230 



OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



hair about two inches long. 

 It is about two inches long. 



B is a fringe of hair all around the head. 

 The rest of the head is shaved bare. 



Fig. 14. — Frank La Fleche's sketch of the Iuke-salte tent, as he saw it when he went on the buflalo 



hunt. 



§ 31. Subgentes and Taboos. — There has evidently been a change in 

 the subgentes since the advent of the white man. In 1878, the writer 

 was told by several, including La Fleche, that there were then three sub- 

 gentes in existence, Waifigije, Wata"'zi-jide fataji, and Naq^e-it'abaji ; 

 a the fourth, or lekifg, having become extinct. 



Now (1882), La Fleche and Two Crows give the 

 three subgentes as follows: 1. Wa<figije; 2. 

 Niniba t'a u ; 3. (a part of 2) lekife. The second 

 subgens is now called by thein "Wata"'zi-ji'de 

 |at:iji and Naqfe lt'abnjl." "^a^fi" -na"ba and 

 Nagu or Wafanase are the only 7 survivors of the 

 real Niniba-t'a", Keepers of the Sacred Pipes." 

 (Are not these the true Naqfe-it'abaji, They 

 who cannot touch charcoal? I. e., it is not their 

 place to touch a fire-brand or the ashes left in 

 the sacred pipes after they have been used.) 

 " The Sacred Pipes were taken from the ances- 

 tors of these two and were given into the charge of Ickadabi, the pater- 

 nal grandfather of Gahige." Yet these men are stillcalled Niniba-t'a n , 

 while " Gahige belongs to the Wata"zi-jide (f-ataji and Naq^e it'abaji, and 

 he is one of those from whom the Iekife could be selected." 



Fig 



15. — luke-sabe style 

 wearing the hair. ' 



