THE CADDO AND ASSOCIATED TRIBES

CADDO TRIBAL SYNONYMY

Asinais—an old French name, from Hasinai.

Caddo—popular name, from Kä′dohadä′cho.

Cadodaquio—Joutel (1687), another form of Kä′dohadä′cho.

Cenis—old French name used by Joutel in 1687; from Hasinai.

Dä′sha-i—Wichita name.

Dĕ′sa—another form of Dä′sha-i.

Hasi′nai or Hasi′ni—the proper generic term for at least the principal Caddo divisions, and perhaps for all of them. It is also used by them as synonymous with “Indians.”

Kä′dohădä′cho—the name of the Caddo proper, as used by themselves.

Ma′se′p—Kiowa name; “pierced nose,” from mak̔on, nose, and sep, the root of a verb signifying to pierce or sew with an awl.

Na′shonĭt or Na′shoni—Comanche name, frequently used also by the neighboring tribes to designate the Caddo; the Nassonite of the early French writers on Texas.

Nez Percé—French traders’ name; “pierced nose.”

Ni′rĭs-hări′s-kĭ′riki—another Wichita name.

Otä′s-itä′niuw′—Cheyenne name; “pierced nose people.”

Tani′bänĕn, Tani′bänĕnina, Tani′bätha—Arapaho name; “pierced nose people,” tani, nose.

CADDO TRIBAL SIGN

“Pierced nose,” in allusion to their former custom of boring the nose for the insertion of a ring.

SKETCH OF THE CADDO

The Caddo are the principal southern representatives of the Caddoan stock, which includes also the Wichita, Kichai, Pawnee, and Arikara. Their confederacy consisted of about a dozen tribes or divisions, claiming as their original territory the whole of lower Red river and adjacent country in Louisiana, eastern Texas, and southern Arkansas. The names of these twelve divisions, including two of foreign origin, have been preserved as follows:

Kä′dohadä′cho (Caddo proper).

Nädä′ko (Anadarko).

Hai′-nai (Toni).

Nä′bai-dä′cho (Nabedache).

Nä′kohodo′tsi (Nacogdoches).

Näshi′tosh (Natchitoches).

Nä′ka‛na′wan.

Hădai′-i (Adai, Adaize).

Hai′-ĭsh (Eyeish, Aliche, Aes).

Yä′tăsi.

I′măha—a band of Omaha, or perhaps more probably Kwâpâ, who lived with the Kä′dohadä′cho, but retained their own distinct language. There are still a few living with the Caddo, but they retain only the name. It will be remembered that when the Caddo lived in eastern Louisiana the Arkansas or Kwâpâ were their nearest neighbors on the north, and these Imaha may have been a part of the Kwâpâ who lived “up stream” (U′mañhañ) on the Arkansas. The Caddo call the Omaha tribe by the same name.

Yowa′ni—originally a band of the Heyowani division of the Choctaw. They joined the Caddo a long time ago, probably about the time the Choctaw began to retire across the Mississippi before the whites. Some few are still living with the Caddo and retain their distinct language. There is evidence that some Koasati (Cooshatties) were mixed with them.

The Kä′dohadä′cho seem to be recognized as the principal Caddo division, and the generic term Hasi′nai by which the confederates designate themselves is sometimes regarded as belonging more properly to the three divisions first named. According to their own statements some of the dialects spoken by the several divisions were mutually unintelligible. At present the Kädohadächo and Nädäko are the ruling dialects, while the Näbaidächo, Näkohodotsi, Hădai′-i, and Hai′-ĭsh are practically extinct. The Kichai, Bidai, and Akokisa, who formerly lived near the Caddo on the eastern border of Texas, did not belong to the confederacy, although at least one of these tribes, the Kichai, is of the same stock and is now on the same reservation.

The Caddo have ten gentes: Na′wotsi, Bear; Tasha, Wolf; Ta′năhă, Buffalo; Ta′o, Beaver; Iwi, Eagle; Oăt, Raccoon; Ka′g‛aih, Crow; Ka′găhănĭn, Thunder; Kĭshi, Panther; Sûko, Sun. The Bear gens is the most numerous. The Buffalo gens is sometimes called also Koho′ or Alligator, because both animals bellow in the same way. These of a particular gens will not kill the animal from which the gens takes its name, and no Caddo in the old times would kill either an eagle or a panther, although they were not afraid to kill the bear, as are so many of the western tribes. The eagle might be killed, however, for its feathers by a hunter regularly initiated and consecrated for that purpose.

