310 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



it is composed of sumac leaves (Rhus glaorum). "When neither of these 

 can be had the inner bark of the arrow wood ( Viburnum) or ma"'sa hi 

 is substituted for them. The two ingredients are well dried over a fire, 

 and rubbed together between the hands." (Dougherty, in Long's Expe- 

 dition, 1.) 



•■ In making ninigahi, the inner bark of the dogwood, to which are 

 sometimes added sumac leaves, is mixed with the tobacco. Sometimes 

 they add wajide hi ha, the inner bark of rosebushes. When they can 

 not get dogwood or sumac they may use the bark of thema"sa hi or ar- 

 row wood. The bark of the fixe sagi, or hard willow, is not used by the 

 Omahas." (Frank La Fleche.) 



CLOTHING AND ITS PREPARATION. 



§ 179. Garments were usually made by the women, while men made 

 their weapons. Some of the Omahas have adopted the clothing of the 

 white man. There is no distinction between the attire of dignitaries 

 and that of the common people. 



§ 180. There were no out-buildings, public granaries, etc. Each house- 

 hold stored away its own grain and other provisions. There were no 

 special tribal or communal dwellings, but sometimes two or more fami- 

 lies occupied one earth lodge. When a tribal council was held, it was 

 in the earth lodge of one of the principal chiefs, or else two or three 

 common tents were thrown into one, making a long tent. 



There were no public baths, as the Missouri River was near, and they 

 could resort to it when they desired. Dances were held in earth lodges, 

 or else in large skin tents, when not out of doors. 



§ 181. Dressing hitles. — The hides were stretched and dried as soon as 

 possible after they were taken from the animals. When a hide was 

 stretched on the ground, pins were driven through holes along the bor- 

 der of the hide. These holes had been cut with a knife. While the 

 hide was still green, the woman scraped it on the under side by push- 

 ing a webajabe over its surface, thus removing the superfluous flesh, 

 etc. The webajabe was formed from the lower bone of an elk's leg, 

 which had been made thin by scraping or striking (" gabife^a"). The 



lower end was sharpened 

 by striking, having several 

 teeth-like projections, as in 

 the accompanying figure 

 (B). A withe (A) was tied 

 to the upper end, and this 



Fi,:. 27. -The Webajabe. wag 8ecured to the arm of 



the woman just above the wrist. 



When the hide was dry the woman stretched it again on the ground, 

 and proceeded to make it thinner and lighter by using another imple- 



