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BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 



[Bull. 194 



to cut the flesh and insert the thongs for fasting; this was the special 

 duty of one's father's clansmen, irrespective of his moiety affiliation. 

 In the light of recent data obtained from the Mandan, I believe 

 that the Hidatsa moiety concept developed recently from a clan 

 system similar to that of the Crow after their settlement on the 

 Missouri. It was not exogamous nor were there traditions of former 

 marriage exogamy. The Mandan, on the other hand, had traditions 

 of moiety exogamy and the table shown indicated even during the 

 last century a greater tendency toward moiety exogamy than for the 

 Hidatsa. 



The Kinship System 



Not only the daily social and economic life but much of Hidatsa 

 ceremonial life as well was patterned by the kinship system. Kinship 

 was based on socially recognized genealogical relationships which 

 extended to the limits of the tribal group. For many individuals, the 

 culture heroes were also included in the kinship structm-e. Alien popu- 

 lations likewise were included in the kinship groups in instances where 



Table 3. — Hidatsa kinship terms ^ 



1 M as M in a p; i as i in it; o as a in anon; £ as « in met. 



2 The nimibers correspond to the various kinship charts. 

 ' The symbols correspond to the various kinship charts. 