The original home of the Caddo was on lower Red river in Louisiana. According to their own tradition, which has parallels among several other tribes, they came up from under the ground through the mouth of a cave in a hill which they call Cha′‛kanĭ′nă, “The place of crying,” on a lake close to the south bank of Red river, just at its junction with the Mississippi. In those days men and animals were all brothers and all lived together under the ground. But at last they discovered the entrance to the cave leading up to the surface of the earth, and so they decided to ascend and come out. First an old man climbed up, carrying in one hand fire and a pipe and in the other a drum. After him came his wife, with corn and pumpkin seeds. Then followed the rest of the people and the animals. All intended to come out, but as soon as the wolf had climbed up he closed the hole, and shut up the rest of the people and animals under the ground, where they still remain. Those who had come out sat down and cried a long time for their friends below, hence the name of the place. Because the Caddo came out of the ground they call it ină′, mother, and go back to it when they die. Because they have had the pipe and the drum and the corn and pumpkins since they have been a people, they hold fast to these things and have never thrown them away.

From this place they spread out toward the west, following up the course of Red river, along which they made their principal settlements. For a long time they lived on Caddo lake, on the boundary between Louisiana and Texas, their principal village on the lake being called Sha′chidĭ′ni, “Timber hill.” Their acquaintance with the whites began at a very early period. One of their tribes, the Nädäko, is mentioned under the name of Nandacao in the narrative of De Soto’s expedition as early as 1540. The Kädohadächo were known to the French as early as 1687. The relations of the Caddo with the French and Spaniards were intimate and friendly. Catholic missions were established among them, about the year 1700 and continued to exist until 1812, when the missions were suppressed by the Spanish government and the Indians were scattered. In the meantime Louisiana had been purchased by the United States, and the Caddo soon began to be pushed away from their ancient villages into the western territory, where they were exposed to the constant inroads of the prairie tribes. From this time their decline was rapid, and the events of the Texan and Mexican wars aided still further in their demoralization. They made their first treaty with the United States in 1835, at which time they were chiefly in Louisiana, southwest of Red river and adjoining Texas. They afterward removed to Brazos river in Texas, and to Washita river in Indian Territory in 1859. When the rebellion broke out, the Caddo, not wishing to take up arms against the government, fled north into Kansas and remained there until the close of the war, when they returned to the Washita. Their present reservation, which they hold only by executive order and jointly with the Wichita, lies between Washita and Canadian rivers in western Oklahoma, having the Cheyenne and Arapaho on the north and west and the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache on the south. In 1893 they numbered 507.

In person the Caddo are rather smaller and darker than the neighboring prairie tribes, and from their long residence in Louisiana, they have a considerable admixture of French blood. They are an agricultural tribe, raising large crops of corn, pumpkins, and melons, and still retaining industrious habits in spite of their many vicissitudes of fortune. They were never buffalo hunters until they came out on the plains. They formerly lived in conical grass houses like the Wichita, but are now in log houses and generally wear citizen’s dress excepting in the dance. The old custom which gave rise to the name and tribal sign of “Pierced Nose” is now obsolete. In 1806 Sibley said of them, “They are brave, despise danger or death, and boast that they have never shed white man’s blood.” Their former enemies, the prairie tribes, bear witness to their bravery, and their friendship toward the whites is a part of their history, but has resulted in no great advantage to themselves, as they have been dispossessed from their own country and are recognized only as tenants at will in their present location.

They and the Wichita received the new doctrine from the Arapaho, and were soon among its most earnest adherents, notwithstanding the fact that they were regarded as the most advanced of all the tribes in that part of the country. It may be that their history had led them to feel a special need of a messiah. They have been hard and constant dancers, at one time even dancing in winter when there was nearly a foot of snow upon the ground. Their first songs were those which they had heard from the Arapaho, and sang in corrupted form, with only a general idea of their meaning, but they now have a number of songs in their own language, some of which are singularly pleasing in melody and sentiment.

