Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 135 



failed once, they would continue untU they succeeded. When they were 

 successful in stealing from a lodge, the old woman of the household 

 would prepare a feast for them. They would smoke the pipe she had 

 filled and had ready for them; then they would enjoy the food, singing 

 and dancing while they ate. After that it was considered improper to 

 steal from that household. Wolf Chief said that during the time he 

 was a member, he had been in many of the Arikara lodges and all of 

 the Mandan and Hidatsa lodges looking for food. This training in 

 entering a lodge undetected was considered good training for entering 

 an enemy camp at night. 



A boy was encouraged to fast during all ceremonies that included 

 fasting rites. At the age of 15 or 16 he was constantly reminded to 

 fast by his "older brothers" if he did not join in the ceremonies. He 

 was scolded publicly; even his mother would cry because the family 

 was poor and her son was not doing anything to help them. When 

 there were a number of boys of approximately the same age in several 

 related households, the bravest and most distinguished older brothers 

 would frequently select a man classified as "father" who had led 

 war parties to take the boys out from ,the village, there to supervise their 

 fasting and suffering. He would see that they cried to the holy things 

 and did not take food or water. He would suggest that the boys cut 

 off a finger, cut flesh from their body, or be suspended from a tree or 

 bank by means of thongs put through the skin to induce dreams from 

 the spirits. Those who agreed were tortm-ed by the man in the manner 

 that they chose. He would promise the bravest ones that they could 

 go out with the next war expedition. 



Because of the numerous enemy tribes near at hand, it was necessary 

 for the Hidatsa to herd their horses continuously during the daytime 

 and bring them in at night. Except when snow was on the ground, 

 scouts were kept out beyond the range of the grazing animals. A 

 common arrangement was to place the horses in charge of the younger 

 boys, while those who had been to war acted as scouts to signal in 

 case an enemy war party was discovered. Frequently, several older 

 boys would take out the horses and train the younger ones. Those 

 showing sufficient sldll in handling horses were invited to accompany 

 war parties and assist in driving back the captured animals. 



The most distinctive feature of Hidatsa child training was its 

 uniformity. Irrespective of the unequal and changing status positions 

 of the various households, each child had essentially the same oppor- 

 tunities. Some households would have no fathers to whom the boys 

 could go for ritualistic training; nevertheless, they could attain emi- 

 nence by following the instructions of the older persons of the house- 

 hold. One could acquire the sacred bundles and ceremonial rights 

 owned by a deceased father provided he showed bravery in battle, 



