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Show 8 4 PICTOGRAPHS OP THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. No. 15. A stick used to beat the Tawa- e- gun or drum. " How rings aloud the drum- stick's sound." No. 16. Half of the celestial hemisphere- an Indian walking upon it. The idea symbolized is the sun pursuing his diurnal course till noon. " I walk upon half the sky." No. 17. The Great Spirit filling all space with his beams, and enlightening the world by the halo of his head. He is here depicted as the god of thunder and lightning. " I sound all around the sky, that they can hear me." No. 18. The Ta- wa- e- gun, or single- headed drum. " You shall hear the sound of my Ta wa- e- gun." No. 19. The Ta- wae- gonse, or tambourine, ornamented with feathers, and a wing, indicative of its being prepared for a sacred use. " Do you understand my drum !" No. 20. A raven. The skin and feathers of this bird are worn as head ornaments. " I sing the raven that has brave feathers." No. 21. A crow, the wings and head of which are worn as a headdress. " I am the crow- I am the crow- his skin is my body." No. 22. A medicine lodge. A leader or master of the Meda society, standing with his drum stick raised, and holding in his hands the clouds and the celestial hemisphere. " I wish to go into your lodge- I go into your lodge." In connection with this topic reference may be made to the Lenip6 and their Legends: with the complete text and symbols of The Walam Olum, by Daniel G. Brinton, A. M., M. D., Phila., 1885. 8 vo. pp. 262, with numerous illustrations. TRADITIONS. As an example of a chart used to assist in the exact repetition of traditions, Figure 38 is presented with the following explanation by Rev. J. Owen Dorsey: " The chart accompanies a tradition chanted by members of a secret society of the Osage tribe. It was drawn by an Osage, Hada ottyse, Bed Corn, who was adopted in childhood by a white man named Matthews; hence he is also known as Wm. P. Matthews, or " Bill Nix." He is one of the tribal lawyers. He obtained his version of the tradition from a member of his gens, Sadektyg. Another version of the same tradition was obtained by him from Pabii- sk$, White Hair, the chief ot the Bald Eagle sub- gens of the Tsiou gens, ^ ahi^ e waqayinqe, Saucy Chief, gave me other parts of the tradition, which Hada oii^ se had forgotten. He also chanted a few lines of the tradition of the Waoaoe gens. Wayiits'aqaol, of the Black Bear gens, told me a little of his tradition; and I obtained part of the Waoaoe tradition from Huf akfin, Good Voice, of the Mink'iu gens. |
