350 OMAHA SOCIOLOGY. 



A man thinks, " I will boil," and be invites to a feast tbose wbo have 

 the medicine of the WitcitS, society. On tbeir arrival be says, "on 

 such a day we will dance." Two or three men boil for the least to lie 

 held in connection with the dance. 



It takes three days to prepare the candidate, and this is done secretly. 

 Ou the fourth day there is a public ceremony in an earth lodge, during 

 which the candidate is shot with the red medicine. Frank La Fleche 

 has witnessed this, and says that it closely resembles the public cere- 

 mony of the Wacicka society. 



§ L'0'4. Paint and dress. — The breech-cloth is the only regular gar- 

 ment. Two Crows and La Flecbe say that all whiten their bodies and 

 legs all over; but ja^i"-na n paji says that some draw white lines over 

 their limbs and bodies. Some paint as deer, putting white stripes on 

 their limbs and bodies; others appear as bald eagles, with whitened 

 faces. Some wear caps of the skin of the "^ikaqude" or gray fox. 

 Some wear necklaces of the skin of that animal; and others have on 

 necklaces of the tail of a black-tailed deer and that of an ordinary 

 deer, fastened together. Some carry a "pkaqude" skin on the arm, 

 while others carry the skin of the "ina n <£in'kaceha," or red fox, of which 

 the hair is very red, and the legs and ankles are black. Some wear 

 feathers of the great owl around the wrist; and others carry fans made 

 of the feathers of that bird. "Maka"'-jide ha alalia baqhiqta uusi- 

 aq<fa-hna n i" — The red medicine with the skin adhering to it (being about 

 three inches long) is tied up in a bundle, ichich is worn " nusi-aqihi," 

 lilce a coiled lariat, with one end over the left shoulder, and the other under 

 the right arm. 



Each of the four singers has a gourd rattle, a bow, and an arrow. 

 He holds the bow. which is whitened, in his left baud, and the rattle 

 and arrow in his right. He strikes the arrow against the bow-string 

 as he shakes the rattle. 



All the members have whistles or flutes, some of which are a foot 

 long, and others are about half a yard in length. The dancers blow 

 theirs in imitation of the "qujia." 



Members. — Only one woman belongs to this society ; but the male 

 members are the following : G<j;eda n -naji n , ^a^-gahige, Muxa-naji u , j^e- 

 ii>[a"-ha, Za n zi-maude, Wajinga, gui-ti<};a n , Qi^a-gahige, j J enuga-ja t '-</;inke, 

 Zizika-jiiiga, }jaxe-ua D p'i u , Cage-duba, Eoua n -hafiga, Ag£i n -duba, Jiu- 

 ga-gahige, and Waji u -^icage. 



The members of this society would eat no greeu corn, fruit, etc., till 

 consecrated by the dance. A few ears of corn were divided among the 

 dancers. Then they could eat as they pleased. 



§ 265. Watci-wa^upi. — This society has not had a dance for about 

 thirty years among the Omahas. It is like the dance of the Wasejide 

 a<f,i u ma, which has a medicine that resembles that of the ja^-wasabe 

 in its use. During the day women danced with the men ; but at night 



