| wajiñ´ga | ȼasniⁿ´ | weʞubaí. | Iñké-sabĕ | ákadí | ctĭ | égaⁿ | gáxe-naⁿ-biamá | ʇí | ugá. | Hañ´ga | ákadí | ctĭ | égaⁿ | gáxe-naⁿ´-biamá | ||||
| bird | devour | they fear them | Shoulder black | among the | too | so | make | usually | they say | tent | painting. | Foremost | among the | too | so | make | usually | they say |
| ʇí | ugá. |
| tent | painting. |
FIG. 171.—Cornstalk decoration of the tents of Fire Chief and Waqaga.
This refers to Fig. 171, and may be thus rendered: “And I have likewise seen the tent of Fire Chief. It was decorated with cornstalks, but I do not know the reason for it. He dwelt in such a tent because he was a chief. Corn was regarded as “waqube,” mysterious. In the sub-gens of Fire Chief, the Wajiñga-ȼatajĭ, or, those who eat no small birds, the people feared to eat the first ears of corn that matured, lest the small birds (particularly blackbirds) should come and devour the rest of the crop. There was a similar tent decoration in the Iñke-sabĕ and Hañga gentes.” In the former, it was used by Waqaga (see § 53). The cornstalks and ears were green, the tips of the ears were black. There were two similar cornstalks on the back of the tent.
CORN AND THE BUFFALO.
§ 49. Corn is regarded as a “mother” and the buffalo as a “grandfather” among the Omaha and other tribes.[57] In the Osage tradition, corn was bestowed upon the people by four buffalo bulls or “grandfathers.”[58] Dr. Washington Matthews tells of a similar Arikara belief about an ear of corn.[59] (See § 42.)
OTHER OMAHA MYSTERY DECORATIONS.
