44 THE MKNOMINI INDIANS [eth.ann.H 



Reference is made elsewhere to the killing of animals which are the 

 same as the totem of the hunter. Although a Bear man may kill a 

 bear, he must first address himself to it and apologize for depriving it 

 of life; and there are certain portions only of which he may eat, the 

 head and paws being tabu, and no member of his totem may partake 

 of these portions, although the individuals of all other totems may 

 do so. 



1 1 may be of interest in this connection to state that one of the nearest 

 linguistic allies of the Menomiui, the Ottawa, claim to be originally of 

 the Mo'\s. or Moose, totem. This is stated by Mr A. J. Blackbird, one 

 of the most intelligent of the tribe, as well as oue of the headmen, to 

 be the designation of the "true" or full-blood Ottawa, and that other 

 totems were added through the intermarriage of Ottawa women with 

 men of other tribes because children inherit the mother's totem. He 

 stated also that his father had been of the I'i'pigwe"', or " Little Hawk," 

 totem of another tribe, and in this wise the totem became added to the 

 Ottawa. In like manner was the Wabus', or ''Babbit," totem added, 

 this tribe coming from the vicinity of Hudson bay or Lake of the 

 Woods, where they are said to have occupied "caves and holes in the 

 ground." Intermarriage with the Potawatomi was common, but this 

 tribe designated the Ottawa as Nisai'"e n and Nisa'sa, "big brother" or 

 "elder brother." 



GENEALOGY OF CHIEFS 



The Menoniini claim always to have had a first or grand chief, and a 

 second or war chief, beside many subchiefs who were heads of bands 

 or of families. In the event of the death of the grand chief, the eldest 

 son succeeded, unless a more popular pretender could enroll in his own 

 behalf the greater influence in the tribe. Since the election of Xio'pet, 

 the second chief has been i^i'aqtawa'pomi, a man of steady habits and 

 influence, and one in whom the tribe has confidence. Ni'aqtawa'ponii, 

 however, is not related to Nio'pet's family or gens, but was designated 

 to fill this office because the legal claimants adopted the manners and 

 pursuits of civilization, and will probably never permit their names to 

 be proposed as successors to their father's position. When the chief 

 of the tribe dies and leaves a minor son, the second or war chief acts 

 as regent until the heir attains an age at which he is deemed com- 

 petent to govern. 



The present divisions or bands of the Menomini are named after the 

 heads of each band, and number eleven, viz: (1) Osh'kosh; (l!) Aia'- 

 miqta; (3) Sha'kitok, at present under Ni'aqtawa'ponii ; (■!) Ma'nabu'- 

 sho; (5) Le Motte; (G) Piwa'qtiuet; (7) Pesh'tiko; (8) O'hope'sha; 

 (9) Ke'shok, or Ke'so; (10) Aqka'mot, now under charge of Ma'tshiki- 

 ne'u v ; (11) Shu'nu'ni'iV", or Shu'nien. 



In addition to the several chiefs, there was formerly more need of 

 the services of a spokesman or orator, upon whom devolved the duties 

 of promulgating the wishes of the supreme chief; or, in the event of a 



