226 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ANN. 37 



have been subjected to literary and shamanistic remodeling. Only 

 the shorter accounts show in their subject matter and presentation 

 certam affinities to the origin myths of the other clans, the longer 

 ones being entirely different. . Another cause for these marked dif- 

 ferences may lie in the circumstance that since the longer accounts 

 were associated with semi-esoteric ceremonies, the war-bundle feasts, 

 they were known to but few individuals in the clan, whereas the 

 shorter legends could be learned by anyone who chose to pay for 

 them. To this must also be added the fact that presumably some 

 of the accounts current were based on hearsay knowledge. 



The Bear clan was, next to the Thunderbird clan, the most im- 

 portant in the tribe. Its lodge was either in the center of the vil- 

 lage, opposite that of the Thunderbird clan, or at the extreme end, 

 depending upon the scheme of village organization accepted as 

 correct. In it were confined the prisoners of war and the insignia of 

 office possessed by the clan, such as the so-called standards, really 

 crooks, and the so-called namaxinixini. Some individuals also claimed 

 that unmarried men were allowed to sleep in the lodge, although they 

 were not clear as to whether they did this in order to guard the pris- 

 oners confined there or simply used it as a club house. 



The clan songs are given on page 235. The same songs are used 

 when gathering the clansmen together to select soldiers. 



Apart from the war bundle or war bundles, the Bear clan possessed 

 three insignia — a war club of a definite shape, the curiously whittled 

 baton of authority called Mimaxinixini, and the crooks used in battle 

 called hoke're'u^. Whenever the clan was exercising any of its func- 

 tions the leader would always hold in his hands the namaxinixini. 



The functions of the clan were probably the most important in 

 the tribe and were entirely disciplinary. The author obtained the 

 following description from an old Winnebago: 



The Bear clansmen are the soldiers or sergeants-at-arms of the tribe. They have 

 complete control of everything concerning discipline. Whenever the Winnebago 

 are traveling or moving (i. e., on their various seasonal moves), the Bear clansmen 

 lead, and wherever they decide to stop, there the leader would put his stick in the 

 ground and the other Bear clansmen would do the same, arranging them all in a row 

 pointing toward the direction in which they were going. The main body of the tribe 

 would follow at a certain distance. No member of the tribe would dare pass ahead 

 of the row of sti( ks. If, for instance, the tribe was on the fall move and traveling 

 toward a countrj- in which there wa.s plenty of game, should any indi\-idual go back 

 and around the sticks in order to kill game on his own account, the soldiers (Bear 

 clansmen) would, as soon as he was detected, go over to his lodge and burn it up v^dth 

 all its contents-and break all his dishes. The only thing they would spare would be 

 his life and that of the other members of his family. If the one who had transgressed 

 the rules made any attempt at resistance he would be severely whipped. If he re- 

 fused to submit to this and took up his fire arms to fight, the soldiers would stand there 

 calmly, but tlie moment he made an attempt to shoot they would kOl him. In such 

 a case nothing would be said either by the rest of the tribe or hi; relatives about 



