320 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



path they used to <fix;ibe or strip off the feathers of red, blue, and yel- 

 low birds, and put them into the sacred bags. There were five bags of 

 lids sort among the Omaha s. The principal one is kept by Wacka u/ - 

 ma"<J-i", of the Wajifiga <fataji subgeus of the <f)atada. It is filled with 

 the leathers and skins of small birds, and is wrapped hi a ^ahupezi, or 

 worn tent-skin. This is the principal one. The second one is kept by 

 the daughter of ^ahe-jinga, of the Iuk6-sab8; because the people pity 

 her, they allow her to keep the bag which her father used to have ; but 

 they do not allow her to take any part in the ceremonies in which the 

 sacred bags are used. The third bag is iu the custody of Maid" (jaii'ge 

 of the Weji n cte gens. The fourth, when in existence, was kept by ^idd- 

 ma"(('i", of the ,x,a da gens. And the fifth was made by Wabaskaha, of 

 the Ing</)e'-jide gens. This, too, is no longer in existence. According to 

 La Fleche and Two Crows, the only wa<j;ixabe used in war are made of 

 the (skin and feathers of the) g$eda n/ , or pigeon-hawk, the i u 'be -jan'ka, 

 or forked-tail hawk, and the uickucku, or martin. All three kinds 

 were not carried by the same war party. Sometimes one man carries 

 an i D be-janka, and the other a nickneku ; at other times one carries a 

 g^eda n , and the other an i n be-janka or nickucku. ja^i" na n paji says 

 that the weasel is very sacred. Two Crows never heard this; and he 

 says that the keeper of any very sacred object never reveals what it is. 

 These sacred bags are not heavy; yet the bearer of one has no other 

 work. He must wear his robe tied at the neck, and drawn around him 

 even in warm weather. 



At the feast, the three wa^ixabe are put in the middle of the lodge. 

 The keepers take their seats, and sing sacred songs, some of which are 

 addresses to the Thunder, while others are dauciug songs. Among the 

 former is one of which a fragment was given by < ja<fi n -na n paji : 



"Wi-^i'-ga" na u '-pe-wa'-^6 e-ga"', 

 Wi-^i'-ga" na n '-pe-wa'-<^6 o-ga n ', 

 We'-ti" ke g^i'-ha n -ha n jrl, 

 Na"'-pe wSr^S ." 



"As my grandfather is dangerous, 

 As my grandfather is dangerous, 

 When he brandishes his elub, 

 Dangerous . " 



When he had proceeded so far ( ja^i a -na n paji stopped and refused to 

 ted the rest, as it was too sacred. 



This song is also sung by the keepers of the wa<f;ixabe after the return 

 of the warriors, when the ordeal of the wastdgistu is tried. (See § 214.) 



Though the keepers sometimes sing the songs four times, and the 

 others then dance around four times, this is not always done so often. 

 After the dance they enjoy the feast. 



Presents are made by the giver of the feast to the keepers of the 

 \va<j;ixabe, who are thus persuaded to lend their sacred bags with the 

 peculiar advantages or sacredness which they claim for them. 



