318 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



the Buffalo clan feast, the society of those who have been blessed by 

 the buffaloes, and the society of those who wear buffalo headdresses; 

 the last apparently of Sioux origin. 



The medicine dance has been described by the author in some 

 detail,' and a general description will be foimd on page 350. 



Of the semipermanent societies, the liok'ixe're dance is given after 

 every successful war party by those four individuals who have 

 counted coup. It has only a temporary existence, for it ceases to be 

 an organization as soon as each individual performance is over. Its 

 main purpose seems to be the desire to transfer to the victor, from the 

 skulls or the scalps of the slain enemies obtained on that particular 

 warpath, the valor and prowess for which the slain person was noted. 



In addition to the above ceremonies there were a number of pleasure 

 and miscellaneous dances that are described on page 379. 



There were apparently a number of very important feasts connected 

 with certain medicines, the principal one of which was the Black 

 Earth Medicine feast; but unfortunately no account of this was 

 obtained, owing to lack of time. 



Ceremonies Associated With the Clans 



the clan feasts 



THE THUNDERBIRD CLAN OR CHIEF FEAST 



Introduction. — The chief feast, or, as it may more properly be 

 caUed, the feast of the bird clans, is generally given once a year, 

 sometimes in late spring. It was also given on certain other occasions 

 for specific purposes. At the present time it is given by the members 

 of the Thunderbird clan and the prevalence of the appellation 

 "chief feast" would seem to indicate that it was at all times the 

 feast of the Thunderbird clan. We ought then to expect to find 

 clan feasts of the other members of the waygeregi division, namely, 

 of the Warrior, Eagle, and Pigeon clans. No such feasts are given 

 to-day, however, and the members of these latter three clans always 

 speak of the chief or bird feast as their specific clan feast. As such 

 it is also regarded by the members of the ma^egi division. 



In the total absence of historical data it is quite useless to specu- 

 late about the significance of one feast sufficing for four clans, where 

 in strict analogy to the feasts of the other clans we would expect to 

 find one for each clan; yet the idea that naturally presents itself is 

 that we are in reality dealing with one clan that has become split up 

 into four subclans. Such a view has been expressed by J. O. Dorsey,' 

 but the data upon which he based his opinion seem to us highly 



1 The Ritual and Significance of the Winnebago Medicine Dance, Journal of American FoUtlore, vol. 

 XXIV, No. xcn, 1911. 

 •Siouan Sociology, 15th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 241. 



