228 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. anx. 37 



the council lodge. According to another informant, the Bear clan is 

 the Deer's friend, and therefore they bury one another. 



Burial, as was the case for all members of the lower phratry, was 

 in the ground. Opinions varied as to what clan was supposed to 

 bury a Bear man, some people claiming that it would have to belong 

 to the upper phratry, others that it was incumbent upon the Wolf 

 clan. It seems that the latter custom is the one followed at the 

 present time and one which is considered old, to judge from the 

 accoTmt of an actual fimeral (cf. p. 148). The body was always 

 buried with a miniature Bear clan war bimdle. According to one 

 informant, a bow and arrows were occasionally placed in the hands 

 of the corpse, in addition to some tobacco. According to another 

 informant, the facial marks were charcoal across the forehead and 

 red marks under the lips in direct imitation of the bear. 



The facial decoration for the corpse consisted of two parallel marks 

 across the forehead, the upper one red and the lower one black, and 

 the painting of the entire chin red (pi. 46). The red paint on the 

 chin was interpreted as a smile, for- the Bear clansmen were supposed 

 to greet death with a smile, as they were returning to their clan 

 ancestors. The statement was also made that Bear clansmen should 

 not mourn the death of any of their comrades. 



There is a specific Bear clan feast at which no one is permitted to 

 laugh or talk, nor is anyone allowed to make any noise while drinking 

 soup. The feasters must eat with their left hand. 



One of the most interesting of the ceremonies associated with the 

 Bear clan is the so-called bear or soldier dance (manu"pe wad). It 

 was described to the author as follows : 



When sickness comes upon a Winnebago village the people go to the chief and say 

 "Sickness has come upon us, chief! See that your soldiers arise! " And the chief 

 goes to the lodge of the leading Bear clansman and, offering him tobacco, speaks as 

 follows: "ily soldier, I am offering you tobacco, for my people have been smitten 

 ■ndth disease." Then the latter rises and thanks him. He then informs all his clans- 

 men and they give a feast. Then, of those participating, a nimiber of males and 

 females are selected, who on the -next day, accompanied by the leader, go around 

 the village four times. If a dog crosses their path, they kill it. After they have 

 made the fourth circuit they enter the village from the east end. They thereupon 

 visit the sick individuals one after another, dance in their presence, and lay their 

 hands upon them. After they have visited all the sick they go to the chief's lodge, 

 where a feast is spread for them by the chief's people. The next day all those who 

 had been ill become well. 



It is quite clear that this "healing " f miction of the clan is inti- 

 mately associated with the powers supposed to be bestowed upon 

 individuals by Bear spirits. In fact, we are really dealing with a 

 society possessing the power of healing disease in which membership, 

 however, is restricted to members of the Bear clan. 