THE WICHITA, KICHAI, AND DELAWARE

Closely associated with the Caddo on the same reservation are the Wichita, with their subtribes, the Tawakoni and Waco, numbering together 316 in 1893; the Delaware, numbering 94, and the Kichai (Keechies), numbering only 52. Of these, all but the Delaware, who are Algonquian, belong to the Caddoan stock. The Wichita and their subtribes, although retaining in indistinct form the common Caddoan tradition, claim as their proper home the Wichita mountains, near which they still remain. Sixty years ago their principal village was on the north side of the north fork of Red river, a short distance below the mouth of Elm creek, in Oklahoma. They live in conical grass houses and, like the other tribes of the stock, are agricultural. They call themselves Kĭ′tikĭti′sh—they are called Tawe′hash by the Caddo and Kichai—and are known to most of their other neighbors and in the sign language as the “Tattooed People” (Do′kănă, Comanche; Do‛gu′at, Kiowa), from an old custom now nearly obsolete. For the same reason and from their resemblance to the Pawnee, with whose language their own has a close connection, the French called them Pani Pique′s.

The Kichai or Keechie, or Ki′tsäsh, as they call themselves, are a small tribe of the same stock, and claim to have moved up Red river in company with the Caddo. Their language is different from that of any of their neighbors, but approaches the Pawnee.

The Delaware are a small band of the celebrated tribe of that name. They removed from the east and settled with the main body in Kansas, but drifted south into Texas while it was still Spanish territory. After a long series of conflicts with the American settlers of Texas, before and after the Mexican war, they were finally taken under the protection of the United States government and assigned to their present reservation along with other emigrant tribes from that state.

SONGS OF THE CADDO

1. Ha′yo tă′ia’ ă′ă′

Nä′nisa′na, Nä′nisa′na,

Ha′yo tă′ia′ ă′ă′,

Na′wi hă′iă′ i′nă′,

Na′wi hă′iă′ i′nă′.

Translation

Nä′nisa′na, Nä′nisa′na,

Our father dwells above,

Our mother dwells below,

Our mother dwells below.

“Our mother” here refers to the earth.

2. Wû′nti ha′yano′ di′witi′a

[[audio/mpeg]] [MusicXML]]

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

Wû′nti ha′yano′ di′witi′a ha′yo′,

A′ă ko′ia′ ha′yo′,

Wû′nti ha′ya′no ta′-ia′ ha′yo′,

Wû′nti ha′ya′no ta′-ia′ ha′yo′.

Translation

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

All our people are going up,

Above to where the father dwells,

Above to where our people live,

Above to where our people live.

3. Nû′na ĭ′tsiya′

He′yawe′ya! He′yawe′ya!

Nû′na ĭ′tsiya′ si′bocha′ha′,

Wû′nti ha′yano′ ha′nĭn gû′kwû′ts-a′,

He′yahe′eye′! He′yahe′eye′!

Translation

He′yawe′ya! He′yawe′ya!

I have come because I want to see them,

The people, all my children,

The people, all my children.

He′yahe′eye! He′yahe′eye!

This song was composed by a woman named Nyu′taa. According to her story, she saw in her trance a large company approaching, led by a man who told her he was the Father and that he was coming because he wished to see all his children.

4. Na′tsiwa′ya

Na′tsiwa′ya, na′tsiwa′ya,

Na′ ika′—Wi′ahe′e′ye′,

Wi′ahe′e′ye′ye′yeahe′ye′,

Wi′ahe′e′ye′ye′yeahe′ye′.

Translation

I am coming, I am coming,

The grandmother from on high, Wi′ahe′e′ye′,

Wi′ahe′e′ye′ye′yeahe′ye′,

Wi′ahe′e′ye′ye′yeahe′ye′!

This song also was composed by the woman Nyu′taa. In her trance vision she fell asleep and seemed (still in the vision) to be awakened by the noise of a storm, when she looked and saw approaching her the Storm Spirit, who said to her, “I come, the grandmother from on high.” The Caddo call thunder the “grandmother above” and the sun the “uncle above.”

5. Na′-iye′ ino′ ga′nio′sĭt

Wa′hiya′ne, wa′hiya′ne,

Na′-iye′ ino′ ga′nio′sĭt,

Na′-iye′ ino′ ga′nio′sĭt.

Wa′hiya′ne, wa′hiya′ne.

Translation

Wa′hiya′ne, wa′hiya′ne,

My sister above, she is painted,

My sister above, she is painted.

Wa′hiya′ne, wa′hiya′ne.

