Bowers] EQDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 15 



indicate that the Hidatsa (Minnetarees of the Willows) and Awatixa 

 (Minnetarees-proper of Metaharta) have had independent histories. 

 The former, as a nomadic group, came recently to the Missouri from 

 the northern plains to Heart River where they became known to the 

 Mandan before taking up residence north of Knife River. The Awa- 

 tixa claimed long residence on the Missouri as an agricultural group. 

 This distinction between nomadic (Hidatsa) and sedentary (Awatixa) 

 Hidatsa groups must have loomed prominently in theu* minds, for 

 they distinguished these two groups when they wrote: 



... As Captain Clark was about leaving the village, two of their chiefs returned 

 from a mission to the Grosventres [Hidatsa] or wandering Minnetarees. These 

 people were camped about ten miles above, and while there one of the Ahnahaways 

 [Awaxawi] had stolen a Minnetaree girl. [Ibid., pp. 219-220.] 



It appears that Lewis and Clark were aware of differences between 

 the two principal Hidatsa village groups, the Hidatsa-proper and the 

 Awatixa, since they refer to the group living on the north bank of the 

 Missouri as the Minnetarees (Hidatsa), and those on the south bank 

 (Awatixa) as the Minnetarees, surnamed Metaharta. Inasmuch as 

 the names employed to designate these village groups are of Mandan 

 origin, it would be well to examine Mandan interpretations of them. 

 According to my Mandan informants, the word "Minnetaree" referred 

 only to the nomadic ethnic group which arrived at the Mandan villages 

 near Heart River from the northeast in late prehistoric times. Having 

 tasted the Mandan corn, which they learned to cultivate during a 

 short residence there, they were advised by the Mandan leaders in 

 these words: 



It would be better if you went upstream and built your own village, for our cus- 

 toms are somewhat different from yours. Not knowing each other's ways the 

 young men might have differences and there would be wars. Do not go too far 

 away for people who live far apart are like strangers and wars break out between 

 them. Travel north only until you cannot see the smoke from our lodges and there 

 build your village. Then we will be close enough to be friends and not far enough 

 away to be enemies. [Crows Heart.] 



Once this group became established on the Missouri near the mouth 

 of Knife River, a separation occurred to produce the Hidatsa who 

 adopted agriculture and built Hidatsa village 35 on the north bank of 

 the Knife River. The remainder removed farther upstream and be- 

 came the Kixa'ica' or 'Those Who Quarreled Over the Paunch,' the 

 present Hidatsa name for the River Crow. According to Mandan 

 interpretations, neither the Awatixa nor the Awaxawi was in- 

 volved in this more recent migration, both being older agricultural 

 groups on the Missouri. The Mandan relate the Awatixa to the west- 

 ern Crow from whom they are said to have separated by mutual con- 

 sent while living on the Missomi between the mouths of the Knife 

 and Heart Rivers. They viewed this early separation as a gradual one 



