Siouan Sociology Part 4

Tcinju half-tribe-Thunder or Fire phratry: Gens 1, Hisada, Legs-stretched-ont-stiff (refers to a dead quadruped); Thunder people.

Gens 2, Touch-not-the-skin-of-a-black-bear. Wind-makers or War phratry: Gens 3, ixida, Wildcat (in two subgentes: 1, Sinde-age, Wears-tails, i.e., locks of hair; Naqe-it'aji, Does-not-touch-charcoal; and Wasc?u-it'aji, Does-not-tonch-verdigris. 2, Wami-it'aji, Does-not-touch-blood). Gens 4, Nika-*d*a-?na, "Bald human-head;" Elk people (in at least three subgentes: 1, ?e-sinde-it'aji, Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-tail; 2, ?e eze ataji, Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues; 3, ?aqti ki Anpan ataji, Does-not-eat-deer-and-elk).

Wajaje half-tribe-Earth phratry: Gens 5, Ma?an, Medicine, a buffalo gens, also called ?e-sinde it'aji, Does-not-touch-buffalo-tails (in two subgentes: 1, Real Ponka, Keepers-of-a-sacred-pipe; 2, Gray Ponka). Gens 6, Wacabe, Dark buffalo (in two subgentes: 1, Buffalo tail, or,?e-eze ataji, Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues, or ?e-jinga ataji, Does-not-eat-a-very-young-buffalo-calf; 2, ?e-*d*a it'aji, Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-head or skull). Water phratry (?): Gens 7, Wajaje, Osage (in two subgentes at present: 1, Dark Osage, Keepers-of-a-sacred-pipe, or Wase?u-it'aji, Does-not-touch-verdigris, or Naqe-it'aji, Does-not-touch-charcoal; 2, Gray Osage, or Wes'a wet'aji, Does-not-touch-serpents; 3, Necta, an Owl subgens, now extinct). Gens 8, Nuqe, Reddish-yellow buffalo (miscalled Nuxe, Ice). Subgentes uncertain, but there are four taboo names: Does-not-touch-a-Buffalo-head (or skull), Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-calf, Does-not-touch-the-yellow-hide-of-a-buffalo-calf, and Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues.

THE QUAPAW OR KWAPA

When the Kwapa were discovered by the French they dwelt in five villages, described by the early chroniclers as the Imaha (Imaham, Imahao), Capaha, Toriman, Tonginga (Doginga, Topinga), and Southois (Atotchasi, Ossouteouez). Three of these village names are known to all the tribe: 1, U?a'qpa-qti, Real Kwapa; 2, Ti'-u-a'-di-man (Toriman), Ti'-u-a-di' man (of Mrs Stafford); 3, U-zu'-ti-u'-we (Southois, etc). The fourth was Tan'wan ji'?a, Small village. Judging from a.n.a.logy and the fact that the fifth village, Imaha, was the farthest up Arkansas river, that village name must have meant, as did the term Omaha, the upstream people.

The following names of Kwapa gentes were obtained chiefly from Alphonsus Valliere, a full-blood Kwapa, who a.s.sisted the author at Was.h.i.+ngton, from December, 1890, to March, 1891:

Nan'panta, a Deer gens; Onphun enikaci?a, the Elk gens; Qid e'nikaci'?a, the Eagle gens; Wajin'?a enikaci'?a, the Small-bird gens; Han'?a e'nikaci'?a, the Han'?a or Ancestral gens; Wasa' e'nikaci'?a, the Black-bear gens; Mantu' e'nikaci'?a, the Grizzly-bear (?) gens; Te e'nikaci'?a, the Buffalo gens (the ordinary buffalo); Tuqe'-nikaci'?a, the Reddish-yellow Buffalo gens (answering to Nuqe of the Ponka, Yuqe of the Kansa, uqe of the Osage); Jawe' nikaci'?a, the Beaver gens; Hu i'nikaci'?a, the Fish gens; Mika'q'e ni'kaci'?a, the Star gens; Pe'tan e'nikaci'?a, the Crane gens; Can?e'-nikaci'?a, the Dog (or Wolf?) gens; Wakan'?a e'nikaci'?a, the Thunder-being gens; Tandan' e'nikaci'?a or Tan'dan tan'?a e'nikaci'?a, the Panther or Mountain-lion gens; Ke-ni'kaci'?a, the Turtle gens; Wes'a e'nikaci'?a, the Serpent gens; Mi e'nikaci'?a, the Sun gens. Valliere was unable to say on which side of the tribal circle each gens camped, but he gave the personal names of some members of most of the gentes.

