badin] warfare and the council lodge 163 



The Council Lodge 



TJte clan in the council lodge. — There is one place where the clan 

 finds representation as a pohtical unit, and that is the council lodge. 

 No unanimity seems to exist with regard to the positions of the 

 various clans in the council lodge, but here again the position of those 

 clans with specific governmental functions seems to be far more stable 

 ■than that of the others. The clans are generally so seated as always 

 to be opposite their "friend" clan, from which fact a clan frequently 

 calls its friend "my opposite." It is, however, interesting to note 

 that this seating does not hold for two friend groups, the Water- 

 spirit-BufTalo and Elk-Deer. The Water-spirit clan occupies a high 

 position in the council lodge, apparently quite out of proportion to 

 its present importance in the social organization of the tribe, but 

 in consonance with its former importance. 



Councils. — No important undertaking was ever attempted with- 

 out the holding of a council. On such occasions the principal mem- 

 bers of each clan would assemble in a long lodge and discuss in great 

 detail. Nothing comparable to a vote that might express the desire 

 of those assembled was taken, but the opinions of those present were 

 always presented in their speeches. As a rule the chief, or some 

 person especially interested in definite matter, led the discussion. 

 Owing to the complete absence of specific examples of councils it is 

 very difficult to obtain a very clear idea of their working. The 

 numerous councils relating to treaties with the whites are of very 

 little interest or significance in this connection. 



There was unquestionably a regular order of entering and seating 

 in the council lodge. What this order was it is impossible to deter- 

 mine now, for the statements made by different informants were con- 

 tradictor}'. Since, however, the contradictions in the seating ar- 

 rangements seemed to be correlated with difi'ercnt clan membership 

 the discrepancies may be due, not to lack of knowledge but to 

 actual differences. A few examples of the seating arrangements 

 follow (figs. 29-32) : 



Description of order of entering the council lodge. — Informant, 

 member of Bear clan. The Buffalo clan would always be the last to 

 enter the council lodge because the members remained outside 

 making announcements until all the others had entered. The 

 members of the Thunderbird clan enter first, making a circuit of 

 tlie lodge before taking their seats. The members of the Warrior 

 clan followed and took their seats just opposite those of the Thunder- 

 bird clan. Then the Water-spirit clan follows, and then come the 

 rest as indicated in the diagram. This is the only place where the 

 Bear clan is not in control of the arrangements. 



