Li FLESCHE] INTRODUCTION 51 



to pair some of the visible bodies, as the sky and earth, sun and 

 moon, morning and evening stars, and some of the constellations, 

 implying a procreative relationship. 



Symbolic Organization of the Tribk 

 The symbolic organization of the tribe is as follows : 



N. 



W. 



The tribe is divided into two great divisions, one to symbolize the 

 sky and the other the earth. The division symbolizing the- sky is 

 called Tsi'-zhu, a word which may be interpreted as Household. 

 The division symbohzmg the earth is called Ho°'-ga, the Sacred One. 



The great division symbolizmg the earth is subdivided so that one 

 part is made to represent the dry land of the earth and is dignified 

 with the name Ho°'-ga. The other part represents the waters of 

 the earth, the great lakes, the rivers and their tributaries, and is 

 called Wa-zha' -zhe — a name by which the whole tribe is known. 



In accordance with the reUgious significance of these two great 

 divisions, a rule was prescribed which required the men of one 

 division to take wives only from the women belonging to the opposite 

 division. This rule was strictly and religiously observed until the 

 people were reduced in numbers from various causes and in recent 

 times by the disturbing influences of the white race. 



It is clear from the rehgious thoughts embodied in the symbolisms 

 of the two great divisions, and from the mythical stories told of the 

 appeals of the people to some of the heavenly bodies for long life 

 when about to descend to the earth, that the old men intended the 

 organization to stand as a perpetual supplication, not only for long 

 life to the individual member, but to the tribe as well, and for an 

 orderly marital relationship between the peoples of the two great 

 divisions. 



Gentile Organization 



For ceremonial purposes, and for completing the tableau depicting 

 the sky with its celestial bodies, the earth with its water and the 



