344 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



arc members of the society. Two are appointed to beat the drums, and 

 four to heat the rattles on the pillows. These six performers are not 

 members of the society. 



§ 250. When one wishes to join the society he must proceed as follows: 

 During the day the candidate boils food for a feast, to which he invites 

 all the members of the society. About twilight they arrive, and hav- 

 ing partaken of the feast they receive presents from the candidate, 

 who asks them to admit him to their society. If they agree to admit 

 him a feast is appointed for the next day in connection with the dance, 

 when he will be initiated. Before the ceremony, however, the chiefs 

 confer with one another, saying, " Wi ab£i u ' taminke. Nikaci n 'ga waga- 

 zu'ga", ab$i D/ taurifike. U( , uka n pi t6ga n ab^i u/ taminke." — I will ham 

 him. I will hare him, as he is an honest man. I will have him, as he will 

 be a fine looking person. 



§ 251. Dress and ornaments of the dancers. — Two Crows says that they 

 used to wear deer-skin leggings. He says that there is no uniform dress 

 for members of either sex. < ja^i n -na n paji gave the following : The men 

 wear red leggings, of which each leg comes down over the moccasin in a 

 point. Ribbon- work in two parts that cross over the moccasins shakes 

 when the wearer dances. Two kinds of garters are worn together; one 

 kind is of otter-skin, the other of bead-work and jeji n hi n de. 19 This veji n 

 hi n de part is fastened over the legging-fiap on the outer side of each leg, 

 and is " zazade" (extending apart like the sticks of a fan) and dangling. 

 The flaps of the leggings, which are as wide as a hand, contain ribbon 

 work generally from the knee up, and sometimes the whole length of 

 the leggings. When a member wears no shirt he may ornament his body 

 with a dozen " wa<j;ig£eze," or convoluted lines. These are red, six in 

 front and six on the back ; of those in front, two are at the waist, two 

 higher up on the chest, and two on the arm ; and of those on the back 

 two are near the nape of the neck, two lower down, and two just above 

 the waist. A red stripe about a finger wide is put on the face, extend- 

 ing from each side of the mouth to the jaw, and similar stripes are drawn 

 down ou the sides of the nose. j v eji n hi n de head-dresses are worn, and 

 some have deer's tail head-dresses on their heads, surmounted by very 

 white feathers, which are waving slowly as the dancers move. Two 

 ('rows says that they now turn dawn the flaps or hi u b£diha of the moc- 

 casins. 



The women's attire consists of a gay calico body or sacque, ornamented 

 with two rows of small pieces of silver as large as copper cents, ex- 

 tending all around the neck of the garment ; leggings with an abun- 

 dance of ribbon embroidered on the flaps; short garters of ;eji u hi n de and 

 bead- work; moccasins dyed black and ornamented with porcupine 

 work, and a red or black blanket. 



(j^-ugacke ui n , ear-bobs, are worn. 



19 Yam of various colors iutei-voven. 



