THE THUNDER-BEING A WAKANDA.
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 be “añ´gataⁿ”.]
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 | nini´ | uji´ | wa‘i´i | tĕ. | Gaⁿ´ | nini´ | uji´ | wa‘i´i | tĕ´di | e´giȼaⁿ´i |
| Rain | perhaps | if | they fear seen danger | if | so | the Wakandas (pl. ob.) | tobacco | put in | they gave to them | the (past act) | and | tobacco | put in | they gave to them | when | they said to one |
| tĕ: | Ȼéȼu | waqpa´ȼiⁿ-qti | a´ȼiⁿhe´, | aⁿwaⁿ´waʇa´ȼicaⁿ | cte´ctewaⁿ | ȼiúde ti´gȼe | gáxai-gă, | ʇigaⁿ´ha. |
| the (past act) | Here | very poor | I who move | in what direction | soever | to become abandoned (suddenly) | make ye | O grandfather. |
[Transcriber’s note: the hyphen in “waqpa´ȼiⁿ-qti” was at the end of a line; the word may be “waqpa´ȼiⁿqti”.]
| Ĕ´dedi´ ȼa´ȼiⁿcé | (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. | Ȼigȼíze-maⁿ´ȼiⁿ, | ĕ´dedí ȼáȼiⁿcé | (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. | Ȼiaⁿ´ba-ti´gȼe, | ĕ´dedí ȼa´ȼiⁿcé. |
| You are mv. there | I suspect. | Walking Forked-lightning, | you are mv. there | I suspect. | Sheet-lightning flashes suddenly | you are mv. there |
| (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. | Ȼiaⁿ´ba-gí-naⁿ, | ĕ´dedi´ ȼáȼiⁿcé | (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. | Gáagigȼédaⁿ | ĕ´dedí ȼáȼiⁿcé | (é) jaⁿmiⁿ´. | Gaⁿ´ |
| I suspect. | Sheet-lightning is often returning hither. | you are mv. there | I suspect | (a name referring to passing thunder) | you are mv. there | I suspect. | And |
| gatégaⁿ | gáxa-bájĭ | ʞĭ´ctĕ | níaciⁿ´ga | ciⁿȼiqáde | ȼégaⁿ | najiⁿ´i, | maqpi´ | kĕʇáȼicaⁿ | xagé | najiⁿ´i. | Gaⁿ´ | Wakan´da |
| in that manner | he does not | if | man | (See Note.) | thus | stands, | cloud | toward the lg ob. | crying | stands. | And | Wakanda |
| amá | wégi[p]ahaⁿ´-bi, | aí. | Níkaciⁿ´ga | taⁿ´waⁿgȼaⁿ | wédajĭ | amá | aȼiⁿ´ | naⁿ´pai, | ijáje | gĕ´ |
| the pl. sub. | that they know about them, their own | they say. | Person | gens | elsewhere | the pl. sub. | to have it | they fear seen danger, | name | the pl. in. ob. |
| ctĕwaⁿ. | Águdi´ctĕ | níkaciⁿ´ga | amá | iȼa‘e´ȼĕ amá | Icta´sanda | úckaⁿ | eʇai´ | tĕ | e´gaⁿ | ga´xai. | Waaⁿ´ |
| even. | In some places (not specified) | person | the pl. sub. | those who have visions, etc. | Ictasanda | custom | their | the ob. | so | they do. | song |
| ĕ´qti | ga´xai | daⁿ´ctĕ | giaⁿ´ | najiⁿ´i. | Nini´ba | kĕ | uji´ | aȼiⁿ´i | e´gaⁿ | maqpi´ | kĕʇáȼicaⁿ | úgaqȼe |
| they themselves | they make | perhaps | singing their own | they stand. | Pipe | the lg. ob. | filled | they have | as | cloud | towards the lg. ob. | facing |
| baha´ | najiⁿ´i. | Ni´kaciⁿ´ga | ama´ | a´ji | ctĭ | ga´xe-naⁿ´i. | Ataⁿ´ctĕ | nini´ba | aȼiⁿ´-bajĭ | gaⁿ´ | waaⁿ´ | si´aⁿȼe´ |
