202 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth.ann. 37 



The relation of Mtcak'oro or "friend clan" is thus strictly analogous 

 to that which exists between two individuals who are hitcak'oro 

 to each other. It is one of the characteristic traits of Siouan cul- 

 ture that two individuals often form a strong, inextricable friendship. 

 Not only are they always together but the death of one on the war- 

 path involves that of the other. The same intimate relationship 

 seems to exist between an uncle {h.idel-') and his nephew {hitcy,cge). 

 There is, however, one fundamental difference between such relation 

 as that existing between hidel:' and Jtitcy,cge, the members of the family 

 group, and the members of the same clan, on the one hand, and clan 

 hitcak'oro, on the other. In the former there is the bond of blood, 

 real or fictitious; in the latter, only that of mutual service. On the 

 other hand, while the hideh' -hitcucge relation, the individual hitcak'oro 

 and the clan hitcak'oro all may be of different historical origin, they 

 are psychologically the same. The postulation of even a fictitious 

 blood bond between the different individual hitcak'oro and the clan 

 hitcak'oro is not unheard of. For the hitcak'oro relation of individuals 

 this is always possible, for if one individual dies, his hitca¥oro is gen- 

 erally adopted to fill his place. On the other hand, the myths seem 

 to indicate that no blood bond was regarded as existing between 

 them, for they generally married each other's sisters. 



What historical relation the clan hitcak'oro bears to the indi- 

 vidual hitcak'oro relation, it is impossible to state, but the remarks 

 made before are pertinent here, and no genetic relationship need be 

 postulated. 



THE SPECIFIC POSSESSIONS OF THE CLAN 



Among the Omaha a number of clans have in their possession cer- 

 tain objects around which not merely the clan but also the tribal 

 reverence is centered. Historically, we believe that these were 

 originally possessions of an individual clan, which subsequently 

 became identified with the entire tribe. Among the Winnebago 

 nothing remotely comparable to these clan possessions exists, and 

 the few specific objects possessed by the clan have never become of 

 real tribal significance. 



The specific material possessions of the clan consist of certain war 

 bundles, one in each clan; and two crooks in the possession of the 

 Bear clan. There also exist war clubs, of which there are two types, 

 one found among the waijgeregi, the other among the manegi divi- 

 sions. In connection with the clan bundles there are certain cere- 

 monials known as clan-bundle or war-bundle feasts, popularly as 

 Winter Feasts. The distribution of the clan bundle differentiates 

 these from the specific possessions of the Omaha clans, and suggests 

 a hint as to their historical associations. To all intents and pur- 

 poses, as their individual history shows, these bundles are merely 



