Howard] THE PONCA TRIBE 19 



The Ponca camp is called Hu-thu-gah, it is round the entrance in the east. 

 There are seven bands in the Hu-thu-gah or camp. Each of these hands has 

 duties in the camp. From the entrance left to right are the Wah-jah-ta. Their 

 duty is to watch the entrance, they see who goes out, anyone going out and gets 

 lost, they track them as they are expert trackers. 



The next band are Ni-kah-pah-schna. Their duty is they know all about 

 the human head and how it should be dressed. 



The third baud are Te-xa-da. This band when the camp is getting short of 

 meats they would get their bows and arrows out and make believe they are 

 shooting animals saying "I'll shoot this fat one." 



The band in Center west are the Wah-sha-ba. The head is in this band. 

 He gives out orders. He prays daily." 



The band next to them are the mi-ki-Medicine.^ They know all about 

 medicines. 



The sixth band are Nu-xa-ice.^ They know everything about water and ice. 



The seventh band are called He-sah-da. The rain makers they know all 

 about the heavens and the clouds. 



In the center of the Hu-thu-gah or camp, all the chiefs have a tent in which 

 they meet and pray. When the buffalo is found they meet with the Buffalo 

 Police and plan the attack, sometimes they plan so pei'fect that not one of them 

 gets away, some of the sharpshooters or fast shooters kill high as seven ^ 

 buffaloes out of a herd that is surrounded. Most of these men that kill seven 

 buffaloes give all their kill to the needy ones such as the old chiefs and orphans. 



If the buffalo herd is far from the camp they would move the camp closer 

 without disturbing the herd, when they are moving closer the Sacred Pipe is 

 taken in the lead. When the herd is killed, they see that all of the camp is 

 supplied equally, first the oldest are taken care of. They get the most tenderest 

 meat. 



The Buffalo Police are real strict if anyone disturbs the Buffalo herd before 

 the attack, he is whipped good and hai-d. The police also keep the camp in order. 



The commandments are few in the tribe. 



1. Have one God. 



2. Do not kill one another. 



3. Do not steal from one another. 



4. Be kind to one another. 



5. Do not talk about each other. 



6. Do not be stingy. 



7. Have respect for the Sacred Pipe. 



They have the Sun-dance in mid-summer when the corn is in silk. The dance 

 lasts four days and four nights without drink, sleep, and without food, a real 

 sacrifice. The dancers are in the shape of a wheel or representing the four 

 winds they would swing every so often. The next branch of the sun dance is 

 the Wah-Wan Pipe dance,^ any one in the tribe that is needy makes a little 

 bag of tobacco and hands it to anyone that has plenty and have things to spare 

 and if this man accepts this bag of tobacco the dance is given, a pipe and gourd 



^ Note that the Ponca chief retained much of the character of a Southeastern (i.e., Middle 

 Mississippi) priest-liing in being both the political and religious head of the tribe. 



'" ". . . the mi-ki-Medicine," should read ". . . the Mi-lji (or) Medicine." Makd, Medicine, 

 is the Ponca name for this clan. 



21 As in the preceding instance, ". . . Nu-xa-ice" is the native term plus its English 

 equivalent. This should read ". . . Nu-xa (or) Ice." Nuxe is the Ponca and Omaha term 

 for ice. 



22 Note the recurrence of the sacred number "seven." 



s» This should read ". . . the Wah-Wan [or] Pipe Dance . . ." 



