TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: This text uses UTF-8 (unicode) file encoding. If the apostrophes and quotation marks in this paragraph appear as garbage, you may have an incompatible browser or unavailable fonts. First, make sure that your browser’s “character set” or “file encoding” is set to Unicode (UTF-8). E.g., with Mozilla Firefox, set it to View->Character Encoding->Unicode (UTF-8). E.g., with Internet Explorer, set it to View->Encoding->Unicode (UTF-8). You may also need to change the default font. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS. BY JAMES OWEN DORSEY. CONTENTS. Page. CHAPTER I.--Introduction 361 Definitions of “Cult” and “Siouan” 361 Siouan Family 361 Authorities 361 Alphabet 363 Abbreviations 364 CHAPTER II.--Definitions 365 Alleged belief in a Great Spirit 365 Phenomena divided into human and superhuman 365 Terms for “mysterious,” “lightning,” etc. 366 Other Omaha and Ponka terms 367 Significance of personal names and kinship terms 368 Myth and legend distinguished from the superhuman 368 CHAPTER III.--Cults of the Omaha, Ponka, Kansa, and Osage 371 Beliefs and practices not found 371 Omaha, Ponka, and Kansa belief in a wakanda 372 Seven great wakandas 372 Invocation of warmth and streams 372 Prayer to wakanda 373 Accessories of prayer 373 Omaha and Kansa expressions about wakanda 374 Ponka belief about malevolent spirits 374 An old Omaha custom 375 The sun a wakanda 376 Invocations 376 The offering of tobacco 377 The Ponka sun dance of 1873 378 The moon a wakanda 378 Berdaches 378