Bowers] HIDATSA SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL ORGANIZATION 275 



it was not long after this that warfare was suppressed by the Govern- 

 ment and the buffaloes were exterminated. The old values were no 

 longer recognized. He was 30 years of age before buying his father's 

 Wolf bundle.*" There was no attempt to lead a war party as Kidney 

 had done a few years earlier when he purchased his father's bundle. 



DEFENSIVE WARFARE 



Defensive warfare introduced a different set of responsibilities. 

 The basic concepts of village protection were symbolized by the four 

 "protectors of the people" representing the four sacred directions. 

 These spiritual defenders of the people represented symbolic defenses 

 established during the mythological period to protect the people 

 from the attacks of various evil spirits who conspired to destroy the 

 villages. Their role in the physical defense of a village, however, 

 was of importance only to inspire confidence in the defenders. When 

 a new village was built, the "Protectors" selected the sites for their 

 four lodges first and conducted the appropriate ceremonies at each 

 spot, after which the other households selected lodge sites within a 

 prescribed area according to household, kinship, and other ties. 



When Fishhook Village was built, new "protectors of the people" 

 were selected by the council from the survivors of the three inde- 

 pendent Knife River village groups who were joining together for 

 common defense. The Awatixa and Awaxawi assumed the principal 

 ceremonial role as builders of the site since the Hidatsa-proper were 

 at that time contemplating reunion with the Kiver Crow. In fact, a 

 number of the Hidatsa households had already moved to Crow terri- 

 tory when the site was laid out. These "protectors of the people" 

 were males past middle age who already occupied eminent positions 

 in the hierarchy of traditional bundle owners. In a society organized 

 for both offensive and defensive warfare, living in an area where 

 pacifism meant quick extermination, consideration was also given to 

 one's position with respect to established ceremonies, generosity and 

 personal qualities, and knowledge of tribal sacred and secular lore. 



The physical defense of the village was entrusted to the police 

 society which received its instructions from the council composed of 

 an indefinite number of members representing the various households. 

 The war chief was the principal military executive while some highly 

 respected older man was his announcer. Whenever reports of im- 

 pending enemy attacks reached the village, the older men distin- 

 guished either as warriors or ritual leaders, assembled to discuss the 

 situation and to define group action. The first concern was to protect 

 the women and children inside the stockade. The horses were brought 



« This purchase Is detailed under "Wolf Ceremonies,' 



