274 OMAHA DWELLINGS, FURNITURE, ETC. [eth.ann. 13 



No totem posts were in use among the Omaliii. The tent of the prin- 

 cipal man of each gens was decorated on the outside with his gentile 

 badge, which was painted on each side of the entrance as well as on 

 the back of the tent.' The furniture of the sacred tents resembled that 

 of the ordinary ones. 



Before the introduction of canvas tents by the whites no needles or 

 thread were used by the Siouan tribes. The women used sinew of the 

 deer or buffalo instead of thread, and for needles they had awls made 

 of elk horn. 



\ 



FlQ. 31U.— jejeqilde's tent. 



Since there were no outbuildings, public granaries, or other structures 

 of this description, each household stored away its own grain and other 

 provisions. There were no special tribal or communal dwellings; but 

 sometimes two or more households occupied a single earth lodge. 

 When a council was held, it took place in the earth lodge of one of the 

 head chiefs, or else two or three common tents were united, making one 

 large one.^ There were no jtublic baths, as the Missouri river was 

 near, and they could resort to it Avhenever they desired. Dance houses 

 were improvised either of earth lodges or skin tents. 



Sweat-lodges were in the form of low tents (4iuij'ipu).' Stones were 

 not boiled for the sweat-lodge, but were put into the lire to be heated. 

 They were removed from the fire by means of sticks called i"'ebasi^a°, 



'Third Aim. Kep. Dur. Ethndlogy for 1882-'83, p. 230: also "A Study nf Siouau Cults," iu Eleveuth 

 Aun. Ivcp. Bur. KtLnolof;y, ISSO-SM). p. 351. 

 2 Third Ann. Kep., op. eit., p. 294. 

 'Contriliutiona to North Aniericim Ethnolot^y, vol. vi, 1890, i>i>. 152, l(i9, and 234. 



