234 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



of the tribe, as they contain two objects which have been regarded as 

 " Wakafida 6ga n ," partaking of the nature of deities. 



These objects arc the sacred pole or " waqftSxe," and the " ie-sa u '-ha." 

 The decoration of the outside of each sacred tent is as follows : A corn- 

 stalk on each side of the entrance and one on the back of the tent, 

 opposite tlif entrance. (Compare the ear of corn in the calumet dance. 

 See §* 123 and 163.) 



Tradition of the sacred pole. — The " waq^exe," " ja u ' waqnbe," or sa- 

 cred pole, is very old, having been cut more than two hundred years 

 ago, before the separation of the Omahas, Ponkas, and Iowas. The 

 Ponkas still claim a share in it, and have a tradition about it, which is 

 denied by La Fleche and Two Crows. The Ponkas say that the tree 

 from which the pole was cut was first found by a Ponka of the Hisada 

 geus, and that in the race which ensued a Ponka of the Maka n gens 

 was the first to reach the tree. The Omahas tell the following : 



At the first there were no chiefs in the gentes, and the people did not prosper. So 

 a council was held, and they asked one another, "What shall we do to improve our 

 condition?" Then the young men were sent out. They found many cotton- wood 

 trees beside a lake, but one of these was better than the rest. They returned and re- 

 ported the tree, speaking of it as if it was a person. All rushed to the attack. They 

 struck it and felled it as if it had been a foe. They then put hair on its head, making 

 a person of it. Then were the sacred tents made, the first chiefs were selected, and 

 the sacred pipes were distributed. 



The sacred pole was originally longer than it is now, but the lower 

 part having worn out, a piece of ash-wood, about 18 inches long, has 

 been fastened to the cotton-wood with a soft piece of cord made of a 

 buffalo hide. The ash-wood forms the bottom of the pole, and is the 

 part which is stuck in the ground at certain times. The cotton-wood is 

 about 8 feet long. 



Fig. 17. — The sacred pole. 



A. — The place where the two pieces of wood are joined. 



B.— The aqande-pa or hi n -qpe-i0iba°, made of the down of the mi n xa (a swan. Sec the Ma"<inka gjx > 



gens.) 

 0. — The scalp, fastened to the top, whence the proper name, Nik'umi"je, Indian-man's (scalp) couch. 



Two Crows said that the pole rested on the scalp when it was in the 

 lodge. The proper name, Mi n -wasa n , referring to the ini n xasa n or swan, 

 and also to the aqande-pa (B). The proper name, "Yellow Smoke'' 

 (rather), " Smoked Yellow," or Cude-nazi, also refers to the pole, which 

 has become yellow from smoke. Though a scalp is fastened to the top, 

 the pole has nothing to do with war. But when the Omahas encounter 

 enemies, any brave man who gets a scalp may decide to present it to 

 the sacred pole. The middle of the pole has swan's down wrapped 