This is another song composed by Nyu′taa, who herself explained it. In this trance vision she saw a spirit woman painted with blue stripes on her forehead and a crow on her chin, who told her that she was “her sister, the Evening Star.” While singing this song Nyu′taa was sitting near me, when she suddenly cried out and went into a spasm of trembling and crying lasting some minutes, lifting up her right hand toward the west at the same time. Such attacks were so common among the women at song rehearsals as frequently to interfere with the work, although the bystanders regarded them as a matter of course and took only a passing notice of these incidents.

6. Na′a ha′yo ha′wano

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

Na′a ha′yo ha′wano,

Na′a ha′yo ha′wano.

Translation

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

Our father above (has) paint,

Our father above (has) paint.

This refers to the sacred paint used by the participants in the Ghost dance, and which is believed to confer health and the power to see visions.

7. Wû′nti ha′yano ka′ka′na′

Nänisa′na, nänisa′na,

Wû′nti ha′yano ka′ka′na′ ni′‛tsiho′,

Aa′ ko′ia′ ta′-ia′ ha′yo′,

Aa′ ko′ia′ ta′-ia′ ha′yo′.

Translation

Nä′nisa′na, nänisa′na,

All the people cried when I returned,

Where the father dwells above,

Where the father dwells above.

This song was composed by a girl who went up to the spirit world and saw there all her friends, who cried when she started to leave them again.

8. Na′wi i′na

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

E′yahe′ya, e′yahe′ya, he′e′ye′!

Na′wi i′na ha′yo ă′ă—He′yoi′ya, he′e′ye′!

Translation

Nä′nisa′na, nä′nisa′na,

E′yahe′ya, e′yahe′ya, he′e′ye′!

We have our mother below; we have our father above—He′yoi′ya, he′e′ye′!

This song was composed by a woman named Niaha‛no′, who used to have frequent trances in which she would talk with departed Caddo and bring back messages from them to their friends. “Our mother below” is the earth. (See [page 1096].)

9. Ni′ ika′ na′a

Ni′ ika′ na′a ha′na′,

Ni′ ika′ na′a ha′na′;

Na′a-a′ ha′na′,

Na′a-a′ ha′na′.

Translation

There are our grandmother and our father above,

There are our grandmother and our father above;

There is our father above,

There is our father above.

By “grandmother” is meant the storm spirit or thunder. (See Caddo song 4.)

10. Hi′na ha′natobi′na

Hi′na ha′natobi′na i′wi-na′,

Na′ iwi′ i′wi-na′,

Na′ iwi′ i′wi-na′;

Na′nana′ ha′taha′,

Na′nana′ ha′taha′.

Translation

The eagle feather headdress from above,

From the eagle above, from the eagle above;

It is that feather we wear,

It is that feather we wear.

This refers to the eagle feather worn on the heads of the dancers. (See song number 12.) This song is in the Hai-nai dialect.

11. Na′ ăă′ o′wi′ta′

Na′ ăă′ o′wi′ta′,

Na′ kiwa′t Hai′-nai′,

Na′ kiwa′t Hai′-nai′.

Translation

The father comes from above,

From the home of the Hai-nai above,

From the home of the Hai-nai above.

This song, like the last, was composed by one of the Hai-nai tribe, and refers to the silent majority of the band in the spirit world.

12. Na′ iwi′ o′wi′ta′

[[audio/mpeg]] [MusicXML]]

Na′ iwi′ o′wi′ta′,

Na′ iwi′ o′wi′ta′;

Do′hya di′wabo′n na′ na′ iwi′ o′wi′ta′,

Do′hya di′wabo′n na′ na′ iwi′ o′wi′ta′;

Na′ha′ na′daka′a′, Na′ha′ na′daka′a′.

Translation

See! the eagle comes,

See! the eagle comes;

Now at last we see him—look! look! the eagle comes,

Now at last we see him—look! look! the eagle comes;

Now we see him with the people,

Now we see him with the people.

