The Ponka


The Ponka tribal circle was divided equally between the Tcinju and Wajaje

half-tribes. To the former belonged two phratries of two gentes each,

i.e., numbers 1 to 4, inclusive, and to the latter two similar phratries,

including gentes 5 to 8.



[Illustration: FIG. 36.--Ponka camping circle.]



FIG. 36.--Ponka camping circle.





Tcinju half
tribe--Thunder or Fire phratry: Gens 1, Hisada,

Legs-stretched-ont-stiff (refers to a dead quadruped); Thunder people.

Gens 2, Touch-not-the-skin-of-a-black-bear. Wind-makers or War phratry:

Gens 3, cixida, Wildcat (in two subgentes: 1, Sinde-agce, Wears-tails,

i.e., locks of hair; Naqce-it'aji, Does-not-touch-charcoal; and

Wasc{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u-it'aji, Does-not-tonch-verdigris. 2, Wami-it'aji,

Does-not-touch-blood). Gens 4, Nika-*d*a-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}na, Bald human-head; Elk

people (in at least three subgentes: 1, {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e-sinde-it'aji,

Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-tail; 2, {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e ceze cataji,

Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues; 3, {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}aqti ki Anpan cataji,

Does-not-eat-deer-and-elk).



Wajaje half-tribe--Earth phratry: Gens 5, Ma{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}an, Medicine, a buffalo gens,

also called {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e-sinde it'aji, Does-not-touch-buffalo-tails (in two

subgentes: 1, Real Ponka, Keepers-of-a-sacred-pipe; 2, Gray Ponka). Gens

6, Wacabe, Dark buffalo (in two subgentes: 1, Buffalo tail, or,{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e-ceze

cataji, Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues, or {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e-jinga cataji,

Does-not-eat-a-very-young-buffalo-calf; 2, {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}e-*d*a it'aji,

Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-head or skull). Water phratry (?): Gens 7,

Wajaje, Osage (in two subgentes at present: 1, Dark Osage,

Keepers-of-a-sacred-pipe, or Wase{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}u-it'aji, Does-not-touch-verdigris, or

Naqce-it'aji, Does-not-touch-charcoal; 2, Gray Osage, or Wes'a wet'aji,

Does-not-touch-serpents; 3, Necta, an Owl subgens, now extinct). Gens 8,

Nuqe, Reddish-yellow buffalo (miscalled Nuxe, Ice). Subgentes uncertain,

but there are four taboo names: Does-not-touch-a-Buffalo-head (or skull),

Does-not-touch-a-buffalo-calf,

Does-not-touch-the-yellow-hide-of-a-buffalo-calf, and

Does-not-eat-buffalo-tongues.



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