Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 27 



village or peace chief and the war activities around an outstanding 

 war leader. The Awaxawi, although sedentary like the Awatixa, 

 lacked clan inheritance rights and privileges. The ceremonial and 

 peace functions at Awaxawi were vested in the Earthnaming bundle 

 owner while the war activities were organized around the strongest 

 war leader. 



The smallpox epidemic of the 1780's greatly reduced the tribal 

 population, and the subsequent westward movement of the Assiniboin 

 caused the Hidatsa and Awatixa village groups to attempt a union. 

 At this time the Awatixa built Rock Village upstream from the Knife 

 River. The effort was unsuccessful because of conflicting bundle 

 rights and the jealousy of the chiefs. After a few years, those who 

 desired to remain agriculturalists returned to the Knife River, The 

 Awaxawi left Painted Woods and built 2 miles below the mouth of 

 Knife River, the Awatixa were situated on the south bank of the Knife, 

 and those Hidatsa who chose to ally with the other two village groups 

 settled on the north bank. A few Hidatsa families joined the Crow, 

 and others followed them, a few families at a time, until after 1845. 

 Except for the short residence at Rock Village, this was traditionally 

 the first time that the Hidatsa village groups had lived within a few 

 miles of one another. This was done to offer better opportunities for 

 mutual defense and still retain the original village groups. The Hid- 

 atsa lived in about 130 lodge or household groups, the Awatixa in 

 approximately 50 household groups, and the Awaxawi in about 20 

 household groups. 



COUNCILS 



For mutual defense against common enemies, around 1797 or 1798, 

 the three villages established a tribal council composed of the most 

 distinguished war leaders of each village. Council membership has 

 been reported by my informants as totaling 10, with the head chiefs of 

 Hidatsa and Awatixa as additional members, and as 12 in number by 

 Curtis (1907 a, vol. 4, p. 182) . Their duties were concerned only with 

 general matters concerning warfare and the mutual assistance of the 

 villages. They made peace with neighboring villages and discouraged 

 efforts of the enemy to make alliances with one village to the exclusion 

 of the others. This tribal council was first established before 1800 

 and continued until the three village groups united to build Fishhook 

 Village in 1845. 



When the smallpox epidemic broke out in 1837, the council was 

 composed of the following men (according to Bears Arm who secured 



