242 THE WIXNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



Members of the clan were buried by members of the Thiuiderbird 

 clan. 



Water was sacred to the Water-spirits. It was considered an 

 insult for a stranger to peep into a pail standing in one of their lodges. 



One mformant explamed the custom as follows: 



"If one enters a Water-spirit clan lodge and looks into a pail and 

 there should be no water in it, the person will tm"n away and this 

 action of his will be construed as l)eggmg. It would be proper to 

 take a drink of water if some were there." 



A roiuid spot is pamted with blue clay on the forehead of a Water- 

 spirit man (pi. 46). 



The Water-spirit feast is held in the fall and spring. Cracked or 

 groimd corn is used. Water-spirit people partake before anyone 

 else at this feast. 



ORIGIN MYTH 



(told by a member of the clan) 



In the beginning, when the clans began to form, the Bird clans 

 came upon the earth first and alit upon an oak tree at Red Banks; 

 and when they alit upon the oak tree they became human as we are 

 now. Then the Water-spirit clan was to appear at Withm Lake; 

 and the waters began to whirl aromad in the lake and all the bad 

 thhigs that uihabited the waters began to appear. Just before the 

 Water-spirits appeared some burned embers came up from the waters 

 and the whirluig became faster and deeper. As all the great thmgs 

 began to appear it always seemed as if the Water-spirits were the 

 next to appear, but not until the last did they come up. Thereupon 

 the waters began to quiet down. Then a white Water-spirit ap- 

 peared with its horns curved toward each other, and when it came 

 upon the earth it became human and walked. Then the other clans 

 said, "Now, then, this is the chief. This is all that we have been 

 waitmg for. Now we shall divide ourselves" (into groups). Then 

 they started for the lodge of the Thmiderbird clan and entered it. 

 There they named one another and divided one another uito clans 

 and there they comiciled with one another. 



CLAN NAMES 



WAKTCEXI HIK'iK'ARADJERA ( WATER-SPIRIT CLAN) 



He-adaja°jai)k'a Shininj; horns. 



Hena"^pga Two horns. 



Hep'i^wiqga Handsome horn. 



Hesatcagk'a Five-horned. 



Hedjopga Four-horned . 



Maok'a^ojuga He who plants medicines. 



Mar)ka°hodia''pga He who looks at medicines. 



Ma"i''sinip'i''wii)ga Good cold spring. 



