Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 163 



the household in one generation. Thus a man, after he had married, 

 would normally obtain his bundles through his father living in the 

 younger man's maternal household but belonging to a different 

 household lineage. Although the sacred bundle rites were not long 

 kept within the female household, the members of the various house- 

 holds had certain duties and obligations whenever the transfer was 

 made. In the purchase of the father's bundle rites, a man received 

 assistance in the form of goods and food from his brothers and their 

 wives, mother's brothers and their wives, his sisters, and his sisters' 

 daughters and sons when they were old enough to assist. From 

 his wife's household he received the assistance of his wives, his wives' 

 sisters and their husbands, and the mothers-in-law. This group of 

 relatives, varying in number, would occupy different households but 

 the prmcipal contributions came from two household groups; his 

 mother's and his wives'. The clan and society members of both 

 the buyer and his wife were also expected to lend assistance, but 

 their responsibilities were not as great. These many relatives and 

 other cooperating groups lightened the burden of ceremonial purchases 

 and enhanced the prestige of all of them. 



The household group was a stable unit for generations as long as 

 there were daughters to inherit the lodge complex. With strong 

 loyalties to the mother's household group, any study of a Hidatsa 

 male or female must take these ties into account. The Hidatsa say 

 that a person without relatives is nothing. 



MATURITY AND OLD AGE 



Membership in the Black Mouth society was viewed as a mark of 

 maturity and respectability. As a man moved upward through 

 the age-grade system, his role as buyer of ceremonial rights changed 

 to that of seller. A man's position in the lodge also changed in time. 

 At first, as a young married man living in his wife's lodge, his section 

 of the lodge was that nearest the door on the left side as one entered. 

 As the older people became aged and infirm, they slowly shifted their 

 beds and personal equipment in a clockwise direction. The most 

 mature and active male member of the lodge would then occupy 

 the head of the lodge where he kept his personal property and sacred 

 bundles, and entertained his friends. 



A woman's position in the household was essentially the same as 

 that for a man. As her parents grew older and were unable to par- 

 ticipate actively in the affairs of the household and village, she 

 slowly took over the roles formerly performed by her mothers and 

 maternal grandmothers. A woman would normally be participating 

 actively in the Goose society by this time. 



