434 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 194 



known as Singer Butte, where rites were performed under the direc- 

 tion of a large owl who resided in a deep cave there. Each butte 

 was further symbolically represented by a buffalo skull in essentially 

 the same manner; each sacred bundle of major or tribal importance 

 in the various villages included sacred buffalo skulls (map 1 and pi. 

 10). 



There were two sacred bundles after 1837; one was owned by Guts 

 and came from Hidatsa village and the other was owned by Poor Wolf 

 and came from Awaxawi. There is no traditional evidence that 

 Awatixa ever had one of the bundles. The two bundles and rites 

 were identical and have provided the basis for considerable conflict 

 due to the competitive position for peace-chief status which the 

 bundles carried. According to traditions related by Four Dancers, 

 grandson of Guts, and Mrs. White Duck, daughter of Poor Wolf, 

 the Earthnaming bundle rites began with Raven Necklace. Briefly, 

 the sacred myth is as follows: 



An Assiniboin boy taken prisoner by the Hidatsa wore a raven skin as a necklace 

 when captured and was named Raven Necklace. A few years later the Hidatsa 

 went into winter camp on the Missouri above the mouth of the Little Missouri 

 River (pi. 11) During the winter, the Assiniboin attacked the village and Raven 

 Necklace undertook to protect three women of his adopted tribe. Two of the 

 Assiniboins who attacked the women were recognized as his Assiniboin brothers. 

 He wounded both brothers but did not kill them. After the battle it was learned 

 that 30 young Hidatsa women were missing, among them Raven Necklace's 

 adopted sister. 



Raven Necklace traveled northward to the Assiniboin camp, looking for the 

 Hidatsa women, and visited with his Assiniboin family. They discussed the 

 battle and then he inquired about his adopted sister. During the night he freed 

 the 30 women but his sister was not among them. He killed one enemy who was 

 out as scout and then they traveled toward the Missouri, reaching a timbered 

 coulee north of the spot where Fishhook Village later stood. Raven Necklace 

 was about to push over a dead tree when a voice said, "Raven Necklace, leave 

 that tree alone, for it is my home. I have my young ones here and I do not want 

 my home destroyed." 



Looking up he saw that Owl was speaking. Owl said, "This valley is known as 

 Owl Valley. You can make a buffalo corral here.^" I will give you a ceremony 

 called Earthnaming. When you perform the rites the other spirits will teach you 

 the songs and what things to use with the Earth medicines. When you call them 

 together, they will tell you the names of these high hills. There will be a great 

 deal of memorizing." 



The 30 women helped him build the buffalo corral and they took many buffaloes, 

 tanning the hides and curing the meat. Then they went upstream and joined the 

 others at the winter camp, waving the scalp to show that they had overcome one 

 enemy. All this time the spirits living in the various buttes came to him in his 

 dreams and taught him the songs and rites. 



The people went back to Knife River in the spring where many people helped 

 him put up the goods to buy the ceremony. Among the buttes represented 



•° This owl was the singer whenever the spirits of the buttes met at Killdeer Mountains. 



