋg-ite or Two Faces, and the latter in turn resembled the Ĭndáȼiñga of the Ponka. (See §§ 233, 234.)

OTHER KANSA WAKANDAS.

§ 39. The third figure on the Kansa war chart is[37] that of the Wakanda or aged man who gives success to the hunter. He is thus addressed by Aliⁿkawahu and Pahaⁿle-gaqli: Ts‘áge-jiñ´ga haú! Dáble Venerable man Ho! To hunt large quadrupeds

maⁿ´yiⁿ-aú! Dádaⁿ wadjü´ta níkaciⁿga ckédaⁿ wáyakípa-bá[p]aⁿ
walk thou What quadruped person soever you meet them and
(pl.)

[Transcriber’s note: the hyphen in “maⁿ´yiⁿ-aú” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “maⁿ´yiⁿaú” or “maⁿ´yiⁿ-aú”.]

ts’éya-bána-hau!
kill ye !

[Transcriber’s note: the last hyphen in “ts’éya-bána-hau” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “ts’éya-bánahau” or “ts’éya-bána-hau”.]

i.e., “Venerable man, go hunting! Kill whatever persons or quadrupeds meet you!” They think that this being drives the game towards the hunter.

In the war chart there are seven songs of the Wakanda who makes night songs. Fig. 16 of that chart refers to a song of another Wakanda who is not described. Fig. 18 refers to two shade songs. Shade is made by a Wakanda. Fig. 19 is a dream song. There is a Wakanda who makes people sleepy, an Indian Somnus.

§ 40. OMAHA INVOCATIONS OF THE TRAP, ETC.

Jábe daⁿ´ctĕ úji ʞĭ, makaⁿ´ ígaxe maⁿȼiⁿ´i ʞĭ, é
Beaver for instance he if, medicine making he walks if, that
traps for that
it purpose

niní bahá eʇá tĕ é. (The invisible being who first made
tobacco showing his the it.

the medicine was thus addressed:) Níkaciⁿga pahañ´ga makaⁿ´
Person first medicine

ícpahaⁿ niñkĕ´cĕ, [p]éjehíde ckaⁿzé niñkĕ´cĕ, niní gakĕ´! Ȼéȼu
you knew you who medicine you you who tobacco that Here
(sit), taught (sit), lg. ob.

edádaⁿ ckaⁿzé gĕ iȼápahaⁿ-majĭ´-qti wiⁿ´ áiȼágaȼaȼiⁿhé
what you taught the I do not know at all one I am carrying on
pl. my arm and in my
in. ob. hand as I move

ȼaⁿ´ja, caⁿ´edádaⁿ ctécte íwamakáaȼĕ té ă. Niní
though, yet what soever I get it easily by will ! Tobacco
means of

gakĕ´, aí níaciⁿga amá. (He then prays to the beaver:) Haú, Jábe!
that, says person the mv. Ho, Beaver!
lg. ob., sub.

Niní gakĕ´! Úbahi e‘aⁿ´ ckáxai gĕ bȼúgaqti ugígȼacaⁿ´i-gă!
Tobacco that! Feeding how you made the all travel ye in your
place them pl. own!
in ob.

Niní gakĕ´! (Next, to the medicine:) Haú, Ԁéjehíde, niní gakĕ´!
Tobacco that! Ho, Medicine, tobacco that!
lg. ob. lg. ob.

‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte waníta wiⁿ uhé eaⁿ´ȼĕ taté, eȼégaⁿ
No matter how it quadruped one pass me on the shall, thinking it
is (_or_ At any road (to the
rate) trap)

najiñ´-gă. ‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte [p]áqȼuge aⁿ´ȼaⁿská taté,
stand thou. At any rate nostrils large enough shall,
for me (i. e., to
smell me.)

eȼégaⁿ najiñ´-gă. Niní gakĕ´! (Invocation of the trap:) Haú,
thinking it stand thou. Tobacco that! Ho,
lg ob.

Maⁿ´zĕ nañkácĕ! niní gakĕ´! ‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte wiⁿ´ wat’éaȼĕ
Iron ye who (sit) tobacco that! At any rate one I kill it
lg. ob.

tá miñke, eȼégaⁿ gȼiⁿ´i-gă. (Invocation of the pack-strap:)
will I who, thinking it sit ye.

Haú, Wé‘iⁿ niñkĕ´cĕ! niní gakĕ´! Aⁿ´qti ctécte wí
Ho, Packstrap you who (sit)! tobacco that! At any rate I
lg. ob.

waníta áhigi weát‘ĕ, eȼégañ-gă. Haú, ┴ijébe íɔnugaʇá
quadruped many I touch think thou. Ho, Entrance at the right
them, side

ȼátaⁿcé! niní gakĕ´! ‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte wí waníta aⁿȼaⁿ´bakĭn´de
you who tobacco that! At any rate I quadruped brushing by me
stand! lg. ob.

anájiⁿ tá miñke, eȼégañ-gă. Haú, ┴e-sĭn´de ugácke
I stand will I who think thou. Ho, Buffalo-tail tied to it
(sit),

ȼátaⁿcé! niní gakĕ´! ‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte wí waníta aⁿʇáp‘ĕ
you who tobacco that! At any rate I quadruped near to me
stand! lg. ob.

anájiⁿ tá miñke, eȼégañ-gă. Haú, Unéȼĕ niñkĕ´cĕ! niní
I stand will I who think thou. Ho, Fireplace you who tobacco
(sit), (sit)!

gakĕ´! ‘Aⁿ´qti ctécte wi waníta aⁿ´naaí agȼiⁿ´ tá miñke,
that! At any rate I quadruped drops over I sit will I who
lg. ob. on me (from (sit)
the kettle)

eȼégañ-gă.
think thou.