This refers to what the Caddo call the “return of the eagle feathers” in the Ghost dance. With the Caddo, as with other tribes, the eagle is a sacred bird, and in the old times only the few medicine-men who knew the sacred formula would dare to kill one for the feathers. Should anyone else kill an eagle, his family would die or some other great misfortune would come upon him. The formula consisted of certain secret prayers and ritual performances. Among the Cherokee the eagle killer’s prayer was a petition to the eagle not to be revenged upon the tribe, because it was not an Indian, but a Spaniard, who had killed him—an indication of the vivid remembrance in which the cruelty of the early Spaniards was held among the southern tribes. To further guard against the anger of the eagles, the Cherokee eagle killer, on his return to the village, announced that he had killed, not an eagle, but a snowbird, the latter being too small and insignificant to be dreaded. The eagle-killing ceremony among the northern prairie tribes has been already described under [Arapaho song 47]. The Caddo eagle killer always took with him a robe or some other valuable offering, and after shooting the eagle, making the prayer, and pulling out the tail and wing feathers he covered the body with the robe and left it there as a peace offering to the spirit of the eagle. The dead eagle was never brought home, as among the Cherokee. The last man of the Caddo who knew the eagle-killing ritual died some years ago, and since then they have had to go without eagle feathers or buy them from the Kiowa and other tribes. Since Sitting Bull came down and “gave the feather” to the leaders of the dance the prohibition is removed, and men and women alike are now at liberty to get and wear eagle feathers as they will.

13. A′nana′ hana′nito′

A′nana′ hana′nito′ ni′ahu′na—He′e′ye′!

A′nana′sa′na′? A′nana′sa′na′?

Ha′yo ha′nitu′ ni′ahu′na—He′e′ye′!

A′nana′sa′na′? A′ana′sa′na′?

Translation

The feather has come back from above—He′e′ye′!

Is he doing it? Is he doing it?

The feather has returned from on high—He′e′ye′!

Is he doing it? Is he doing it?

This refers to the return of the eagle feathers, as noted in the preceding song. The question “Is he doing it?” is equivalent to asking, “Is this the work of the father?”—an affirmative answer being understood.

14. Na′ iwi′ ha′naa′

Na′ iwi′ ha′naa′,

Na′ iwi′ ha′naa′;

Wû′nti ha′yano′ na′nia′sana′,

Wû′nti ha′yano′ na′nia′sana′.

Na′ha na′ni′asa′,

Na′ha na′ni′asa′.

Translation

There is an eagle above,

There is an eagle above;

All the people are using it,

All the people are using it.

See! They use it,

See! They use it.

This song also refers to the use of eagle feathers in the dance.

15. Wi′tŭ′ Ha′sini′

[[audio/mpeg]] [MusicXML]]

E′yehe′! Nä′nisa′na,

E′yehe′! Nä′nisa′na.

Wi′tŭ′ Ha′sini′ di′witi′a′a′,

Wi′tŭ′ Ha′sini′ di′witi′a′a′.

Ki′wat ha′-ime′—He′e′ye′!

Na′hayo′ na′,

Na′hayo′ na′ă′ă′ ko′iă′—He′e′ye′!

I′na ko′iă′—He′e′ye′!

Translation

E′yehe′! Nä′nisa′na,

E′yehe′! Nä′nisa′na.

Come on, Caddo, we are all going up,

Come on, Caddo, we are all going up.

To the great village—He′e′ye′!

With our father above,

With our father above where he dwells on high—He′e′ye′!

Where our mother dwells—He′e′ye′!

The sentiment and swinging tune of this spirited song make it one of the favorites. It encourages the dancers in the hope of a speedy reunion of the whole Caddo nation, living and dead, in the “great village” of their father above, and needs no further explanation.

CADDO GLOSSARY

Ăă—father.

Ăă Kakĭ′mbawiût—“the prayer of all to the Father;” from aa, the Father, i. e., God, and tsĭmba′dikû, I pray; the Ghost dance, also called Nä′nisa′na Gao′shăn, Nä′nisa′na dance.

A′nana—for Nănă′.

A′nanasa′na—for Nana′sana.

Ba′hakosĭn—“striped arrows,” from bah, arrow; the Caddo name for the Cheyenne. They sometimes call them Siä′näbo, from their Comanche name.

Cha′‛kanĭ′na—“the place of crying;” the traditional first settlement of the Caddo tribes, where they came up out of the ground, at the mouth of Red river, on the south bank, in Louisiana.

Detse-ka′yăă—“dog eaters;” the Caddo name for the Arapaho.

Di′wabon—we see him; tsibo′nă, I see him.

Di′wïti′ă—we are all going up, we shall all ascend; tsidiû′, I ascend.

Do′hya—now, at once.

E′yahe′ya!—an unmeaning exclamation used in the songs.

E′yehe′!—ibid.

Ganio′sĭt—he (she) is painted; atsĭno′sĭt, I paint myself.

Gao′shăn—a dance; ga′tsioshăn, I dance.

