﻿i-Li-i-CHER-LA 
  pi.escheJ 
  ENVIRONMENT; 
  RESULTANT 
  INFLUENCES 
  95 
  

  

  THE 
  VILLAGE 
  

  

  Site 
  

  

  The 
  site 
  for 
  a 
  village 
  was 
  always 
  chosen 
  near 
  a 
  running 
  stream 
  

   convenient 
  to 
  timber 
  and 
  generally 
  not 
  far 
  from 
  hills, 
  from 
  which 
  an 
  

   outlook 
  over 
  the 
  country 
  could 
  be 
  obtained. 
  A 
  watch 
  was 
  commonly 
  

   stationed 
  on 
  these 
  hills 
  to 
  detect 
  the 
  stealthy 
  approach 
  of 
  enemies 
  

   and 
  to 
  keep 
  an 
  eye 
  on 
  the 
  horses 
  pastured 
  near 
  by, 
  although 
  these 
  

   were 
  usually 
  herded 
  by 
  boys 
  during 
  the 
  day 
  and 
  brought 
  into 
  the 
  

   village 
  at 
  night, 
  where 
  each 
  family 
  had 
  a 
  corral 
  built 
  near 
  its 
  lodge 
  

   for 
  safety. 
  The 
  bottom 
  lands 
  were 
  the 
  planting 
  places; 
  each 
  

   family 
  selected 
  its 
  plot, 
  and 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  the 
  land 
  was 
  cultivated 
  its 
  

   occupancy 
  was 
  respected. 
  Corn, 
  beans, 
  squash, 
  and 
  melons 
  were 
  

   raised 
  in 
  considerable 
  quantities, 
  and 
  while 
  these 
  products 
  were 
  

   sometimes 
  traded, 
  they 
  were 
  usually 
  stored 
  for 
  winter 
  use. 
  

  

  Occasionally 
  a 
  man 
  would 
  take 
  a 
  fancy 
  to 
  some 
  locality 
  and 
  deter- 
  

   mine 
  to 
  live 
  there. 
  He 
  would 
  be 
  joined 
  by 
  his 
  kindred, 
  who 
  would 
  

   erect 
  their 
  lodges 
  near 
  his 
  and 
  cultivate 
  gardens. 
  Such 
  outlying 
  

   little 
  settlements 
  were 
  a 
  temptation 
  to 
  marauding 
  war 
  parties, 
  and 
  

   if 
  an 
  attack 
  was 
  made 
  by 
  a 
  large 
  party 
  of 
  enemies, 
  capture 
  and 
  death 
  

   were 
  sure 
  to 
  follow; 
  any 
  degree 
  of 
  safety 
  was 
  secured 
  only 
  through 
  

   untiring 
  vigilance. 
  

  

  Dwellings 
  

  

  The 
  earth 
  lodge 
  and 
  the 
  tipi 
  (tent) 
  were 
  the 
  only 
  types 
  of 
  dwelling 
  

   used 
  by 
  the 
  Omaha 
  during 
  the 
  last 
  few 
  centuries. 
  

  

  The 
  tipi 
  (pi. 
  17 
  and 
  fig. 
  16) 
  was 
  a 
  conical 
  tent. 
  Formerly 
  the 
  cover 
  

   was 
  made 
  of 
  9 
  to 
  12 
  buffalo 
  skins 
  tanned 
  on 
  both 
  sides. 
  To 
  cut 
  and 
  

   sew 
  this 
  cover 
  so 
  that 
  it 
  would 
  fit 
  well 
  and 
  be 
  shapely 
  when 
  stretched 
  

   over 
  the 
  circular 
  framework 
  of 
  poles 
  required 
  skilful 
  workmanship, 
  

   the 
  result 
  of 
  training 
  and 
  of 
  accurate 
  measurements. 
  The 
  cover 
  was 
  

   cut 
  semicircular. 
  To 
  the 
  straight 
  edges, 
  which 
  were 
  to 
  form 
  the 
  front 
  

   of 
  the 
  tent, 
  were 
  added 
  at 
  the 
  top 
  triangular 
  flaps. 
  These 
  were 
  to 
  be 
  

   adjusted 
  by 
  poles 
  according 
  to 
  the 
  direction 
  from 
  winch 
  the 
  wind 
  blew, 
  

   so 
  as 
  to 
  guide 
  the 
  smoke 
  from 
  the 
  central 
  fire 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  tent. 
  These 
  

   smoke-flaps 
  were 
  called 
  ti'Jiugabthi"tha 
  (from 
  ti, 
  "tent 
  or 
  house;" 
  

   Tiugdbthi 
  n 
  tka, 
  "to 
  twist"). 
  At 
  intervals 
  from 
  about 
  3 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  

   bottom 
  up 
  to 
  the 
  smoke-flaps 
  holes 
  were 
  made 
  and 
  worked 
  in 
  the 
  

   straight 
  edges. 
  Through 
  these 
  holes 
  pins 
  (sticks) 
  about 
  8 
  inches 
  long, 
  

   well 
  shaped 
  and 
  often 
  ornamented, 
  were 
  thrust 
  to 
  fasten 
  the 
  tent 
  

   together, 
  when 
  the 
  two 
  edges 
  lapped 
  in 
  front 
  or 
  were 
  laced 
  together 
  

   with 
  a 
  thong. 
  This 
  front 
  lap 
  of 
  the 
  tent 
  was 
  called 
  ti'moHfmhe 
  

   (from 
  ti, 
  "tent"; 
  moHhuhe, 
  "breast"). 
  The 
  term 
  refers 
  to 
  the 
  

   part 
  of 
  the 
  hide 
  forming 
  the 
  lap. 
  The 
  tent 
  poles 
  were 
  14 
  to 
  16 
  feet 
  

   long. 
  Straight 
  young 
  cedar 
  poles 
  were 
  preferred. 
  The 
  bark 
  was 
  

  

  