30 
MUSEUM BULLETIN NO. 10. 
lend themselves readily to such an interpretation. But even 
should we accept the necessity for the priority of the one over 
the other types of association, we must still insist that psycho- 
logically the functions are in each case associated with a group 
unit and that we are not dealing with the relation of cause 
and effect but with a new association. 
Four of the Winnebago clans have specific political functions, 
the details of whjch cannot be discussed here. The Thunderbird 
is the chief clan, and in addition to the fact that the chief of the 
tribe is selected from it, has important functions connected 
with the preservation of peace; the Warrior clan, that relating 
to war; the Bear clan, that relating to policing and discipline, 
both within the village and while on the hunt, etc.; and the 
Buffalo clan, that of public crier and intermediary between 
the chief and his people. The Wolf, Water-spirit, and the Elk 
clans seem also to have possessed minor political-social functions. 
Thus, the Wolf people were considered in the light of “minor" 
soldiers; the Water-spirit people as connected with the passage 
of streams, etc. ; and the Elk as connected with the care of the 
fire-places while on the hunt and warpath. This accounts for 
seven of the twelve clans, and it thus seems as if the association 
of political functions with clans was a type that had found 
great favour among the Winnebago, and was perhaps being 
extended to every clan. Among the Dhegiha, associations of 
ceremonial functions with social units seem to have found cor- 
responding favour, while among the Central Algonkin neither 
type occurred. 
Marked political and ceremonial functions of the clan 
are the distinguishing characteristics of the Siouan organization 
and have given an entirely different picture to clan structure 
there. 
The Reciprocal Relationship of the Clans. 
We have seen that one of the bonds between the clans was 
the fact that they belonged to the same side. But there is a 
special bond between certain clans known as “friendship” relation 
{hitcak'o'ro). This always subsists between two, although it 
