550 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [bth. ann. 37 



After the speeches were all over the oiferings were taken down and 

 thrown outside through the opening in the roof of the lodge and then 

 night songs were sung. Before throwing the offerings out they marched 

 around the lodge carrying them in their hands. At the approach of 

 dawn the drum, gourds, etc., have ahout made the entire circuit of the 

 lodge, and as soon as they reach the host he begins to sing the night 

 songs. After these he sings turtle songs, and then the songs are over. 

 The host now calls upon some one to give the war whoop, so that the 

 spirits in the west may hear their voices. Nanhj'tcoga gave the 

 war whoop. All joined in, and the feast was over. 



Descriptive notes on the Bear clan war-hundle feast. — Informant, 

 member of clan: About the middle of winter, in the month called 

 deer-breeding month, the Winnebago used to go out hunting, and 

 they gave a feast to all the spirits who had blessed them. 



They are very careful not to have the kettles boil over, because 

 they believe that a man's soul {iM-yi'rak') might be wandering about 

 and is likely to come down along the chain of the kettle. If it 

 doesn't boil over, the man is likely to conquer the possessions of this 

 spirit (of an enemy) in the next battle. 



The invitation sticks are sent out only to men who own a war 

 bundle, and the clans are invited in the following fashion: First the 

 Wolf, then the Hawk, and then any order. 



The contents of the war bundle represent the following: The crow 

 means strength in running. The turtle and the spear, the blessings 

 which enable one to get out of difficulties, the former referring espe- 

 cially to difficulties in crossing water; they also enable their possessor 

 to foretell when enemies are approaching and to tell an individual 

 how many enemies he is going to conquer. The flute represents the 

 voices of musical birds. When an enemy hears them it paralyzes 

 him and he can not run. 



