RADiN] THE CLAN WAK-BUNDLE FEASTS 455 



Host's offering to Earthmaker. — "Hearken, Father who dwells 

 above,-" all things you have created. Yet if we would make an offer- 

 ing of tobacco you would accept it with thankfulness*' (you said). 

 So it has been said. I am about to offer a handful of tobacco and a 

 buckskm for moccasms with it and a white-haired animal -^ to be 

 cooked so that (jou may have) a holy feast. These things I turn over 

 to you. If 3'ou accept them, the first thing I wish to ask for wlU, be 

 (the honor of) killing (an enemy) outright, of leading warpaths, and 

 of obtaining life honors.^' That is what we would like to lead (i. e., 

 a war party). That is what I would ask of you. My relatives, as 

 many as are sitting around here, even that many ask the same things 

 of you." 



Host's offering to the Thunderbirds. — "Those in the west, our grand- 

 father, Thunderbird Chief, you blessed grandfather, and I am now 

 going to offer you a handful of tobacco. With thanks jou ^nll accept 

 it (it has been said). Buckskin for moccasins, also, I am sending over 

 to you. A feast made from one whom we regard as one of yourselves, 

 whose body we are like.'" I am sending along for you. Indeed a 

 sacred feast I am offering you ; that I am now sendnig toward you. 

 As many of our clan members as are here, they (aUl desire to make 

 these requests: To kiU an enemy outright, to lead a war party, and— 

 O grant it to us ! — a life honor. Life, that is what I pray for to you — 

 that we ask of you. Our clan has put itself in a pitiable condition,^' 

 so that we may live a good life. That we ask of you." 



Host's offering to the Night Spirits. — "You who live in the east, 

 you who walk in darkness, you directed your minds toward grand- 

 father, and for that I will pom- tobacco for you, now and forever, 

 so that you may bless me. A handful of tobacco, if we pour for 

 you, we know it will make you thankful, and for that reason do I 

 offer you some. A buckskin for moccasins and, together with it, a 

 sacred feast that I am about to send toward you. With whatever 

 you blessed grandfather, that I and all my clansmen who are here 

 ask of you. This request, that one of us lead the war party you 



** No Christian influence is to be suspected in this term of address. 



"According to shamanistic cosmology, Earthmaker first created all the various spirits and bestowed 

 upon each one of them certain powers. When finally he created man he noticed that he had nothingloft 

 to give him, so he decided to give him tobacco. This was to remain his exclusive possession, and not even 

 he, Earthmaker, would be able to take it away from him. It was finally agreed that man would offer it 

 to Earthmaker and the other spirits and receive in return therefor specific blessings. 



38 Ritualistic name for deer. 



s3*'KilUngan enemy outright" means killing him in the midst of his own people and without the assist- 

 ance of anyone else. It was the highest war honor that a Winnebago could obtain and entitled him to 

 wear an eagle feather in his hair. "Life honors" always refer to war honors. 



»»The whole phrase from "rohiwi'sge" to '"rolu'ra hTk'isikl-ar'djcra," is the 'ritualistic expression for 

 dog. The dog is referred to as ''hke one of ourselves" in deference to the fact that one of the clans is 

 called wolf or dog. Thus in offering up the dog they wish to imply that they are offering up themselves. 



"1 1, e., a condition which calls for pity. 