_Notes._

Told by George Miller. In the last invocation, he began to dictate thus:

“Haú, Náwiⁿxe dúba ákipasan´de nañkácĕ!” i. e., “Ho, ye
Ho, Firebrand four meet at a common ye who
point

four firebrands that meet at a common point (i. e., in the middle of the fireplace)!” He subsequently changed it to an invocation of the fireplace itself. But it is very probable that there was an invocation of the four firebrands, resembling the ceremonies of the Kansa and Osage (see § 33). George has given all that he remembers of the invocations, but he does not recollect the exact order.

387, 3. [p]eje-hide, “lower part,” or “roots of grass,” an archaic
name for “makaⁿ”, medicine. Nini gakĕ--the classifier kĕ shows that
a long object, the pipe, is referred to, the tobacco being in the
pipe when it is offered to the powers.

388, 1. aiȼagaȼaȼiⁿhe, contr. from áiȼágaȼa áȼiⁿhé, used here in
the sense of “abȼiⁿ,” I have.

388, 12. aⁿȼaⁿbakĭnde, eq. to aⁿȼaⁿbista ȼéwaȼĕ, to send them
(through) when they are so close that they touch me.

_Translation._

The invisible being who first made the beaver medicine and taught its use to mankind, was thus addressed: “Oh, Thou who didst teach how to make the medicine, here is tobacco! Though I have your medicine, the nature of which I do not understand at all, grant that I may easily acquire something or other by means of it! Here is tobacco!”

When he addressed the beavers, he said, “Ho, ye Beavers! Here is tobacco! Let all of you travel in your feeding places which you have made. Here is tobacco!” To the beaver medicine itself, he said, “Ho, Medicine! Here is tobacco! Stand thinking thus, ‘At any rate an animal shall surely pass me and be caught in the trap, and its nostrils shall be large enough to smell me.’” The trap itself was thus addressed: “Ho, ye pieces of iron! Here is tobacco! Sit ye and think thus: ‘At any rate I will kill one!’” To the pack-strap was said, “Ho, pack-strap! Here is tobacco! Think thou, ‘At any rate I shall press against many quadrupeds.’” The right side of the entrance to the tent (?) was thus addressed: “Ho, Thou who standest at the right side of the entrance to the tent! (§ 232) Here is tobacco! Think thou, ‘At any rate I shall continue to have some one bring dead animals on his back and send through me suddenly, rubbing against me as they pass through.’” To the principal tent pole these words were said, “Ho, Thou who standest with the buffalo tail tied to thee! Here is tobacco! Think thou, ‘At any rate, I shall have a quadruped to come near me.’” When the man invoked the fireplace, he said, “Ho, Fireplace! Here is tobacco! Think thou, ‘At any rate I shall sit and have the water fall on me in drops as it boils over from the kettle containing the quadruped.’”

These invocations may be compared with what the prophet Habakkuk tells us about the Chaldeans, in the first chapter of his prophecy. In his prayer to God, he says, “These plunderers pull out all men with the hook, draw them in with their casting net, and gather them with their draw net, and rejoice and are glad in it. Therefore they make offerings to their casting net, and burn incense to their draw net, for through them their catch is rich and their food dainty.”[38]

FASTING.

§ 41. This topic naturally precedes that of visions or dreams about mystery, animals, and objects. Two Crows and Joseph La Flèche heard the following spoken of as an ancient custom. It was told them in their youth by some of the old men of that day, who had received it from their elders as having been practiced by the tribe for unnumbered generations. When old men had sons, sisters’ sons, or grandsons, who approached manhood, they used to direct those youths to abstain from food and drink, and to put clay on their faces, saying: “Qaⁿxa´ʇa Far away

xage´ maⁿȼiⁿ´i-gă. Aⁿ´ba ȼa´bȼiⁿ du´ba jaⁿ´ ʞĭ, waȼáta-bajíi-gă,
crying walk ye. Day three four sleep if, do not eat (pl.),

kĭ ní ȼataⁿ´-bajíi-gă. Ȼiqu´bajĭ cte´ctĕwaⁿ, caⁿ´ Wakan´da
and water do not drink (pl.) You are not even if, still Wakanda
“qube”

aká uȼi´ʞaⁿ tá aka. Wa´ȼawaqpáni maⁿɔniⁿ´i ʞĭ,
the sub. he will aid you. You act as if poor you walk if,

waɔnáhaⁿ-de ȼaxáxage ʞĭ, uȼi´ʞaⁿ ta´ aka,” i. e., “Walk ye in remote
you pray when you cry if he will aid you.

places, crying to Wakanda. Neither eat nor drink for three or four days. Even though you do not acquire personal mysterious power, Wakanda will aid you. If you act as poor men, and pray as you cry, he will help you.”