108 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY (BULL. 80 
MANDAN AND HIDATSA MEN’S SOCIETIES 
It is not the intention of the present paper to offer an extended 
consideration of Mandan and Hidatsa societies. Maximilian noted 
these societies,®° and his information corresponds in its most impor- 
tant phases with that secured in 1910 and 1911 by Doctor Lowie.** 
Wounded Face, one of Doctor Lowie’s informants, was consulted by 
the writer in 1912, 1915, and 1918, resulting in some duplication of 
material. Certain societies existed in both tribes, while others were 
limitéd to one tribe, the most important of the latter being the Stone 
Hammer Society of the Hidatsa. Songs of this society are here- 
with presented, but it has not seemed expedient to attempt a tribal 
classification of the songs of other societies. If a song were attribu- 
ted to one tribe, this statement is contained in the description of the 
song. 
According to the writer’s informants the sequence of Hidatsa age- 
societies was as follows:*? Notched Stick, Stone Hammer, Fox, 
Lumpwood, Black Mouth, Crazy Dog, Intended (or wanted) -to-be- 
a-dog, Half-shaved-heads, Buffalo, and Bad Ear. The sequence of 
the Mandan societies was: White, Fox, Dog (including Young Dog 
and Foolish Dog), Black Mouth, Buffalo, and Horse (Wounded Face 
said this society did not originate with the Mandan but was bought 
by them from the Sioux. He has seen dances of this society). The 
very old men were said to belong to the Coarse Hair Society. 
The manner of purchasing admission to a society and of progress- 
ing from one to another has been described by previous writers and 
need not be repeated. The term “Stone Hammer” given as the name 
of the second Hidatsa society was criticized by the writer’s inform- 
ants, who said the native word referred to the mallet used for pound- 
ing meat or crushing bones, an implement with a stone head, the 
ends of which were alike. They said the Hidatsa have another word 
for “hammer,” an implement in which the two ends of the head are 
different in shape. The former term is continued, as it is familiar 
by usage. The native term is mdz, stone, maw’ paki, literally mallet. 
The word “ Lumpwood ” was also regarded by those who spoke both 
languages as an inadequate translation. They said the native term 
(mi dahi’ si, mi’da, wood, hi’si, red) was almost identical with the 
word meaning “basket.” The literal translation is “red wood,” as 
indicated, but they said it meant “round wood,” probably referring 
to the shape of an insignia of the society which may have been painted 
red. They said that “two kinds of weapons (insignia) were used 
in the society, one being flat and the other round. Both were made 
°° Maximilian, op. cit., pp. 291-295, 371. 
®1 Lowie, op. cit., p. 221. . 
The native names of -these societies are on pages XIX-xXx. 