| holding out to | they stand. | Person | the pl. sub. | different | too | they often do. | Sometimes | pipe | they do not have | so | singing | alone |
| daⁿ´ctĕ | najiⁿ´-naⁿi. | Kĭ | ni´kaciⁿ´ga | ama´ | ȼe´ | i´ȼa‘e´ȼĕ ama´ | úckaⁿ | eda´daⁿ | údaⁿ | uha´ | ‘i´ȼĕ | tai´ |
| perhaps | they stand often. | And | person | the pl. sub. | this | those who have visions, etc. | deed | what | good | to follow the course | promise | will |
| ʞĭ´ctĕ | i´bahaⁿ´i, | cĭ | úckaⁿ | júajĭ | a´kipa tai´ | ʞĭ´ctĕ | i´bahaⁿ´i. | Gaⁿ | ni´kaciⁿ´ga | ȼiⁿ | aⁿwaⁿ´waʇa | gaqȼaⁿ´ |
| even | they know, | again | deed | unsuitable | they will meet | even | they know. | And | person | the mv. one | in what direction | large hunting expedition |
| maⁿȼiⁿ´ | ctĕwaⁿ´ | nini´ | uji´ | ‘i´i | e´gaⁿ | waȼi´gȼañkiȼai´. | E‘aⁿ´ | ujañ´ge | uha´ tai | ʞĭ´ctĕ | i´bahaⁿ | gi´gaⁿȼai´ |
| walks | soever | tobacco | puts in | gives to | as | causes him to prophesy. | How | road | he will follow its course | even | to know | wishes for him |
| e´gaⁿ | waañ´kiȼai´. | Kĭ | ataⁿ´ctĕ | ni´kaciⁿ´ga | ama´ | e´gaⁿi, | a´ȼade-naⁿ´i, | wani´ta | daⁿ´ctĕ | ube´ | ʞĭ, | wani´ta |
| as | causes him to sing. | And | sometimes | person | the pl. sub. | just so, | they often pronounce, | quadruped | perhaps | they find out | if | quadruped |
| d‘u´ba | aⁿ‘i´i | hă, | e´ | daⁿ´ctĕaⁿ´i. |
| some | they have given to me | . | he says | perhaps. |
Notes.
383, 4, et passim. Ȼaȼiⁿce ejaⁿmiⁿ, contracted in rapid pronunciation to, ȼaȼiⁿcejaⁿmiⁿ.
383, 4-6. Ȼigȼize-maⁿȼiⁿ, Ȼiaⁿba-tigȼe, Ȼiaⁿba-gínaⁿ, and Gaagigȼedaⁿ are “nikie names” of the Ictasanda or Thunder gens of the Omaha. They may refer to four Thunder beings, one at each point of the compass, or one dwelling in the direction of each of the four winds.
383, 8. Ciⁿȼiqade, with the arms elevated and the hands stretched out, palms down, towards the clouds.
383, 9-10. Nikaciⁿga wedajĭ ama, etc. Other gentes of Omaha fear to mention these Ictasanda names, or to bestow them on members of their gentes.
383, 11. Agudictĕ ... iȼa‘eȼĕ ama, etc. Refers to the Iñgȼaⁿ iȼa‘eȼĕ ama, or the Thunder shamans, of the other Omaha gentes.
[Translation.]
When the Ictasanda people become fearful during a shower, they fill a pipe with tobacco and offer it to the Thunder-beings. And when they offer the tobacco, they speak thus: “O grandfather! I am very poor here. In some direction or other cause a place to be abandoned by those (who would injure me?). I think that you are there O Ȼigȼize-maⁿȼiⁿ! I think that you are there. O Ȼiaⁿba-tigȼe! I think that you are there. O Ȼiaⁿba-gi naⁿ! I think that you are there. O Gaagigȼedaⁿ! I think that you are there.”
And when they do not offer the tobacco, they stand with the arms elevated and the hands stretched out, palms down, as they cry towards the clouds. And they say that the Thunder-beings know about them, their worshippers.