Gû′kwûts—my (plural); gûkwû′nda, my (singular); ha′nĭn gû′kwûts, my children.

Hă′-iă—he (she) dwells there below. Compare Ko′iă.

Ha′-imi—large.

Hai′-nai—a tribe of the Caddo confederacy.

Hă′naă or Hă′nă—there he is! that is he!

Ha′nani′to—this feather, the feather; ni′toh, feather; ha′taha, feather (generic).

Ha′natobi′na—a feather headdress; feathers prepared to wear on the head.

Ha′nĭn—children.

Ha′nitu—for Ni′toh.

Hasi′ni or Hasi′nai—the Caddo; the generic name used by themselves.

Ha′taha—feather (generic); nitoh, feather (specific).

Ha′wano—paint.

Ha′yano—people.

Ha′yo—above, on high. Compare Naha′yo.

He′eye′!—an unmeaning exclamation used in the songs.

He′yahe′eye′!—ibid.

He′yawe′ya!—ibid.

He′yoi′ya!—ibid.

Hi′na—eagle feathers.

Ika—grandmother; a term sometimes applied to the thunder or storm spirit.

Ină′—mother; na ină′, mother above.

I′tsiya—I have come; hatsi′ûs, I come.

I′wi—eagle; also the name of a Caddo gens.

Ka′găhănĭn—thunder; a Caddo gens.

Ka′g‛aih—crow; a Caddo gens.

Kaka′na—they cried; ha‛tsikaka′s, I cry.

Ka′ntsi—“cheats;” the Caddo name for the Kiowa Apache, Lipan, and Mescalero.

Kĭ′shi—panther; a Caddo gens.

Kiwa′t—village, town, settlement.

Koho′—alligator; another name for the Ta′năhă or Buffalo gens of the Caddo.

Ko′iă—where he dwells above; tă′-iă, he dwells above; datsii′ă, I dwell above.

Na—see! look! now!—also coming down from above, as iwi-na, the eagle coming down from above.

Năă′—father above, i. e., God; from ăă′, father, and na, above, on high.

Na′daka—with the people.

Nahă′—that’s all! now you see! there now!

Naha′yo—up, above, the plural of Ha′yo. Hasi′ni diwĭti′a na′hayo, all the Caddo are going up, everybody of the Caddo is going up.

Na-iye′—sister above; from na, above, in composition, and iye′, sister.

Nănă′ or Nă′nănă′—that one (demonstrative).

Nana′sana—is he making it?

Na‛ni′asa—they are using it; ha′tsĭna′sa, I use it.

Na′nia′sana—for Na`ni′asa.

Nä′nisa′na—an Arapaho word, adopted by the Caddo in the Ghost-dance songs and meaning “my children.”

Nä′nisa′na gao′shăn—“Nänisana dance,” one of the Caddo names for the Ghost dance, from gao′shăn, a dance, and nänisa′na (q. v.), an Arapaho word which forms the burden of so many Arapaho Ghost-dance songs. It is also called Ăă Kakĭ′mbawiût, “the prayer of all to the Father.”

Na′tsiwa′ya—I am coming.

Na′wi—below; ha′yo, above.

Nawotsi—bear; a Caddo gens.

Ni—a syllable prefixed merely to fill in the meter.

Niahu′na—for Nĭ′tahŭ′nt.

Nĭ′tahŭ′nt—it has returned. It has come back; tsĭtsihŭ′nă, I return; Ni′‛tsiho, when I returned.

Ni′toh—feather (specific); ha′taha, feather (generic).

Ni′‛tsiho—when I returned. Compare Nĭ′tahŭ′nt.

Nû′na—because.

O′ăt—raccoon; a Caddo gens.

O′wita—he comes; a′tsiûs, I come.

Sha′‛chidĭ′ni—“Timber hill,” a former Caddo settlement on Caddo lake, Louisiana.

Si′bocha′ha—I want to see them; hatsi′bos, I see.

Sûko—sun; a Caddo gens.

Tă′-iă—he dwells above. Compare Ko′iă.

Ta′năhă—buffalo; a Caddo gens.

Ta′o—beaver; a Caddo gens.

Tasha—wolf; a Caddo gens.

Tsaba′kosh—cut-throats; the Caddo name for the Sioux.

Wa′hiya′ne!—an unmeaning exclamation used in the songs.

Wi′ahe′eye′!—ibid.

Wi′tŭ!—come on! get ready.

Wû′nti—all of them.