NO. 8 CREEK SQUARE GROUNDS SWANTON 



31 



A man was picked out of the bed of the henihas to speak for 

 Others, i. c, the yatikas were selected from the henihas. None was 

 used in the stomp dance. As payment for his services the yatika 

 was given a deer hide and a ribbon. When he was wanted by the miko 

 he was summoned four times, but he did not start until he had 

 received the fourth call. He set a basket on the ground into which 

 all of the tasikaias threw bits of tobacco to be taken to the singers 

 for the women as payment for their services. 



The hohbonaia was a special speaker used in the ball game and 

 in war. The term asimbonaia was about equivalent to that of yatika. 

 He was a head man chosen from among the tastanagis for almost 

 any purpose. He listened to any message which the miko wished to 

 give out and then repeated it aloud. 



There were two hi lis tcalaba who sat with their clans and were 

 summoned whenever needed. One was a Raccoon and one a Bear. 



There were two oktididja who sat with tluir clans or wherever 

 they belonged until summoned to attend to the fire. 



Four hilis hoboia, selected from any clans, were sent to gather 

 the medicine. 



All of the tasikaias shared in getting water. 



The famous Tukal^ahchee plates were taken out and cleaned four 

 years in succession and then left covered for four years. 



The feather dance was discontinued at Tukabahchee when my 

 informant was a small boy. 



The three leading women in the women's dance carry atasa. The 

 leading woman has an eagle feather on her atasa, the second a white 

 crane feather, and the other the feather of a third bird, perhaps 

 a goose. They start one at a time and when the third moves all the 

 rest follow. After they have walked round the fire four times they 

 begin to dance and circle the fire again six times. 



The Hathagas were Bird. Wind. Bear, and Beaver ; the Tcilokis 

 were Turkey, Alligator. Raccoon, Deer, Panther, and any others. 



In olden times the moieties were exogamous. The Raccoon and 

 Potato were then brothers, or rather half brothers, but intermarriage 

 between them is now common. Even today, however, the Beaver 

 and Bird will seldom intermarry. The Bird was the " uncle " of 

 the Beaver and the Beaver the former's " nephew." 



A man's children called his father's clan " fathers." One can say 

 anything he wishes to, however disrespectful, about his own clan, 

 but he must not speak against his father's clan or permit anyone 

 else to. 



