THE OWL SACRED PACK OF THE FOX INDIANS 
By Truman MiIcHELson 
INTRODUCTION 
LFRED KIYANA wrote the text containing the information 
appurtenant to the owl sacred pack (which was purchased from 
him by me in the spring of 1914 for Dr. Boas; it is now in the Berlin 
Museum fiir Vélkerkunde) in the current syllabary. I subsequently 
restored this according to the phonetics of Edward Davenport, with 
the exception of the songs, which are given as pronounced by Alfred 
Kiyana. The translation is based on an English version by Horace 
Poweshiek, corrected and supplemented by a grammatical analysis of 
the text by myself. The meanings of the songs, however, are given 
as explained by Alfred Kiyana. 
That the pack is genuine is certain by what I know of the contents 
of other Fox packs. That the information given in connection with it 
is authentic is shown by the fact that the myths and folk tales which 
I have obtained from Alfred Kiyana (such as those of Wi'sa‘ki“", 
the Apaiya‘ci ag*'*, Wapa‘sai%*, the one whose father was the Sun, 
the Origin of the Months, the Bear and the Wife, the Youth who 
fasted too long and became a fish, Feather, Pitci‘ca‘4‘, Fox and 
Wolf) have checked up exceedingly well with corresponding ones 
obtained from other informants; as has the ethnological information 
(on gentile organization, the tribal dual division, marital and mortu- 
ary customs and observances, and ceremonial organization) obtained 
from him. Moreover, the kind of information given in the present 
text is much the same as that given by other informants regarding 
other packs. Lastly, Edward Davenport vouches for its authenticity. 
The translation of the text has been made as literal as possible 
without violence to English idiomatic usage, as my plan has been to 
make this volume serviceable not only to ethnological but also to 
linguistic students. No interlinear translation has been added, as 
three specimens of Fox interlinear texts have been published; and 
owing to the genius of Algonquian languages interlinears are typo- 
eraphically awkward. However, the list of stems occurring in the 
text is practically exhaustive; so that the serious student should 
have no difficulty in working out the Indian text. 
1This task was materially lightened by the intelligent assistance rendered by both Edward Davenport 
and Harry Lincoln. 9 
