194 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [ktii. ann. 37 



According to the majority of our informants only one of these 

 classifications seems to be generally present in the minds of the 

 Winnebago to-day — that commemorating incidents relating to the 

 origin of each clan. Thus, for instance, because the first thunder- 

 bird alit on a tree the name He-who-alights-on-a-tree is given ; because 

 a wave swept over the shore as the wolf arrived at Green Bay the 

 name Wave is given, etc. However, the most representative names 

 of this type are Gives-forih-fruit-as-he^walks, Makes-the-day-tremhle, 

 He-who-comes-singing, Judge-of-the-contest, etc. The vast majority 

 of the names, although many of them can doubtless be interpreted 

 as referring to incidents that occurred during the various origins of 

 the clan, clearly belong to the first seven divisions mentioned above. 

 Yet the Winnebago interpret them all in terms of category VIII. 



As an example of the Winnebago viewpoint let me give the follow- 

 ing:' 



Four men [the clan eponymous ancestors] Earth-Maker sent here from above; and 

 when they came, all their various characteristics were used for making proper names. 

 Thus at the present day, the characteristics of the thunder-birds, all of their actions, 

 are used as proper names. (At the beginning), four men came from above. And 

 from that fact there is a name, He-who-comes-from-Above. . . From above, four men 

 Earth-Maker sent down. And since they came like spirits, there is a name, Spirit- 

 Man. . . And as there was a drizzling fog when the four men came from above, so 

 there are names, Walking-in-Mist, Comes-in-Mist, and a woman they would call, 

 Drizzling-Rain-Woman. It is said that when they first came to Derok, they alit 

 upon some brushes, and bent them down; and from this fact there is a name, She- 

 v:ho-hemh-the-Brushes. On the limb of an oak-tree that stood there, they alit; and they 

 bent it down as they alit on its branches. From this there is a name, She-who-bevds- 

 the-Branches-down. And since they alit on the tree, there is a name, He-who-alights-on 

 a- Tree; . . . and from the tree itself there is the name, Oak-Woman. . . And be- 

 cause they stepped from the oak-tree to the ground, . . . there is a name, He-uho- 

 aUghls-on-the-Ground. . . And since they came with the thunder-birds, there is a 

 name, Thnnder-hird . . . and WJnte-Thiinder-bird . . . and Black-Thnnder-bird . . . 

 And since the thunder-birds thunder, there is a name, He-vho-thunders . . . And 

 since they make the noise Icinwi", people are called He-tcho-makes-Tci^ivi'^ . . . 

 \Mien the thunder-birds walk, rain accompanies them; and from this fact we have a 

 name, He-who-walks-with-Rain . . . And since the thunder-birds come walking, we 

 have a name, Walking-Thunder; and since the thunder-liirds walk with a mighty 

 tread when they start out, there is a name, Hc-uho-comes waJking-inth-a- Mighty- 

 Tread: . . . and since the earth shakes when they commence walking, there is a 

 name, Ile-xi'ho-shakes-lhe-earth-with-force . . . And since there is always wdnd and 

 hail when the thunder-lnrds come, we have a name, He-who-conus-u'ith-Wiiid-and- 

 Huil. Now, since one of the thunder-birds came first, there is a name, He-irho-walks- 

 Firsl; and since one of them was the leader, therefore, there is the name Thunder- 

 hird-Leader . . . Now since the thunder-liirds flash (their eyes) in every direction, 

 so we have the name Flashes-in-erery-Direction . . . Now, we don't see the thunder- 

 birds, but we see their flashes only; and thus there is a female name, Only-a-flash-of- 

 Lightning-Woman; and since the thunder-birds (flash) streaks of lightning, there is 

 a name, Sireak-of-Lightning; and since cloudiness is caused by the thunder-liirds 



^ "Personal Reminiscences of a Winnebago Indian," by P. Radin, Journal of American Folklore, vol. 

 26, no. CII, pp. 300-303. 



