BADIN] THE CLAN WAR-BUNDLE EEASTS 481 



in the lodge, that many talked of what was to happen to you. Jind I, 

 I am the chief of the Night Spirits. This creation-lodge just as you 

 see it (i. e., with all it contains) I give to you." You will never he 

 in want of food. You are to offer as many buckskins as you see here 

 and tobacco for all time. Thus it shall be. The "creation-lodge'' of 

 the village of the Night Spirits I give to you. You can go on as 

 many war parties as you wish and obtain as much life. As many 

 tobacco offerings as they (i. e., you and yoin descendants) continue 

 to give, all the tobacco, food, buckskin offerings, red feathers, as 

 many as there are, they will all come to the ''creation-lodge" that 

 you see, and we will accept them.' 



"Thus did they speak to grandfather Djoben^giwi'Tjxga. So he 

 said. We will do this that we may ask (blessings) for our relatives 

 and sing songs. Even if we do not perform everything in just the 

 manner that the spirits in the east (told) oiu- grandfather Djobenii,- 

 giwii^xga, we know that om- grandfathers (the spirits) will not be 

 offended. So they say. Even if you know only one song, if you 

 bring yourself to the point of crying in your efforts (it will be all 

 right). Thus we mean to say it. War-bundle owners, who are 

 seated here, I greet you." (Night Spirit song.) 



The Feast 



Host's speech. — "War-bimdle owners who are seated here, I greet 

 you. Every spirit that the Creator created he made for us,*' but 

 whatever food he made for us all those things we were to offer up (to 

 the spirits) together with tobacco and the sacred feast. What we are 

 to do, what I can do to make these things known to them, that is 

 what we should think of and talk about. (This is what the Creator 

 said): Let (the host) call upon a warrior, a yoimg man present at the 

 feast. For the one who lives in the west he should make offerings of 

 tobacco and attempt to be like (the spirits), so that one of our own 

 members should be considered (by the spirits) as the same as them- 

 selves.*' A sacred feast and tobacco together with it M-e are about 

 to offer to the chief of the Thimderbirds in the west. What can I 

 do that they might have knowledge of these (offerings) ? Thus we 

 should be tliinking, (the Creator) said. A war-bimdle owner who is 

 present we should call upon (to take charge of) a kettle." °'' 



^^ The lodges of the spirits are always called "creation lodges " in reference to the fact that it was by the 

 assembled spirits in these lodges that at the beginning of the world everj'thing was set to order. The 

 principal "creation lodge " was that of Earthmaker, to which the soul of a dead individual wandered after 

 death and from which he was sent to the world again if he chose to take human form once more. 



^ I. e., that they might give us blessings. 



^ f. e., impersonate the spirits. It will be remembered (cf. Introduction) that each guest is supposed to 

 impersonate a spirit. 



^ Host's speech ends here. What follows is description. 



