430 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



there was no evidence that either a Sunset Wolf or Naxpiks bundle 

 line survived the epidemic of 1837 and, in light of the high develop- 

 ment of the Tying-the-Pots ceremony which was performed during 

 the summer months as rain-making rites, some question is raised as to 

 whether this village group ever performed these ceremonies. In 

 historic times, this small Awaxawi group were reported to have placed 

 greater emphasis on agriculture due, no doubt, to their small numbers 

 and the greater danger of extermination by their nomadic neighbors. 

 It is of traditional record of this and the Mandan groups that the 

 Awaxawi lent considerable assistance to the Mandan in the perform- 

 ance of their summer ceremony, the Oldpa. This is no doubt correct 

 in light of the fact that in the period prior to 1785 the Awaxawi were 

 closely associated with the Mandan first in the Painted Woods region 

 and later at the Knife River. 



The Hidatsa and Awatixa claim that the Sunset rites were of late 

 establishment, although immediately prior to the first appearance of 

 the horse. Features of the ceremony are of such widespread distribu- 

 tion in the Plains and even in the ceremonial structure of the Hidatsa 

 themselves, however, as to indicate considerable antiquity for Wolf 

 rites although probably not in the precise form taken in later years. 

 This is indicated by the military pattern running through the other 

 sacred rites beheved to be of greater antiquity. 



WOLF WOMAN 



The Walks-at-Dusk sacred myth, given above as a part of the 

 sacred beliefs and habits relating to the Sunset Wolf, provides the 

 mythological and traditional setting for the rites associated with Wolf 

 Woman. This female wolf who led the girl home after tne burning 

 of Strong Jaw's village on the Little Missouri was believed to be a 

 holy woman who formerly lived at Hidatsa village on the north bank 

 of the Knife River. She would often transform herself into a female 

 wolf and travel out on the prairies far from the village. She lived in 

 the village as any other old and wise woman, caring for her gardens, 

 tanning hides, and looking after her lodge. But she would often sing 

 her holy song for war parties leaving the village and predict good luck 

 for their undertakings. Transforming herself into a wolf on the fourth 

 day, she would join them at dusk. Thus it was considered a very good 

 omen when the members of a war party heard the wolves howhng on 

 the fourth evening after leaving home. There was only one song 

 belonging to the rites: "Friends, I tell you that dusk when the camp- 

 fire glows is a good time if you are discouraged. When you have put 

 the ribs to roasting and they are ready to be eaten, I will join you." 



The Wolf Woman bundle owners were classified as members of the 

 Holy Women and Woman Above groups because, according to tradi- 



