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
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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.
JAMES OWEN DORSEY.
A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS.
BY JAMES OWEN DORSEY.
§ 1. Cult, as used in this article, means a system of religious belief and worship, especially the rites and ceremonies employed in such worship. The present article treats of the cults of a few of the Siouan tribes—that is, with two exceptions, of such tribes as have been visited by the author.
“Siouan” is a term originated by the Bureau of Ethnology. It is derived from “Sioux,” the popular name for those Indians who call themselves “Dakota” or “Lakota,” the latter being the Teton appellation. “Siouan” is used as an adjective, but, unlike its primitive, it refers not only to the Dakota tribes, but also to the entire linguistic stock or family.
The Siouan family includes the Dakota, Assiniboin, Omaha, Ponka, Osage, Kansa, Kwapa, Iowa, Oto, Missouri, Winnebago, Mandan, Hidatsa, Crow, Tutelo, Biloxi, Catawba, and other Indians. The Sapona, who are now extinct, probably belonged to this family.
The author was missionary to the Ponka Indians, in what is now part of Nebraska, from 1871 to 1873. Since 1878 he has acquired native texts and other information from the Omaha, Ponka, Osage, Kansa, Winnebago, Iowa, Oto, Missouri, and Dakota.
In seeking information respecting the ancient beliefs of the Indians the author has always found it expedient to question the Indian when no interpreter was present.
§ 2. This study is based for the most part upon statements made by Indians, though several publications were consulted during the preparation of the fifth and sixth chapters.
James Owen Dorsey
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:
A STUDY OF SIOUAN CULTS.
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION.
DEFINITIONS OF “CULT” AND “SIOUAN.”
SIOUAN FAMILY.
AUTHORITIES.
ALPHABET.
ABBREVIATIONS.
CHAPTER II. DEFINITIONS.
ALLEGED BELIEF IN A GREAT SPIRIT.
PHENOMENA DIVIDED INTO HUMAN AND SUPERHUMAN.
TERMS FOR “MYSTERIOUS,” “LIGHTNING,” ETC.
OTHER OMAHA AND PONKA TERMS.
SIGNIFICANCE OF PERSONAL NAMES AND KINSHIP TERMS.
MYTH AND LEGEND DISTINGUISHED FROM THE SUPERHUMAN.
CHAPTER III. CULTS OF THE OMAHA, PONKA, KANSA, AND OSAGE.
BELIEFS AND PRACTICES NOT FOUND.
OMAHA, PONKA, AND KANSA BELIEF IN A WAKANDA.
SEVEN GREAT WAKANDAS.
INVOCATION OF WARMTH AND STREAMS.
PRAYER TO WAKANDA.
ACCESSORIES OF PRAYER.
OMAHA AND KANSA EXPRESSIONS ABOUT WAKANDA.
PONKA BELIEF ABOUT MALEVOLENT SPIRITS.
AN OLD OMAHA CUSTOM.
THE SUN A WAKANDA.
THE MOON A WAKANDA.
BERDACHES.
STARS AS WAKANDAS.
THE WINDS AS WAKANDAS.
THE THUNDER-BEING A WAKANDA.
SUBTERRANEAN AND SUBAQUATIC WAKANDAS.
THE INDAȻIÑGA.
OTHER KANSA WAKANDAS.
§ 40. OMAHA INVOCATIONS OF THE TRAP, ETC.
FASTING.
MYSTIC TREES AND PLANTS.
IȻA‘EȻĔ.
PERSONAL MYSTERY DECORATIONS.
ORDER OF THUNDER SHAMANS.
GENERIC FORMS OF DECORATION.
SPECIFIC FORMS OF DECORATION.
CORN AND THE BUFFALO.
OTHER OMAHA MYSTERY DECORATIONS.
KANSA MYSTERY DECORATIONS.
OMAHA NIKIE DECORATIONS.
OMAHA NIKIE CUSTOMS.
GOVERNMENTAL INSTRUMENTALITIES.
§ 57. OMAHA AND PONKA TABOOS.
FETICHISM.
PERSONAL FETICHES.
SORCERY.
JUGGLERY.
OMAHA AND PONKA BELIEF AS TO A FUTURE LIFE.
KANSA BELIEFS RESPECTING DEATH AND A FUTURE LIFE.
CHAPTER IV. ┴[C]IWERE AND WINNEBAGO CULTS.
TERM “GREAT SPIRIT” NEVER HEARD AMONG THE IOWA.
THE SUN A WAKANTA.
