442 • THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



B. was not the eldest son, but, as mentioned before, the war bundle 

 was always given to that son who manifested the greatest interest 

 in it. When B. and his brothers were quite young their father took 

 them aside one day and told them the stories connected with the 

 war bundle and told them, in addition, that the one manifesting the 

 greatest interest would receive it. B. immediately started getting 

 material for a feast, and this he would give to his father, who would 

 then give a feast. This was repeated over and- over again until B.'s 

 father felt that B. knew enough about the ceremony to conduct it 

 himself, after which he allowed him to take entire charge of it. 



The war bimdle contained the following objects: 



The body of an eagle (tcaxce'p). 



The body of a hawk (k'credjy'scp). 



The l)ody of an unidentified bird (waniqk'hiwjtcak'i'zok'e). 



The ])ody of a pigeon hawk (k'lrik'I'risge). 



A deer-tail headdress (tcasintc wak'e're). 



Eagle feathers (tcaxce'p mqcu'). 



Medicines (wase'). ' 



Flutes (hiju'juk). 



War club (nam^i'tce). 



The birds' bodies were supposed to give the possessor, in times of 

 war, the characteristics of these animals. The liutes were associated 

 with different spirits and used to accompany certain songs during 

 the ceremony projier. When blowTi during a fight, they were sup- 

 posed to paralyze the running powers of the enemy and thus make 

 him an easy prey. The deer-tail headdress, the eagle feathers, and 

 the war club were all war paraphernalia and were always worn when 

 on the warpath. 



When the custodian of a war bimdle decides to give a feast he 

 has his nephews go out and kill as many deer as they can, for the 

 larger the number of deer obtained the larger will be the number of 

 spirits to whom they can make offerings. As a rule ten to eleven 

 deer are killed, so that all the clans, or at least all that are still in exist- 

 ence, can be invited. 



After the deer have been killed active preparations are begun; 

 the invitation sticks (ni^no'7-ona) are sent out, and the wood for the 

 ceremonial lodge is gathered; and, lastly, old women who have 

 passed their climacteric are set to work on the buckskins and ordered 

 to make them as white as possible. In the preparation of the lodge 

 only the nephews, nieces, and wives of the participating men take 

 part. 



The night before the ceremony proper, the Sweat-Lodge ritual 

 takes place. 



When the buckskins have been thorouglily bleached they are 

 brought into the lodge and given to the host, who proceeds to mark 

 them in the following manner: 



