38 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



once loved and lost, and severing all old ties, crossed to the east shore of the 

 Missouri, and started on their pilgrimage. 



It was in the fall when they arrived at the site of the present village. The 

 Four-Bears thought it would be a good place to winter in, ... . When spring 

 came, the Fur Company's steamboat arrived, and at the urgent solicitation of 

 the Indians, a trader was left with a few goods. 



The squaws cut and dragged timber for a fort; the Gros Ventres gave up their 

 idea of rejoining the Crows, .... 



Although the original Hidatsa village group broke up at this time 

 they took little part in the village-building ceremonies. The top 

 chieftainship was patterned after the former Awatixa village system 

 in which the Waterbuster clan owner was village chief and Missouri 

 was selected to manage the ceremonies of laying out the vUlage and 

 designating the ward leaders or "protectors of the people." The war 

 chief was likewise selected from this village group, Four Bears being 

 selected for that position. 



The top leadership in 1845 when the village was built was as 

 follows: 



Head Chiefs. — Missouri River from Awatixa, village chief and 

 keeper of the Waterbuster clan bundle; Four Bears from Awatixa, 

 war chief and owner of rights in Daybreak and Sunset Wolf ceremonial 

 bundles; and Big Hand from Awaxawi, First Creator impersonator 

 and announcer for the chiefs. 



Protectors of the People. — Big Cloud (Fat Fox) from Awaxawi, 

 Thunder bundle and protector of the east direction; Bear-Looks-Out 

 from Awaxawi, Old-Woman-Who-Never-Dies bundle and protector 

 of the south direction; Bobtail Bull from Awatixa, Thunder bundle 

 and protector of the west direction; Bad Horn from Hidatsa, Bear 

 bundle and protector of the north direction; and Big Hand from 

 Awaxawi, vUlage announcer. 



This group was entrusted with the supernatural protection of the 

 village. Four Bears, the war chief, took no part in the ritual organiza- 

 tion of the village other than outlining the limits of the area on which 

 lodges were to be built. In deference to the wishes of the Mandan 

 families, they laid out an open-circle area within the village near the 

 riverbank on the southwest section of the village which was reserved 

 for their ceremonies, sacred cedar, and ceremonial lodge. The 

 Mandan were organized independently by the Okipa members under 

 the direction of Big Turtle and Flying Eagle. The Mandan did not 

 have enough households to complete the open circle and others also 

 selected lodge sites there. 



From the time of its first construction, the village life was a com- 

 promise of several village systems. A distinct ceremonial center with 

 lodge orientation had never before been reserved in Hidatsa villages 

 farther downstream, according to native traditions. This is borne 



