Howard] THE PONCA TRIBE 59 



and trash wliile others were neat and orderly. Autumn is generally 

 the season for repairing roofs and chinking cracks in the walls (PLC) . 



Cache pits were sometimes dug in or near the earth lodges. When 

 dug inside they were usually south of the fireplace. If more than 

 one was dug the second was placed to the west of the central fireplace, 

 and if a third was dug it was to the north. In other words, as one 

 entered the door, the cache pits followed a clockwise progression 

 around the inside. Ponca cache pits were dug straight down for 

 about 2 feet, then widened into a sphere, about 5 feet in total depth 

 (PLC). 



Menstrual huts are mentioned by J. O. Dorsey and Lowie (Dorsey, 

 1884 a, p. 247; Lowie, 1917, pp. 92-93), and were also noted by OK, 

 JLR, PLC, and WBB. These were apart from the rest of the camp. 

 Sweat lodges, built like the diudipu but smaller, were used in the puri- 

 fication rites connected with certain ceremonies and with curmg 

 (PLC). A few Southern Ponca still take sweat baths, but the prac- 

 tice has completely disappeared in the north. 



The earth lodge was the preferred structure for large gatherings 

 among the Ponca. Buslmell (1922, p. 84), quoting Dorsey, writes: 

 "Earth lodges were generally used for large gatherings such as feasts, 

 councils, or dances." Among the Omaha the outdoor dancing ring 

 where their annual powwow is held is still regarded as a symbolic 

 earth lodge. If the Ponca ever had such a custom, they have long 

 since abandoned it. At the present time the Southern Ponca hold 

 their council meetings in the "Old Agency" building in White Eagle, 

 Okla. In summer their dances are held outside, but in winter they 

 use a large frame building near the "Old Agency" building. 



The Northern Ponca hold council meetings, and until recent years 

 had Kabbit dances, in the Ponca Self-help Community Building 

 which was built with Government funds and Indian Work Projects 

 Administration labor in the 1930's. This is located approximately 2 

 miles west and 3 miles south of Niobrara, Nebr. When PLC showed 

 me the building in 1949 he commented that it had been intended for 

 both "Wliite" and Indian dances, and indicated where the Heduska 

 drum should stand, in the center of the ballroom floor. At that time 

 the driun was still kept in a small room in the rear of the building. 

 Southern Ponca visiting their Northern kinsmen would often ask to 

 see the drimi, which was in the keeping of Nancy Birdhead ICnudsen. 

 In 1954 the drum was removed to the Knudsen home at the insistence 

 of the caretaker of the Self-help Building, who believed all 

 Indian customs were "nonprogressive" and therefore undesirable. 



