382 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



branch of the Waterbuster clan at Awatixa and the closely related 

 Prau'ie Chicken clan at Awaxawi. It was also customary for in- 

 dividuals dreaming of the animals associated with the bundle to make 

 offerings to the bundle and to secure pledges from the bundle o^vners 

 that contemplated military and other undertakings woidd be 

 successful. 



In addition to the doctoring rites, there were earth-lodge-making 

 rites which enjoyed some small measure of popularity. Whenever 

 a new earth lodge was being built, or new central posts were to be 

 erected, the household sought the assistance of someone owning 

 rights in a Creek bundle. While she trimmed and shaped the forks 

 of the four central posts, she addressed the sacred objects, saying, 

 "These people are building their new earth lodge; I ask you not to 

 fail them. They want to have good luck and no sickness. I ask 

 you, my gods, to send them good luck. These articles they have 

 given you, I will keep." 



The restricted distribution of earth lodge building rites is signi- 

 ficant when examined in the light of traditional residence on the 

 Missouri. The Mandan had a weU-developed system of earth-lodge- 

 making rites which was intimately interwoven into the Okipa and 

 Corn sacred myths. This system had no equivalent in the Hidatsa 

 groups. Traditionally, all Hidatsa Earth Lodge rites are based on 

 the supernatural teachings of Mink who, while singing the Sweat 

 Lodge songs, explained that "earth, wood, stones, and water go 

 together." Although the rites were a part of the sacred lore of the 

 Creek bundles, females frequently purchased Earth Lodge rites inde- 

 pendently of the other Creek bundle roles. These rites, however, 

 seem not to have been renewed by subsequent sales; instead, new 

 buyers preferred to purchase directly from the original Creek bundle 

 owners. Creek bundles were traditionally of Awatixa village origin 

 from whence they spread to Awaxawi village in recent times, and 

 never reached Hidatsa village. The similarity of the rites to those 

 of the Mandan is further evidence substantiating native belief that 

 the Awatixa represent the first Hidatsa agricultural group to join 

 the Mandan on the Missouri River. 



Wolf Chief's following narrative provides pertinent data on the 

 beliefs and habits relating to this sacred bundle: 



My maternal grandmother's name was Otter Woman, for she was named from 

 the bundle. My mother's name was Strikes-Many-Woman. Otter Woman put on 

 the rites to get the bundle when my mother was about 10 years old. She often 

 told her how she put on the ceremony. She made the vow just like the men did 

 and then put up many buffalo robes and a big feast. In that way she bought 

 the medicines that her mother and brothers had. She used to put on the sweat 

 ceremonies for the bundle even though she owned the bundles. Sometimes she 



