THE IÑKE-SABĔ, OR BLACK SHOULDER GENS.
§ 28. This is a Buffalo gens, and its place in the tribal circle is next to that of the Elk gens. The head chiefs of this gens in 1880 were Gahige (who died in 1882), and Duba-man¢in, who "sat on opposite sides of the gentile fire-place." Gahige's predecessor was Gahige-jiñga or Icka-dabi.
Creation myth, told by Gahige.—The first men created were seven in number. They were all made at one time. Afterwards seven women were made for them. At that time there were no gentes; all the people were as one gens. (Joseph La Flèche and Two Crows never heard this, and the following was new to them:)
Mythical origin of the Iñke-sabě, as related by Gahige.—The Iñke-sabě were buffaloes, and dwelt under the surface of the water. When they came to the surface they jumped about in the water, making it muddy; hence the birth-name for the first son, Ni-gaqude. Having reached the land they snuffed at the four winds and prayed to them. The north and west winds were good, but the south and east winds were bad.
§ 29. Ceremony at the death of a member of the gens.—In former days, when any member of the gens was near death, he was wrapped in a buffalo robe, with the hair out, and his face was painted with the privileged decoration. Then the dying person was addressed thus: "You are going to the animals (the buffaloes). You are going to rejoin your ancestors. (Ániʇa dúbaha hné. Wackañ´-gă, i. e.) You are going, or, Your four souls are going, to the four winds. Be strong!" All the members of this gens, whether male or female, were thus attired and spoken to when they were dying. (La Flèche and Two Crows say that nothing is said about four souls, and that "Wackañ-gă" is not said; but all the rest may be true. See § [35] for a similar custom.) The "hañga-ʞi`anze," or privileged decoration, referred to above and elsewhere in this monograph, is made among the Omahas by painting two parallel lines across the forehead, two on each cheek and two under the nose, one being above the upper lip and the other between the lower lip and the chin.
§ 30. When the tribe went on the buffalo hunt and could get skins for tents it was customary to decorate the outside of the principal Iñke-sabě tent, as follows, according to [T]e-[p]a-u¢iqaga: Three circles were painted, one on each side of the entrance to the tent, and one at the back, opposite the entrance. Inside each of these was painted a buffalo-head. Above each circle was a pipe, ornamented with eagle feathers.
Frank La Flèche's sketch is of the regular peace pipe; but his father drew the calumet pipe, from which the duck's head had been taken and the pipe-bowl substituted, as during the dancing of the Hedewatci. (See §§ [49] and [153].)
A model of the principal [T]e-[p]a-it`ajĭ tent, decorated by a native artist, was exhibited by Miss Alice C. Fletcher, at the session of the American Association at Montreal in 1882. It is now at the Peabody Museum.
Iñke-sabě style of wearing the hair.—The smaller boys have their hair cut in this style. A A, the horns of the buffalo, being two locks of hair about two inches long. B is a fringe of hair all around the head. It is about two inches long. The rest of the head is shaved bare.
Fig. 14.—Frank La Flèche's sketch of the Iñke-sabě tent, as he saw it when he went on the buffalo hunt.
Fig. 15.—Iñke-sabě style of wearing the hair.
§ 31. Subgentes and Taboos.—There has evidently been a change in the subgentes since the advent of the white man. In 1878, the writer was told by several, including La Flèche, that there were then three subgentes in existence, Wa¢ígije, Watan´zi-jíde ¢atájĭ, and Naq¢é-it`abájĭ the fourth, or Íekí¢ě, having become extinct. Now (1882), La Flèche and Two Crows give the three subgentes as follows: 1. Wa¢ígije; 2. Niníba t`an; 3. (a part of 2) Íekí¢ě. The second subgens is now called by them "Watan´zi-ji´de ¢atájĭ and Naq¢é ít`abájĭ." "[T]an¢in-nanba and Nágu or Wa¢ánase are the only survivors of the real Niniba-t`an, Keepers of the Sacred Pipes." (Are not these the true Naq¢é-ít`ábájĭ, They who cannot touch charcoal? I. e., it is not their place to touch a fire-brand or the ashes left in the sacred pipes after they have been used.) "The Sacred Pipes were taken from the ancestors of these two and were given into the charge of Ickadabi, the paternal grandfather of Gahige." Yet these men are still called Niniba-t`an, while "Gahige belongs to the Watanzi-jide ¢atajĭ and Naq¢e-it`abajĭ, and he is one of those from whom the Iekí¢ě could be selected."
In 1878 La Flèche also gave the divisions and taboos of the Iñke-sabě as follows: "1. Niniba-t`an; 2. Watanzi-jide ¢atajĭ 3. [T]e-hé-sábě it`ájĭ 4. [T]e-¢éze¢atájĭ" but he did not state whether these were distinct subgentes. The [T]e-he-sabě it`ajĭ, Those who touch not black horns (of buffaloes), appear to be the same as the [T]e-¢eze ¢atajĭ, i. e., the Wa¢ígije. The following is their camping order: In the tribal circle, the Wa¢ígije camp next to the Hañga gens, of which the Wacabe people are the neighbors of the Wa¢igije, having almost the same taboo. The other Iñke-sabě people camp next to the Wejincte gens. But in the gentile "council-fire" a different order is observed; the first becomes last, the Wa¢igije having their seats on the left of the fire and the door, and the others on the right.
