1922] 



SKINNER, THE SAUK AND lOWAY INDIANS 



21 



The social system of the lovvay was founded firmly on caste, rank 

 being rated according to birth, or, quite secondarily, according to 

 achievement. These cleavages were very important and their social 

 classes more strongly emphasized. 



When at the height of their power, the loway must have been 

 wealthy for an Indian tribe, and personal property must have accumu- 

 lated to the point of cumbersomeness, when one considers the extraor- 

 dinary number of lowav societies and cults to vvhich a number of 



Fig. 11. — A group of loway Indians with the paraphernalia of the "Dream 

 Dance," or the "Chief's Dream Drum." 



tribesmen of importance belonged, and each of which had its own pre- 

 scribed paraphernalia and often its costume. In figure 11, for example, 

 is shown the paraphernalia of the Dream Dance. 



Physically, the loway of Oklahoma are often of almost Herculean 

 build and inclined to corpulence. Those of Nebraska are slighter in 

 stature and not so heavy, so far as my experience goes. They are 

 intelligent and keen witted, but lazy and very disagreeable in their 



