RADiN] CEREMONIAL, ORGANIZATION 319 



unsatisfactory. Apparently his statement is based upon the occur- 

 rence of four mythical ancestors. The similarity of the Winnebago 

 social organization with that of the Dhegiha and Tciwere branches of 

 the Siouan family, in which subclans seem to be foimd, appears to 

 have influenced Dorsey considerably in making this assumption. 



It is true that in their account of origins the Warrior clan speak of 

 themselves as having sprung from the second of the birds mentioned 

 in the origin myth of the Thunderbird clan and this statement permits 

 us to infer that the other two clans bear a similar relationship to those 

 foiu- ancestral birds who, according to legend, alit on a tree near Ked 

 Banks. But this is, of course, merely a mythical account, and the 

 data imbedded in the clan myths must be used with the greatest cau- 

 tion in so far as they can be expected to throw any light on early 

 conditions of social organization. 



All that we can say now is that the chief feast will have to be 

 considered as belonging to all the four bird clans. But this is not 

 to be interpreted to mean that an amalgamation of four histori- 

 cally distinct feasts has taken place, nor that, on the other hand, the 

 four clans were originally subdivisions of one unit. 



The Chief feast. — Infomiant, member of the Thunderbird clan:* 

 The chief of the tribe is at the head of all the different bands and 

 groups of people that exist among the Winnebago. As chief he has 

 full charge of them. All the others are, so to say, his attendants and 

 servants. When his people wish anything they go to him and ask 

 him to obtain a blessing for them. Thus all the members of the 

 tribe, the children as well as the mature men, go to him, and to help 

 them the chief gives the feast known as the chief feast. He sacrifices 

 to Earthmaker, and all who are present offer up some little gift in 

 thankfulness, as this is a thing of supreme sacredness. All those 

 who are present — the children, the women, the middle-aged, and the 

 old men — in fact, whosoever attends the feast, see to it that they eat 

 some of the food distributed. 



As this feast is given in honor of their chief, all the members of 

 the tribe, but most particularly the members of the Bird clan, pre- 

 pare large offerings, so that there should be abundant food to eat. 

 They bring all kinds of food — different kinds of meat, different kinds 

 of vegetables, all manner of berries — in short, all sorts of edibles. 

 These are to be offered to the spirits, and by means of these offer- 

 mgs they expect that their life will be filled with all that is good. 

 It is to obtain these blessings that the feast is given. 



When his people get sick, when it appears that an epidemic is 

 likely, then the chief also gives the chief feast. It is for the purpose 



* Unfortunately, it was not possible to obtain a full and detailed account of this feast. As in type, how- 

 ever, ail the clan feasts are identical, this deficiency can be made up in part by comparing it %vith those 

 feasts like the snake, bear, and buffalo that have been obtained in considerable detail. 



