A specific form related to the generic one just described is shown in Fig. 163. The blackened part of the tent represents the night, and the star denotes the morning star. There was a star on the left hand at the back of the tent, and another star on the right side. Black and blue are occasionally interchangeable in Omaha symbolism; hence we find that the night is represented by a blue band on a coyote skin worn by the elder Aⁿpaⁿ-skă, and subsequently by his son and namesake, when the latter was a small boy. The blue band was worn next the shoulders of the owner (Fig. 164).

FIG. 164.—Robe of Aⁿpaⁿ-skă, Sr.

The decoration refers to his “qube” or “sacred vision.” Little Cedar, of the Maⁿȼiñka-gaxe (Omaha) gens, belonged, we are told, to the Miⁿ iȼa‘eȼĕ-ma, or order of Sun and Moon shamans, probably identical with the order of Thunder shamans. Fig. 165 represents a vision which Little Cedar once had, described thus by George Miller:

Gaⁿ´níaciⁿgaakáíȼa‘eȼá-bi egaⁿ´ȼetégaⁿʇiugáugȼiⁿ´-biamá.Mázi-jiñ´ga ijájeaȼiⁿ´-biamá.Sábehaⁿ´é
Andmanthe
sub.
having had a vision,
they say
like this
std. ob.
tentpaintedthehe dwelt in,
they say,
Cedar Little his namehad, they
say
Blackthenightthe
lg. ob.
that

gáxai;niaⁿ´baȼaⁿéȼaⁿbegáxai.Niaⁿ´bauȼan´daȼan´diníkaciⁿgaugȼiⁿ´gáxai,gañ´ʞĭíȼa‘eȼaíȼiñkéétĕ.
mademoonthe cv.
ob.
emergingthemade.Moonin the
midst of
in the
part
personsitting
in
madeandone seen in
a vision
the one
who
thatthe
Niaⁿ´baéȼaⁿbeatí-nandináqȼiⁿégaⁿ-naⁿ´i.
Moonemergingcomes regularly,
when
blazes
(sends up
light)
somewhatusually.

FIG. 165.—Tent of Mazi-jiñga—ghost vision.