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Dwellings Built by Women

      The work of building these dwellings is shared by men and women; to the former belongs the duty of adjusting the roof about the central opening. From 50 to 100 of these structures would be grouped together in the village, the site of which was always near a running stream, convenient timber, and, generally, surrounded with hills, from which lookouts could dive notice of the approach of enemies.
     Corn, beans, pumpkins, and melons were raised in large quantities. The corn and beans were dried and stored in caches built outside the lodges, and the pumpkins were cut as an apple is peeled and hung up in festoons to dry and then kept for winter use. The sheltered valleys and bottom lands were favorite spots for cultivation, the same family often using the same piece of land for years. Occupancy was always respected. The agricultural work was chiefly done by women, although the men were ready to assist when their help was needed. All work and property was individual; nothing was raised in common or held as a tribal product. Relations helped one another in harvesting, but this custom was not obligatory.
     For meat and the material for clothing, implements, &c., the Omaha depended upon game. Hunting, however, was never a mere pastime, but an arduous duty, regulated by tribal ceremonies and officered by men appointed with due form and under serious obligations. The annual hunt occurred during the summer months, on which occasion all the tribe took part, except the infirm and sick, who were left in the village under the charge of warriors who served as a guard in the absence of the tribe.

     The pictures (Nos. 4 and 5 of the Exhibit) show how the tents and tent poles were carried-with four poles to a pony,1 from 3 to 6 ponies were required to transport a tent-and how the tent poles and tents were arranged. When on the hunt the tribe moved and camped in the order of their bands or genies. The Omaha, in common with most of the Indian tribes, are divided into bands or genies. Each band or gens has a distinct name, mythical origin, sacred symbols, and a fixed place in the tribal circle.

Each band or gens has a distinct name, mythical origin, sacred symbols, and a fixed place in the tribal circle. There are ten gentes in the Omaha tribe. No. 7 of the Exhibit gives a bird's-eye view of the tribal circle: The opening was to the east; five gentes camp on the south half of the circle and form the Hun-ga-chey-nu side of the tribe, and five gentes camp on the north side of the circle and form the In-sta-sun-da side of the tribe. The three sacred tents are upon the south, or Hun-ga-chey-nu side. The sacred tent just south of the opening is that dedicated to war ceremonies and is in charge of the We-jin-ste gens; from this pens some of the most notable head chiefs of the tribe have arisen. The two sacred tents in the middle of the south half are dedicated to, the sustaining of life, and are in the care of the Hun-ga gets. This gens, as its name suggests-the ancient one, or leader occupies an important position and has charge of the principal ceremonies of the tribe. Other gentes are intrusted with tribal duties, and, in certain gentes, particular families have the custody of the sacred articles used at religious festivals.2

1 The ponies were led by the women.
2 The names of the genies are as follows; the figures refer to those below upon the groups of tents on the illustration:
 
In-sta-sun-da side of tribal circle. North half. {1. In-sta-sun-da.
{2. In-gri-zhe-da.
{3. Ta-pa.
{4. Tae-sin-da.
5. Ma-thin-ka-ga-he.
Hun-ga-chey-nu side of tribal circle. South half. {6. Kan-se
{7. Tha-ta-da
{8. Hun-ga
{9. In-kae-sab-ba.
{10. Wae-jin-ste.
11. Sacred tent of war ceremonies, under charge of the Wae-jin-ste gens. 12. Two sacred tents dedicated to the sustaining of life, containing sacred pole and sacred white buffalo cow's hide, in charge of the Hun-ga gens.
A full explanation of the social organization of the tribe, together with the duties and functions of the various gentes, would transcend the limits of this paper.

Historic Sketches of the Omaha Indian

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