302 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



Hu-bigide, weirs or traps for catching fish. — La Fleche and Two Crows 

 do not think that this was an ancient practice. Children now catch 

 fish in this manner. They take a number of young willows of the 

 species called " ^ixe-sagi," or hard willow, and having bent them down, 

 they interlace them beneath the surface of the water. When the fish 

 attempt to force their way through they are often caught in the inter- 

 stices, which serve as meshes. But if the fish are large and swim on 

 the surface they can leap over and escape. 



The O in alias eat the following varieties of fishes: ^uzS, or Missouri 

 catfish ; hu-i-buja, " round-inouthed-fish," or buffalo-fish ; hu-hi n/ pa, or 

 sturgeon ; hu-da-sn6de, " long-nosed fish," or gar ; and the hu-g^eje, or 

 " spotted fish." The last abounds in lakes, and is generally from 2£ to 

 3 feet long. It has a long nose. 



CULTIVATION OF THE GROUND. 



§ 163. This is regulated by the Hanga gens, as corn and the buffalo 

 meat are both of great importance, and they are celebrated in the sa- 

 cred songs of the Hanga when the feast is made after the offering of 

 the buffalo hearts and tongues. (§ 143.) 



Corn is regarded as a " mother" and the buffalo as a " grandfather." 

 In the Osage tradition corn was bestowed on the people by four buffalo 

 bulls. (See Calumet dance, § 123, and several myths, in Part I, Contri- 

 butions to K A. Ethnology, Vol. VI.) 



At harvest one of the keepers of the Hanga sacred tents (Frank La 

 Fleche thinks it is the Wacabe or ^e-sa^ha keeper) selects a number 

 of ears of red corn, which he lays by for the next planting season. All 

 the ears must be perfect ones. (See Calumet dance, § 123.) 



In the spring, when the grass comes up, there is a council or tribal 

 assembly held, to which a feast is given by the head of the Hanga gens. 

 After they decide that planting time has come, and at the command of 

 the Hanga man, a crier is sent through the village. He wears a robe with 

 the hair outside, and cries as he goes, " Wafa'e te, ai a£a u+ !" — They 

 do indeed say that you will dig the grotind ! Halloo ! He carries the 

 sacred corn, which has been shelled, and to each household he gives 

 two or three grains, which are mixed with the ordinary seed-corn of 

 that household. After this it is lawful for the people to plant their 

 corn. Some of the Inke-sabe" people cannot eat red corn. This may 

 have some connection with the consecration of the seed-corn. 



