OMAHA AND PONKA INVOCATION OF THE THUNDER-BEING. § 35. Among the Omaha and Ponka, when the first thunder was heard in the spring of the year, the Black bear people went to the sacred tent of the Elk gens, and there they assisted the Elk people in the invocation of the Thunder-being. At a similar gathering of the Ponka, the Ponka Black bear people said, “Hau, iⁿc‘áge, ȼiʇúcpa ȼéȼu añ´ga-taⁿ ganáxiwaȼáȼai. Maⁿciáʇahá maⁿȼiñ´gă,” i. e., “Ho, venerable man! by your striking (with your club) you are frightening us, your grandchildren, who are here. Depart on high.”[29] [Transcriber’s note: The hyphen in “añ´ga-taⁿ” was at the end of a line; the word may have been “añ´gataⁿ” or “añ´ga-taⁿ”.] THUNDER-BEING INVOKED BY WARRIORS. The Thunder-being is invoked by all present during the feast preparatory to starting on the warpath, when there is a small party of warriors. Each one addresses the Thunder-being as “Nudaⁿhañga,” leader in war, or war captain.[30] When a large war party is desired, the Thunder-being is invoked (See history of Wabaskaha, in Contr. N. A. Ethn., Vol. VI, p. 394). Wabaskaha himself prayed, saying, “Oh, Wakanda, though foreigners have injured me, I hope that you may help me.” All who heard him knew that he desired to lead a large war party. When the four captains were chosen, they had to cry incessantly at night as well as by day, saying, “Oh, Wakanda! pity me! help me in that about which I am in a bad humor.” During the day they abstained from food and drink; but they could satisfy their thirst and hunger when night came. At the feast preparatory to starting off as a large war party, the keepers of the sacred bags sing thunder songs as well as other sacred songs. One of the thunder songs used on such an occasion begins thus: “Wi-ʇí-gaⁿ naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ é-gaⁿ, Wi-ʇí-gaⁿ naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ é-gaⁿ, Wé-tiⁿ kĕ gȼi-haⁿ´-haⁿ ʞĭ, Naⁿ´-pe-wá-ȼĕ ----.” “As my grandfather is dangerous, As my grandfather is dangerous, Dangerous when he brandishes his club, Dangerous ----.” When he had proceeded thus far, Ԁaȼiⁿ-naⁿpajĭ stopped and refused to tell the rest, as it was very “waqube.” He said that the principal captains of a large war party tied pieces of twisted grass around their wrists and ankles, and wore similar pieces around their heads. But Two Crows, who has been a captain, says that he never did this. (See, however, the Iowa custom in § 75.) ICTASANDA CUSTOM. The following “nikie” or ancient custom of the Ictasanda gens was related by George Miller: Najiⁿ´ daⁿ´ctĕaⁿ´ ʞĭ, naⁿ´pai ʞĭ, gaⁿ´ Wakan´da-ma Rain perhaps if they fear if so the Wakandas (pl. ob.) seen danger