390 A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. 



TASTING. 



§ 41. This topic naturally precedes that of visions or dreams about 

 mystery, animals, and objects. Two Orows and Josei)h La Fleche heard 

 the following spoken of as an ancient custom. It was told them in their 

 youth by some of the old men of that day, who had received it from 

 their elders as having been practiced by the tribe for unnumbered gen- 

 erations. When old men had sons, sisters' sons, or grandsons, who 

 approached manhood, they used to direct those youths to abstain from 

 food and drink, and to put clay on their faces, saying: "Qa^xa'^a xage' 



Far away crying 



ma°(f'i"'i-gi1. A"'ba ^a'bfi" du'ba ja"' j(i, wa^iAta-bajii-ga, kl ni 



walk ye. Day three four sleep if, do not eat (pi.), ami water 



^ata"'-bajii-gil. (piqu'baji cte'ctewa", ca"' Wakan'da aka ufi'jia" 



do not drink (pi.) Vou are not even if, still Wakautla the sub. he will 

 "qube" 



tk aka. Wa'(J'awaqp^ni ma"oni"'i jji, waoniiha"-de (f^axaxage ijl, 



aid you. Ton act as if poor you walk if, you pray when you cry if 



ufi'3[a" ta' aka," i. e., "Walk ye in remote places, crying to Wakanda. 



he will aid you. 



Neither eat nor drink for three or four days. Even though you do not 

 acquire personal myterious jiower, Wakanda will aid you. If you act 

 as poor men, and pray as you cry, he will help you." 



Wheu their throats became dry, their voices gave out. When they 

 had completed their fasts, they went home, being exceedingly emacia- 

 ted. At that time they could not swallow solid food, so they were 

 obliged to subsist on mush mixed with much water, till by degrees they 

 became able to eat what tlii-y pleased. Many thought that tliis fasting 

 enabled them to have superhuman communications with Wakanda. 



Fasting was practiced at other times, but always in order to obtain 

 sixiJerhuman assistance or to acquire a transfer of superhuman power. 

 A Ponka war cai)tain exhorted each of his followers thus: "Ahai'i! 

 Wacka"' egaiT-ga ! Qu'bekifa'-bi (J-i°he' ! " i. e., " Oho ! Do exert yoiu-self ! 

 Be sure to make yourself the possessor of superhuman power by the aid 

 of the animal that you have seen in your vision after fasting!" ' Mem- 

 bers of a small war party had to fast four days, counting from the time 

 that they started on the warjiath. ^ Before the large war party was 

 formed to avenge the M^rongs of Wabaskaha, the four pros])ective cap- 

 tains fasted.^ When the Kansa captain fasted, he could not visit his 

 family, but a small fasting lodge was erected for him at some distance 

 from his own house.'' 



MYSTIC TREES AND PLANTS. 



§ 42. The Omaha have two sacred trees, the ash and the cedar. The 

 ash is connecjted with the beneflcent natural powers. Part of the sacred 

 pole of the Omaha and Ponka is made of ash, the other part being of 

 Cottonwood. The stems of the uiuiba weawa", or "sacred pipes of 



' Contr. N. A. EtLn., vol. vi, pp. 370. 371. 



' Om. Sociology, in 3d. Ann. Kept. Bur. Ethn., p. 317. 



3 Ibid. p. 319. 



* "Kansas Mourning and War Customs," in Am. N^aturalist, July 1885, p. 672. 