On visiting the Kwapa, in the northeastern corner of Indian Territory, in January, 1894, the author recorded the following, with the a.s.sistance of Mrs Stafford, a full-blood Kwapa of about 90 years of age: Among the Hanka gentes are the Han'?a tan?a, Large Han?a or Mancka' e'nikaci'?a, Crawfish people; Wajin?a e'nikaci'?a, Small-bird people; Jin'?a e'nikaci'?a, Small-bird people; Te ni'kaci'?a, Buffalo people, or Han'?a ji'?a, Small Han?a; An'pan e'nikaci'?a, Elk people; Qida' e'nikaci'?a, Eagle people; Tuqe'-nikaci'?a, Reddish-yellow Buffalo people; and Can?e'-nikaci'?a, Dog (or Wolf?) people. Mrs Stafford knew that five gentes were not on the Han?a side, three of them, Hu i''nikaci'?a, Fish people, Ni'kia'ta (meaning unknown), and Ke-ni'kaci'?a, Turtle people, being on the same side; Mantu' e'nikaci'?a, Lion people; and Ti'ju (answering to the Osage Tsi?u, the Kansa Tciju, and the Ponka Tcinju), meaning not obtained, which last is extinct. Mrs Stafford could not tell on which side camped any of the following gentes given by Valliere: Maqe, Wes'a, Wasa, Jawe, Mikaq'e, Mi, etc. The only persons capable of giving the needed information are among those Kwapa who reside on Osage reservation. According to George Redeagle and Buffalo Calf, two full-blood Quapaw, the Maqe-nikaci'?a, Upper World people, were identical with the Wakan?a e'nikaci'?a, Thunder-being people, of Valliere. These two men said, also, that there was no single gens known as the Han?a, that name belonging to a major division, probably a half-tribe.

THE KA?ZE OR KANSA

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 37.-Kansa camping circle.]

FIG. 37.-Kansa camping circle.

Among the Omaha the Yata people are those who camp on the yata or left side of the tribal circle; the Ictunga people, those who camp on the Ictunga or right side. The tribe is divided into seven phratries, or, as the Kansa style each, wayunmindan, (i.e., those who sing together), as follows:

_Phratries_ _Gentes_ _Subgentes_ I 1. Manyinka, _a_, Manyinka Earth, or tanga, Large Earth-lodge-makers. earth. _b_, Manyinka gaxe,&Manyinka jinga, Small earth.

II 2. Ta, Deer, or _a_, Taqtci, Real Wajaje, Osage. deer. _b_, Ta yatcaji, Eats-no-deer, or Ta ts'eye, Kills-deer, or Wadjuta ts'eye, Kills-quadrupeds.

III 3. Panka, Ponka _a_, Pank unikacinga, Ponka people. _b_, Qundj-alan, Wear-red-cedar (-fronds)-on-their-heads.

III 4. Kanze, Kansa, or _a_, Tadje unikacinga, Tci hacin, Wind people, or Ak'a Lodge-in-the-rear; unikacinga, South-wind Last-lodge. people, or Tci hacinqtci, Real Tci hacin, Camp-behind-all. _b_, Tadje jinga, Small-wind, or Mannanhind-je, Makes-a breeze-near-the-ground.

III 5. Wasabe, Black _a_, Wasabeqtci, Real bear. Black-bear, or Sakun wayatce, Eats-raw (-food). _b_, Sindjale, Wears-tails (locks of hair) -on-the-head.

I 6. Wanaxe, Ghost Not learned.

IV 7. Ke k'in, Not learned.

Carries-a-turtle-on-his-back.

V 8. Min k'in, Not learned.

Carries-the-sun-on-his-back.

I 9. ?pan, Elk _a_, ?pan-qtci, Real elk, or Mansanha, referring to the color of the fur.

_b_, Sanhange, meaning unknown.

VI 10. Quya, White eagle _a_, Husada, Legs-stretched-out-stiff; Quyunikacinga, White-eagle people. _b_, Wabin ijupye, Wade-in-blood; Wabin unikacinga, Blood people.

VI 11. Han, Night _a_, Han nikacinga, Night people. _b_, Dakan manyin, Walks-s.h.i.+ning (Star people?) VII 12. Ibatc'e, _a_, Quyego jinga, Holds-the-firebrand-to-sacred-pipes, Hawk-that-has-a-tail-like-a-"king-eagle;"

or Hanga jinga, small Hanga. "Little-one-like-an-eagle."

_b_, Mika unikacinga, Racc.o.o.n people, or Mika qla jinga, Small lean rac.o.o.n.

VII 13. Hanga tanga, Large Hanga; Hanga A black eagle with spots. Subgentes not utanandji, recorded.

Hanga-apart-from-the-rest, or Ta sindje qaga, Stiff-deer-tail.

II 14. Tcedunga, Buffalo (bull), or _a_, Tcedunga, Buffalo with dark hair.

Sitanga, Big feet. _b_, Yuqe, Reddish-yellow Buffalo. (See Ponka Nuqe, Osage uqe, Kwapa Tuqe.) V 15. Tci ju wactage, Tci-ju (Red-hawk people?). Subgentes not peacemaker. recorded.

II 16. L? nikacinga, Thunder-being Subgentes not recorded.

people; Ledan unikacinga, Gray-hawk people.

Great changes have occurred among the Kansa since they have come in contact with the white race; but when Say visited them in the early part of the present century they still observed their aboriginal marriage laws.

