NOTES ON CUSTOMS OF THE DAKOTAllS. 



By I'AUiv JJi'X'KWiTii. 



The Bakotalis or Sioux now scattered over tlie i,n-eat Northwest are 

 divided into seven bands and many sub-bands, as follows: 



(1) Sis si-ton-wans, or Village of the Marsh. The major portion of this 

 band are now at Devil's Lake Agency, Dak, The 1 san-ties, a sub-band 

 who take their name from a former residence at I-san-tinedi, or Knife 

 Lake. 



(li) Wah-pe-ku-tes, or Leaf Shooters, a wandering band scattered over 

 the prairies of the Northwest. 



(3) Wah-pe-ton-wans, or Village of the Leaves, from their homes in 

 the woods. 



(4) I-hank-ton-waus, End Village of the Lake. 



(5) I-hank-ton-wanna. This band and the preceding, having united, 

 are now known by the name of Yank-tons, and are ibund on tiie i)rairies 

 and agencies of the Northwest. The sub-bands of this confederation are 

 Pa-bak-sa, or Cut Heads j Wa-zikutes, or Pine Shooters; Ki-guk-sa, 

 or Breakers of Law ; and the Hunk-pa di-dan. From the Wazikut'vs 

 branch of this band the Assiu-ua-boines are said to have sprung. 



(()) Te-ton-wans, or Prairie Village, number over one-half of the entii-e 

 Sioux nation, and comprise those bands most op[)Osed to cultivating 

 th'j soil. General Custer was defeated and annihilated by this band. 

 The sub-bands are as follows: Si cau-gu, or Burnt Thighs ; 1-ta-zipa, or 

 Bow Pith; Si-ha-sa-pa, or Black Feet; Miu-ni-kau ye-wo-zu-pi, or 

 They who plant by the water ; O-o-he-uon-pa, or Two Boilings ; O-glala, 

 and Huidv-pa-pa. 



(7) Mdi-wa-kan-ton-wans, or Village of the Spirit Lake, from a former 

 residence at Mille Lacs. 



Da-ko-tah is to say the leagued or the allied, and they speak of them- 

 selves as the Oce-ti Sa-ko-wi, or Seven Council Fires. 



DANCES OF THE DAKOTAILS. 



Wi-casta-wa-kan, holy or medicine num, the high-priest in tlie reli- 

 gious ceremonies of the Dakotahs, invariably a chief, who through 

 these dances or religious ceremonies retains his inlluence in tlie tribe, 

 understands thoroughly the medicinal properties of the various herbs 

 used by them, and often performs cures acknowledged b}' Army sur- 

 geons as renuirkable. An Indian staggering into camp many hours 



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