OMAHA NIK'IE DECORATIONS. 



407 



OMAHA NIKIE DECORATIONS. 



§ 5.3. As the geutes of the Omaha and Poiika are regarded as being 

 "Wakauda;a(|'ica"," the "iiikie" aud "nikie names" have a religions 

 significance. George Miller has fnrnished 

 the author with a few nikie decorations, 

 \Nhi(h are now given. 



Ma"ze-guhe, an Omaha, belonged to tlie 

 WaiJ-igije sub-geus of the Inke-sabe gens. 

 The decoration of his robe (Fig. 181) marks 

 the nikie of the sub-gens, as it consisted fif 

 spiral forms known as "wacf-igije." That of 

 the tent (Fig. 182) refers to the uikie of the 

 entire gens. In the latter case, the buft'alo 

 head was painted on the back of the tent. 



Dnba nia"(|'i", who has a nikie name refer- 

 ring to the buftalo, belongs to the Wafigije 

 sub-gens. His father wore a black blanket ,' 

 embroidered with beadwork in two rows of/. 



All 

 beads. 



spirals, between which was a star. 



Flu. 182.— Ma''ze-Kulir'.i teut. 



these figures were made of white 

 (See Fig. 18.3.) 



In the Pipe sub-gens of the irike-sabe there were several tent decor- 

 ations. Of the first, George Miller speaks thus: 



Flc. 183. — Duba-manifi"'.s father's blanket. 



'Nrikaci"'ga-ma ta'"wa"gfa"'-ma niniba t'a"' ama Inke-sabe akadi 



Tlu* pf<)pli' tliiise ill the "jeiiti'H pipe have the pi. lllaek sluuihler aiiioug 



auh. the 