Fig. 16.—The Iñke-sabě Gentile Assembly.A.—The Wa¢igije, or Waqúbe gáxe aká, under Duba-man¢in. B.—The Watanzi-jide ¢atajĭ the Ieki¢ě, and the Naq¢e-it`abajĭ. These were under Gahige.
The Wa¢igije cannot eat buffalo tongues, and they are not allowed to touch a buffalo head. (See §§ [37], [49], and [50].) The name of their subgens is that of the hooped rope, with which the game of "[P]a¢in-jahe" is played. Gahige told the following, which is doubted by La Flèche and Two Crows: "One day, when the principal man of the Wa¢igije was fasting and praying to the sun-god, he saw the ghost of a buffalo, visible from the flank up, arising out of a spring. Since then the members of his subgens have abstained from buffalo tongues and heads."
Gahige's subgens, the Watanzi-jide ¢atajĭ, do not eat red corn. They were the first to find the red corn, but they were afraid of it, and would not eat it. Should they eat it now, they would have running sores all around their mouths. Another tradition is that the first man of this subgens emerged from the water with an ear of red corn in his hand.
The Ieki¢ě are, or were, the Criers, who went around the tribal circle proclaiming the decisions of the chiefs, etc.
Prior to 1878, Wacuce, Gahige's brother, was the keeper of the two sacred pipes. At his death, in that year, his young son succeeded him as keeper; but, as he was very young, he went to the house of his father's brother, Gahige, who subsequently kept the pipes himself.
§ 32. Gahige said that his subgens had a series of Eagle birth-names, as well as the Buffalo birth-names common to the whole gens. This was owing to the possession of the sacred pipes. While these names may have denoted the order of birth some time ago, they are now bestowed without regard to that, according to La Flèche and Two Crows.
Buffalo birth-names.—The first son was called "He who stirs up or muddies the water by jumping in it," referring to a buffalo that lies down in the water or paws in the shallow water, making it spread out in circles. The second son was "Buffaloes swimming in large numbers across a stream." The third was [S]i-ʞan-qega, referring to a buffalo calf, the hair on whose legs changes from a black to a withered or dead hue in February. The fourth was "Knobby Horns (of a young buffalo bull)". The fifth was "He (i. e., a buffalo bull) walks well, without fear of falling." The sixth was "He (a buffalo bull) walks slowly (because he is getting old)." The seventh was called Gaqaʇa-najin, explained by the clause, "ʇenúga-wináqtci, júg¢e ¢iñgé, a single buffalo bull, without a companion." It means a very old bull, who stands off at one side apart from the herd.
The Eagle birth-names (see § [64]), given by Gahige, are as follows: Qi¢á-in[4] (meaning unknown to La Flèche and Two Crows; word doubted by them). Eagle Neck. Wajin-hañga, He who leads in disposition. Kinka-ʇañga, the first bird heard in the spring when the grass comes up (the marbled godwit?). Blue Neck (denied by La Flèche and Two Crows). Rabbit (La Flèche and Two Crows said that this name belonged to the Hañga gens). Ash tree (doubted by La Flèche and Two Crows). A birth-name of this series could be used instead of the corresponding one of the gentile series, e. g., Gahige could have named his son, Ukanadig¢an, either Siʞan-qega or Wajin-hañga. There were similar series of birth-names for girls, but they have been forgotten.
§ 33. Principal Iñke-sabě names.—I. Men.—(Buffalo that) Walks Last in the herd. (Buffalo) Runs Among (the people when chased by the hunters). Four (buffaloes) Walking. Black Tongue (of a buffalo). The Chief. Real Chief. Young Chief. Walking Hawk. Without any one to teach him (i. e., He knows things of his own accord). (Buffalo) Makes his own manure miry by treading in it. Horns alone visible (there being no hair on the young buffalo bull's head). Little (buffalo) with Yellowish-red hair. He who practices conjuring. Thick Shoulder (of a buffalo). (Buffalo) Comes suddenly (over the hill) meeting the hunters face to face. Swift Rabbit. Rabbit (also in Hañga gens). He who talks like a chief; referring to the sacred pipes. Big Breast (of a buffalo). Seven (some say it refers to the seven sacred pipes). (He who) Walks Before (the other keepers of the sacred pipes). Badger. Four legs of an animal, when cut off. Bent Tail. Double or Cloven Hoofs (of a buffalo). Yonder Stands (a buffalo that) Has come back to you. Buffalo runs till he gets out of range of the wind. Little Horn (of a buffalo). Two (young men) Running (with the sacred pipes during the Hede-watci). Skittish Buffalo Calf. Foremost White Buffalo in the distance. Looking around. (Buffalo?) Walks Around it. (Buffalo) Scattering in different directions. Big Boiler (a generous man, who put two kettles on the fire). (Buffalo) Sits apart from the rest. He who makes one Stagger by pushing against him. He who speaks saucily. Difficult Disposition or Temper (of a growing buffalo calf). The Shooter. He who fears no seen danger. Young Turkey.
II. Women.—Sacred Third-daughter. She by Whom they were made Human beings (see Osage tradition of the Female Red Bird). Moon in Motion during the Day. Moon that Is traveling. Moon Has come back Visible. Foremost or Ancestral Moon (first quarter?). Visible Moon. White Ponka (female) in the distance. Precious Female. Visible one that has Returned, and is in a Horizontal attitude. Precious Buffalo Human-female. Buffalo Woman.