336 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann, 37 



(lid not put us in charge of anything, and that for tliat reason the 

 tobacco we received is our greatest and foremost thing. So the old 

 people said. We were told that we should use it to ask for life. 

 This must have been what they meant. This, the mstrument with 

 which to ask life, is, I feel sure, sufficient to attract them and they 

 will surely take notice of it. We may also follow him who is taking 

 the place of the spirits, and we will consider all those who are in the 

 lodge blest. Those whom we call Nights have been offered tobacco, 

 and the same has been offered to the foiu- cardinal pomts, and to all 

 the life-givmg plants. To this many tobacco has been offered. It 

 will strengthen us. This is what we call imitatmg the spuits, and 

 that is why we are doing it. Children of the night-blessed ones who 

 are seated here, I greet you all. The song we will now start is a 

 pipe-lighting song." 



When he foiished singmg he greeted all those in the lodge and 

 then he lit his pipe. Then he took a number of puffs. First he 

 inhaled some smoke and blew it toward the east, then toward the 

 north, then toward the west, then toward the south. Then he passed 

 it around and all smoked, except the host, who is not permitted to 

 do so. Then the east leader spoke agam as follows: 



"Night-blessed ones who arc seated here, I greet you. The instru- 

 ment with which to ask life I will now place here, and if any of you 

 want to fill your pipes you may do so." 



Then the leader of the north band rose and spoke as follows: 

 "Councilors and life-ob tamers, you who sit m the direction where 

 the day comes from, you who sit on the other side, in the west, and 

 you who sit at the end of the road, your seats I all greet. We, too, 

 have been anxious to obtam the instrument whereby we ask life, 

 and therefore we fill a pipe for om-selves. I greet you." 

 Then the leader of the south band rose and said as follows: 

 "If the leader of the north band has fuiished his greetmg, I also 

 would very much like to have the mstrument with which we ask life 

 brought to me. We will immediately go and fill a pipe. I am speak- 

 ing now because I wish to tell vou what I intend to do. I greet 



you." 



The leader of the north band did not pass the pipe that he had 

 filled all around the lodge, but merely passed it to the members of 

 his band. Only they smoked from it. In the same way the leaders 

 of the other bands, with the exception of the host's band, passed the 

 pipe only to members of their mdividual band. Only the host passed 

 his pipe all aromid the lodge. When the smokmg was over the 

 leader of the east band rose and greeted everyone. Then he spoke 

 as follows: 



"Our grandfathers used to carry on this ceremony, I have been 

 told. They told me that if at any time the giver of this ceremony 



