BDLL. 30] 



PAWNEE 



215 



grievances to the Government for adjust- 

 ment. By treaty of Grand Pawnee Vil- 

 lage, Nebr., Oct. 9, 1833, they ceded all 

 their lands s. of Platte r. By that of 

 Ft Childs, Nebr., Aug. 6, 1848, they sold 

 a 60-mile strip on the Platte about Grand 

 Island. Bv treaty of Table cr., Nebr., 

 Sept. 24, 1857, all lands n. of the Platte 

 were assigned to the Government, except 

 a strip on Loup r. 30 m. e. and w. and 15 

 m. N. and s., where their reservation was 

 established. This tract was ceded in 

 1876, when the tribes removed to Okla- 

 homa, where they now live. In 1892 

 they took their lands in severalty and 

 became citizens of the U. S. 



The tribal organization of the Pawnee 

 was based on village communities repre- 

 senting subdivisions of the tribe. Each 

 village had its name, its shrine containing 

 sacred objects, and its priests who had 

 charge of the rituals and ceremonies con- 

 nected with these objects; it had also its 

 hereditary chiefs and its council com- 

 posed of the chiefs and leading men. If 

 the head chief was a man of unusual char- 

 acter and ability he exercised undisputed 

 authority, settled all difficulties, and pre- 

 served social order; he was expected to 

 give freely and was apt to be surrounded 

 by dependents. Each chief had his own 

 herald who proclaimed orders and other 

 matters of tribal interest. 



The tribe was held together by two 

 forces: the ceremonies pertaining to a 

 common cult in which each village had 

 its place and share, and the tribal coun- 

 cil composed of the chiefs of the different 

 villages. The confederacy was similarly 

 united, its council being made up from 

 the councils of the tribes. In the meet- 

 ings of these councils rules of precedence 

 and decorum were rigidly observed. No 

 one could speak who was not entitled to 

 a seat, although a few privileged men 

 were permitted to be present as specta- 

 tors. The council determined all ques- 

 tions touching the welfare of the tribe or 

 of the confederacy. 



War parties were always initiated by 

 some individual and were composed of 

 volunteers. Should the village be at- 

 tacked, the men fought under their chief 

 or under some other recognized leader. 

 Buffalo hunts were tribal, and in con- 

 ducting them officers were appointed to 

 maintain order so as to permit each family 

 to procure its share of the game. The 

 meat was cut in thin sheets, jerked, and 

 packed in parfieche cases for future use. 

 Maize, pumpkins, and beans were culti- 

 vated. The maize, which was regarded 

 as a sacred gift, was called ' ' mother, ' ' and 

 religious ceremonies were connected with 

 its planting, hoeing, and harvesting. Bas- 

 ketry, pottery, and weaving were prac- 

 tised. The Pawnee house was the earth 



lodge (q. V. ), the elaborate construction of 

 which was accompanied with religious 

 ceremony, and when after an absence from 

 home the family returned to their dwell- 

 ing the posts thereof were ceremonially 

 anointed. Men shaved the head except 

 for a narrow ridge from the forehead to 

 the scalp-lock, which stood up like a horn. 

 Frequently a scarf was tied around the 

 head like a turban. Both beard and eye- 

 brows were plucked; tattooing was seldom 

 practised. The breechcloth and moccasins 

 were the only essential parts of a man's 

 clothing; leggings and robe were worn in 

 cold weather and on gala occasions. 

 Face painting was common, and heraldic 

 designs were frequently painted on tent- 

 covers and on the robes and shields of 

 the men. Women wore the hair in two 

 braids at the back, the parting as well as 

 the face being painted red. Moccasins, 

 leggings, and a robe were the ancient 

 dress, later a skirt and tunic were worn. 

 Descent was traced through the mother. 

 There were no totems belonging to the 

 confederacy. After marriage a man went 

 to live with his wife's family. Polygamy 

 was not uncommon. 



The religious ceremonies were connect- 

 ed with the cosmic forces and the heav- 

 enly bodies. The dominating power was 

 Tirawa, generally spoken of as "father." 

 The heavenly bodies, the winds, thunder, 

 lightning, and rain were his messengers. 

 AmongtheSkidithemorningand evening 

 stars represented the masculine and femi- 

 nine elements, and were connected with 

 the advent and the perpetuation on earth 

 of all li,ving forms. A series of ceremonies 

 relative to the bringing of life and its in- 

 crease began with the first thunder in the 

 spring and culminated at the summer sol- 

 stice in human sacrifice, but the series 

 did not close until the maize, called 

 " mother corn," was harvested. At every 

 stage of the series certain shrines, or ' ' bun- 

 dles," became the center of a ceremony. 

 Each shrine was in charge of an heredi- 

 tary keeper, but its rituals and ceremonies 

 were in the keeping of a priesthood open 

 to all proper aspirants. Through the sa- 

 cred and symbolic articles of the shrines 

 and their rituals and ceremonies a me- 

 dium of communication was believed to be 

 opened between the people and the super- 

 natural powers, by which food, long life, 

 and prosperity were obtained. The myth- 

 ology of the Pawnee is remarkably rich in 

 symbolism and poetic fancy, and their 

 religious system is elaborate and cogent. 

 The secret societies, of which there were 

 several in each tribe, were connected with 

 the belief in supernatural animals. The 

 functions of these societies were to call 

 the game, to heal diseases, and to give 

 occult powers. Their rites were elabo- 

 rate and their ceremonies dramatic. 