THE WINDS AS WAKANTAS.
THE THUNDER-BEING A WAKANTA.
SUBTERRANEAN POWERS.
SUBAQUATIC POWERS.
ANIMALS AS WAKANTAS.
APOTHEOSES.
DWELLINGS OF GODS.
WORSHIP.
TABOOS.
PERSONAL FETICHES.
DANCING SOCIETIES.
┴[C]IWERE TRADITIONS.
BELIEF IN FUTURE LIFE.
CHAPTER V. DAKOTA AND ASSINIBOIN CULTS.
ALLEGED DAKOTA BELIEF IN A GREAT SPIRIT.
RIGGS ON THE TAKU WAKAN.
MEANING OF “WAKAN.”
DAIMONISM.
ANIMISM.
PRINCIPAL DAKOTA GODS.
MISS FLETCHER ON INDIAN RELIGION.
PRAYER.
SACRIFICE.
USE OF PAINT IN WORSHIP.
THE UNKTEḢI, OR SUBAQUATIC AND SUBTERRANEAN POWERS.
THE WAKIᴺYAᴺ (WAKIŊYAŊ), OR THUNDER-BEINGS.
THE ARMOR GODS.
THE WAR PROPHET.
THE SPIRITS OF THE MYSTERY SACKS.
TAKUŚKAŊŚKAŊ, THE MOVING DEITY.
TUNKAN OE INYAN, THE STONE GOD OR LINGAM.
IŊYAŊ ŚA.
MATO TIPI.
THE SUN AND MOON.
BERDACHES.
ASTRONOMICAL LORE.
DAY AND NIGHT.
THE DAWN.
WEATHER SPIRIT.
HEYOKA.
IYA, THE GOD OF GLUTTONY.
IKTO, IKTOMI, OR UNKTOMI.
ĆAŊOTIDAŊ AND HOḢNOĠIĆA.
ANŬŊG-ITE.
PENATES.
GUARDIAN SPIRITS.
BELIEFS ABOUT THE BUFFALO.
THE WOLF.
HORSES.
SPIDERS.
SNAKE LORE.
THE DOUBLE WOMAN.
DEER WOMEN.
DWARFS OR ELVES.
BOGS.
TREES.
CUSTOMS RELATING TO CHILDHOOD.
PUBERTY.
GHOST LORE AND THE FUTURE LIFE.
EXHORTATIONS TO ABSENT WARRIORS.
MYSTERIOUS MEN AND WOMEN.
GOPHER LORE.
CAUSES OF BOILS AND SORES.
RESULTS OF LYING, STEALING, ETC.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
FETICHISM.
ORDEALS OR MODES OF SWEARING.
SORCERY AND JUGGLERY.
OMENS.
CHAPTER VI. CULTS OF THE MANDAN, HIDATSA, AND SAPONA.
AUTHORITIES.
ALLEGED BELIEF IN A GREAT SPIRIT.
THE GREAT MYSTERY A MODERN DEITY.
POLYTHEISM.
WORSHIP.
FASTING.
SACRIFICE.
MANDAN CULTS.
GUARDIAN SPIRITS.
ASTRONOMICAL LORE.
MYSTERY OBJECTS AND PLACES OF THE MANDAN AND HIDATSA.
SORCERY.
JUGGLERY.
HIDATSA CULTS.
ANIMISM.
BERDACHES.
ASTRONOMICAL LORE.
SORCERY.
SAPONA CULTS.
CHAPTER VII. CONCLUDING REMARKS.
PEET ON INDIAN RELIGIONS.
THE AUTHOR’S REPLY.
CULTS OF THE ELEMENTS.
THE FOUR QUARTERS.
SYMBOLIC COLORS.
COLORS IN PERSONAL NAMES.
THE EARTH POWERS.
EARTH GENTES.
THE FIRE POWERS.
FIRE GENTES.
THE WIND-MAKERS.
WIND GENTES.
EACH QUARTER RECKONED AS THREE.
NAMES REFERRING TO OTHER WORLDS.
THE WATER POWERS.
WATER PEOPLE.
CAUTIONS AND QUERIES.
COMPOSITE NAMES.
PERSONAL NAMES FROM HORNED BEINGS.
NAMES DERIVED FROM SEVERAL HOMOGENEOUS OBJECTS OR BEINGS.
RETURN OF THE SPIRIT TO THE EPONYM.
FUNCTIONS OF GENTES AND SUBGENTES.
THE “MESSIAH CRAZE.”
FOOTNOTES:
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:
