CHAPTER III. 

 THE GENTILE SYSTEM. 



TRIBAL CIRCLES. 



§ 9. Iii former days, whenever a large camping-ground could not be 

 found, the Poukas used to encamp in three concentric circles; while the 

 Omahas, who were a smaller tribe, pitched their tents in two similar 

 circles. This custom gave rise to the name " Oyate yamni," The Three 

 Nations, as the Ponkas were styled by the Dakotas, and the Omahas 

 became known as the Two Nations. But the usual order of encamp- 

 ment has been to pitch all the tents in one large circle or horseshoe, 

 called "hiufuga" by the Indians. In this circle the gentes took their 

 regular places, disregarding their gentile circles, and pitching the tents. 

 one after another, within the area necessary for each gens. This circle 

 was not made by measurement, nor did any one give directions where 

 each tent should be placed ; that was left to the women. 



When the people built a village of earth-lodges, and dwelt in it, they 

 did not observe this order of camping. Each man caused his lodge to 

 be built wherever he wished to have it, generally near those of his kind- 

 red. But whenever the whole tribe migrated with the skin tents, as 

 when they went after the buffaloes, they observed this order. (See 

 § 133.) 



Sometimes the tribe divided into two parties, some going in one di- 

 rection, some in another. On such occasions the regular order of camp- 

 ing was not observed ; each man encamped near his kindred, whether 

 they were maternal or paternal consanguinities. 



The crier used to tell the people to what place they were to go, and 

 when they reached it the women began to pitch the tents. 



THE OMAHA TRIBAL CIRCLE. 



§ 10. The road along which they passed divided the tribal circle into 

 two equal parts ; five gentes camped on the right of it and five pitched 

 their tents on its left. Those on the right were called the Hangacenu, 

 and the others were known as the Ictasanda. The Hangacenu gentes 

 are as follows : Weji°cte, Ink6-sab6, Haii'ga, $atada, and g;a"<ze. The 

 Ictasanda gentes are as follows: Ma n 'finka-gaxe, ^e-siu'de, x a "da, 

 Ing^jide, and Ictasanda, 



According to Waha-^ifige, the chief of the ^e-sinde gens, there used 



(•219) 