The Omaha of the other gentes fear to mention these Ictasanda nikie names, or to bestow them on members of their gentes, as well as to invoke the Thunder-being or beings, unless they belong to the order of Thunder shamans. In that case, they can do as the Ictasanda people do. They make songs about the Thunder-beings, and stand singing their own songs. They fill the pipe with tobacco, and stand, holding it with the mouth-piece toward the clouds, as they gaze towards them.
These shamans often act otherwise. Sometimes they do not fill the pipe, and then they stand singing the Thunder songs, without offering anything to the Thunder-beings.
And these shamans know when anything promises to result in good or evil to the person undertaking it. So when a person wishes to join a large hunting party, he fills a pipe with tobacco, and offers it to a shaman, thus causing him to prophesy. As he wishes him to know the result of following a certain course, (i. e., of traveling in a certain direction), he induces the shaman to sing (sacred songs). And sometimes the shaman predicts the very occurrence which comes to pass; if, for instance, he foretells that the inquiring man will kill game, he may say, ‘The Thunder-beings (?) have given me some quadrupeds.’
KANSA WORSHIP OF THE THUNDER-BEING.
§ 36. The following was a custom of the Lṵ or Thunder-being gens. At the time of the first thunder-storm in the spring of the year, the Lṵ people put a quantity of green cedar on a fire, making a great smoke. The storm ceased after the members of the other gentes offered prayers. The Buffalo or Tcedŭñga gens aided the Lṵ gens in the worship of the Thunder-being, by sending one of their men to open the sacred bag of gray hawk skin and remove the mystery pipe. These objects were kept by a Lṵ man, Kinuyiñge, who was not allowed to open the bag.
Pahaⁿle-gaqli, of the Large Hañga gens, and Aliⁿkawahu, of the Small Hañga, are the leaders in everything pertaining to war. Pahaⁿle-gaqli furnished the author with a copy of his war chart, on which are represented symbols of the mystery songs. In the middle of the chart there should be a representation of fire, but Pahaⁿle-gaqli said that he was afraid to draw it there, unless he fasted and took other necessary precautions. The songs used in connection with the chart are very “wakandagi,” or mysterious. They are never sung on common occasions, or in a profane manner, lest the offender should be killed by the Thunder-being. One of the three songs about the sacred pipe, sung when the wrappings are taken from the pipe (See § 85) by Aliⁿkawahu is as follows:
“Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Ha-há! tcé-ga-nú ha-há!
Hü-hü´!”
(Unintelligible to the author. Said when Aliⁿkawahu presses down on the covers or wrappings of the pipe.)
“Yu! yu! yú! Hü-hü´! Hü-hü´!”
(Chorus sung by all the Large and Small Hañga men.)
This last line is an invocation of the Thunder-being. The arms, which are kept apart and parallel, are held up toward the sky, with the palms of the hands out. Each arm is then rubbed from the wrist to the shoulder by the other hand.[31]
After the singing of these three songs, Pahaⁿle-gaqli carries the sacred clam shell on his back.
The second figure on the chart is that of the venerable man or Wakanda, who was the first singer of all the Hañga songs. When Aliⁿkawahu and Pahaⁿle-gaqli are singing them, they think that this Wakanda walks behind them, holding up his hands toward the Thunder-being, to whom he prays for them.
When the war pipe is smoked by any Hañga man, he holds the pipe in his right hand, and blows the smoke into the sacred clam shell, in his left. The smoke ascends from the clam shell to the Thunder-being, to whom it is pleasant.
The Kansa used to “cry to” the Thunder-being before going on the warpath. When the captain (the head of the Large Hañga gens) smoked his pipe, he used to say,
| Haú, | Wákanda-é, | Páyiⁿ-máhaⁿ | miⁿ´ | ts’e | kŭⁿ´bla | eyau,” |
| Ho? | O Wakanda! | Skidi | one | to die | I wish | indeed |
i. e. “Ho, Wakanda! I really wish a Skidi” (or, Pawnee Loup) “to die!”
The men of the two Hañga gentes unite in singing songs to stop rain, when fair weather is needed, and songs to cause rain when there has been a drought. (See § 43.)