No Kansa could take a wife from a gens on his side of the tribal circle, nor could he marry any kinswoman, however remote the relations.h.i.+p might be. There are certain gentes that exchange personal names (jaje kik'ube au), as among the Osage. Civil and military distinctions were based on bravery and generosity. Say informs us that the Kansa had been at peace with the Osage since 1806; that they had intermarried freely with them, so that "in stature, features, and customs they are more and more closely approaching that people." He states also that the head chief of the Kansa was Gahinge Wadayinga, Saucy Chief (which he renders "Fool Chief"), and that the ten or twelve underchiefs did not seem to have the respect of the people.

Unmarried females labored in the fields, served their parents, carried wood and water, and cooked. When the eldest daughter married she controlled the lodge, her mother, and all the sisters; the latter were always the wives of the same man. Presents were exchanged when a youth took his first wife. On the death of the husband the widow scarified herself, rubbed her person with clay, and became careless about her dress for a year. Then the eldest brother of the deceased married her without any ceremony, regarding her children as his own. When the deceased left no brother (real or potential) the widow was free to select her next husband.

Fellowhood (as in cases of Damon and Pythias, David and Jonathan) often continues through life.

The Kansa had two kinds of criers or heralds: 1, the wadji'panyin or village crier; 2, the ie'kiye'(Omaha and Ponka i'eki'e. In 1882, Sansile (a woman) was hereditary wadji'panyin of the Kansa, having succeeded her father, Pezihi, the last male crier. At the time of an issue (about 1882) Sansile's son-in-law died, so she, being a mourner, could not act as crier; hence her office devolved on K'axe of the Taqtci subgens. In that year one of the Ta yatcaji subgens (of the Taqtci or Deer gens) was iekiye number 1. Iekiye number 2 belonged to the Tadje or Kanze (Wind) gens.

THE OSAGE

In the Osage nation there are three primary divisions, which are tribes in the original acceptation of that term. These are known as the Tsi?u utse peun*d*a, the Seven Tsi?u fireplaces, Han?a utsse peu*d*a, the Seven Han?a fireplaces, and Wa?a?e utse peu*d*a, the Seven Osage fireplaces.

Each "fireplace" is a gens, so that there are twenty-one gentes in the Osage nation. The Seven Han?a fireplaces were the last to join the nation, according to the tradition of the Tsi?u wacta?e people. When this occurred, the seven Han?a gentes were reckoned as five, and the seven Osage gentes as two, in order to have not more than seven gentes on the right side of the tribal circle.

At first the Han?a utaantse gens had seven pipes, and the Wa?a?e had as many. The Wa?a?e gave their seventh pipe to the Tsi?u, with the right to make seven pipes from it, so now the Wa?a?e people have but six pipes, though they retain the ceremonies pertaining to the seventh.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 38.-Osage camping circle.]

FIG. 38.-Osage camping circle.

When there is sickness among the children on the Wa?a?e or right (war) side of the circle, their parents apply to the Tsi?u (Tsi?u wacta?e?) for food for them. In like manner, when the children on the left or Tsi?u side are ill, their parents apply to the Panhka (wactaqe?), on the other side, in order to get food for them.

The Seven Tsi?u fireplaces occupy the left or peace side of the circle.

Their names are:

1. Tsi?u Sintsa?e, Tsi?u-wearing-a-tail (of hair)-on-the-head; also called Tsi?u Wanun', Elder Tsi?u; in two subgentes, Sintsa?e, Sun and Comet people, and Cun?e i'nik'acin'a, Wolf people.

2. Tse ??'?a intse', Buffalo-bull face; in two subgentes, of which the second is Tse' anka' or Min'paha', Hide-with-the-hair-on. The policemen or soldiers on the left side belong to these two gentes.

3. Min k'in', Sun carriers, i.e., Carry-the-snn (or Buffalo hides)-on-their-backs. These have two subgentes, _a_, Mini'ni?k'acin'a, Sun people; _b_, Minxa' ska i'ni?k'acin'a, Swan people,

4. Tsi'?u wacta'?e, Tsi?u peacemaker, or Tan'wan?a'xe, Village-maker, or, Ni'wae, Giver of life. These have two subgentes, _a_, Wapin it'a'?i, Touches-no-blood, or Qua' ?u'tse, Red-eagle (really a hawk); _b_, Qua'

pa san', Bald-eagle, or ?ansan'u'ni?k'acin'a, Sycamore people, the leading gens on the left side of the circle.

5. Han i'ni?k'acin'a, Night people, or Tsi'?u we'ha?ie, the Tsi?u-at-the-end, or Tse'anka'. Their two subgentes are: _a_, Night people proper; _b_, Wasa'*d*e, Black-bear people.

6. Tse ??'?a, Buffalo bull. In two subgentes, _a_, Tse ??'?a, Buffalo bull; _b_, u'qe, Reddish-yellow buffalo (corresponding to the Nuqe of the Ponka, Tuqe of the Quapaw, and Yuqe of the Kansa).