Howard] THE PONCA TRIBE 93 



A meeting of the "council of seven," that is, the "big chiefs," was 

 sufficient to decide upon most matters. For more important business 

 the "Httle chiefs" were called in as well. For really important affau's 

 the Ttuzpa and warriors were also admitted. JLR stated that the 

 chiefs of the fu-st rank often left minor matters to the "little chiefs." 

 He also mentioned that many, if not all, of the chiefs of the first two 

 ranks were assigned a special duty. One of the chiefs of the second 

 rank, for example, was the tribal historian, and kept the tribal winter 

 count or calendrical history. 



Chiefs were expected to be circumspect in their behavior and to 

 hold themselves above the passions of the ordinary people. They 

 must not seek wealth, lest they be termed stingy. Neither must they 

 invite reprisal by leading or even accompanying private war parties. 

 Dorsey (1897, p. 214) writes: ". . . among both the Omaha and the 

 Ponka the chiefs, being the civil and religious leaders of the people, 

 can not serve as captains, or even as members, of an ordinary war 

 party, though they may fight when the whole tribe engages in war." 



Succession was apparently governed by both personal leadership 

 qualities and by "noble descent." PLC said that: "Any man could 

 become a chief if he was brave and generous. Usually, though, the 

 son of a chief took his father's place when the old man died. If a 

 chief was unworthy someone else took his place. He was put out." 

 A man not from a chiefly line, of course, had a considerably harder 

 time becoming a chief. Thus Skinner (1915 c, p. 783; author's italics) 

 Avrites: "It was necessary for a person not an hereditary chiej who was 

 socially ambitious, and hoped for a chieftaincy, to join most if not 

 all of the societies, preferably as a leader, and thus become known. 

 He must feast them and lavish gifts on every one." 



Theoretically, however, any man could aspire to all but the head 

 chief's position, which always remained in the Wasdbe clan. Unfor- 

 tunately, we have no data to indicate how frequently men not of the 

 high-ranking clans achieved high position in the tribe. According to 

 PLC even women were not barred, and he recalled having heard of 

 a great woman chief who led the tribe in the distant past. "She was 

 made a chief because of her great supernatural power. She was a 

 medicine woman and could do many good things." 



Chiefs were installed in a solemn ceremony presided over by the 

 head chief and conducted by the S^xida clan. OK recalled the last 

 chief-making ceremony of the Northern Ponca, in which he was 

 created a chief of the second rank, as follows: 



I remember the last time old man Birdhead made chiefs. I was made a chief 

 that day, and I guess I am the only one left alive who was made a chief that 

 time. The ceremony was held in a tipi. We all entered and went around to the 

 left [in a clockwise direction] and took our seats. Then Birdhead, who owned the 

 pipe and was head chief, made a speech. He told us that when we were chiefs 



