A Study of Siouan Cults: Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544Dorsey, James Owen
Religion
A Study of Siouan Cults: Eleventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1889-1890, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1861, pages 351-544
Dorsey, James Owen
Siouan Indians -- Religion
§ 45. This order is composed of those who have had dreams or visions,
in which they have seen the Thunder-being, the Sun, the Moon, or some
her superterrestrial objects or phenomena.
When a person saw the Thunder-being or some other mystery object, he
kept the matter a secret for some time. He took care to join the first
war party that went from his camp or village. When the party reached
the land of the enemy or got into some trouble the man told of his
dream or vision. Should the dreamer or seer kill or grasp a foe while
a member of the expedition he made a Thunder song. He who brought back
one of the enemy’s horses also had the right to make a Thunder song.
Some time having elapsed after the return of the warriors, the seer
painted the mystery objects on a robe or blanket, and prepared a feast,
to which he invited all the members of the order of Thunder shamans.
When the guests had assembled the robe was hung up and shown to them.
Then all who were present rejoiced. From that time onward the host was
a member of the order, and he could wear the robe with safety.
[Illustration: FIG. 158.--Robe of Wanukige.]
He could give his son the right to wear such a robe, but unless that
son had a similar vision he could not transmit the right to one of
the next generation. Little Soldier painted a buffalo robe with his
personal mystery decoration, and gave it to Two Crows, whose father
had been one of the leaders of the order of Thunder shamans. So Two
Crows wore the robe, and he can make another like it; but he can not
transmit the right to his son, Ga‘iⁿ-bajĭ. Two Crows would have
been afraid to wear the robe or to copy the decoration on it had he not
been a member of the order by direct inheritance from his father. A
father can clothe his son in such a robe when that son is large enough
to go courting. The man can not give such a robe to his daughter, but
he can give one to his son’s son, or to his daughter’s son, should that
grandson be a large youth, who has neared or reached the age of puberty.
[Illustration: FIG. 159.--Tent of Wanukige.]
If a man who became eligible by his vision to membership in the order
of Thunder shamans ventured to wear the decorated robe without inviting
the members of the order to a feast, he incurred the anger of the
members and misfortune was sure to follow. Should a man wear such a
decorated robe without having had a vision of the mystery object, he
was in danger (if the object was connected with the Thunder-being,
etc.) of being killed by lightning. Every Omaha feared to decorate
his robe, tent, or blanket with an object seen by another person in a
dream or vision. For instance, George Miller would not dare to have
bears’ claws, horses’ hoofs, etc., on his robe, because neither he nor
his father ever saw a bear or horse mysteriously. There are penalties
attached to violations of the prohibitions of the other orders, but
George Miller did not know about them.
[Illustration: FIG. 160.--Robe of Ȼaqube.]
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