Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 183 



transfers but is a general pattern characteristic of numerous ceremonies 

 performed for calling the buffaloes near the vUlage. An ambitious 

 young man wishing to get ahead might, before undertaking a perilous 

 mission, invite a prominent ceremonial leader to accept his wife. 



LuMPWooD Society 



By the time young men had reached the age when they should 

 normally purchase the Lumpwood society, they should have married 

 and participated in several war expeditions. The Lumpwood symbols 

 of membership, the painted and carved staffs, resemble closely those 

 used in the Painted Red Stick ceremony performed for the calling 

 of the buffaloes. Although decorated and carved sticks are found in 

 the Eagle Trapping, Big Bird, and Thunder bundles, it was with the 

 Painted Wood sacred sticks that the staifs belonging to the Lumpwood 

 society showed closest similarity. According to tradition, the Lump- 

 wood society was found only at Hidatsa and Awaxawi villages at 

 the Knife River; the Awatixa did not have the associated Painted 

 Red Stick ceremony. The Hidatsa recognized the society as one of 

 the age-grade series but attributed to it the supernatural power of 

 attracting the buffalo to the villages. The drmn was believed to 

 have the power to bring rains. The Awatixa had other buffalo- 

 calling rites but no associated Lumpwood society. 



Half-Shaved Head Society 



The Half-Shaved Head society was closely associated with the 

 Black Mouth society. It served as a buffer society to protect the 

 Black Mouths from premature purchase until the younger men had 

 sufficiently distinguished themselves in warfare, ceremonial activities 

 and fasting, and had shown evidence of good judgment so that the 

 group could be entrusted to fulfill the many social obligations and 

 responsibilities of the Black Mouth society. The Half-Shaved Head 

 society is traditionally of Crow origin. Although the same society 

 is known to have existed at the Mandan village of Mitutanku in 

 Maximilian's time, my Mandan informants knew of the society only 

 from traditions, as it apparently died out there in 1837. According 

 to the Maximilian accounts and Hidatsa informants, the society was 

 bought immediately preceding entrance into the Black Mouths. 

 Poor Wolf was 27 when, with other young men, he bought into the 

 society and remained a member of it for 9 years (Lowie, 1913). One 

 year after the purchase, the same body bought the Black Mouths. 

 Thus, the same men held simultaneous memberships in both societies 

 for 8 years. 



