Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-22
Smithsonian Report
on Omaha Indians
Just Off the Press

There Is probably no subject which
would appeal to as many people, or pre-
sent better opportunities for investiga-
| ton, than the history of the American
Indian Yet it is a subject not generally
known or appreciated, in spite of the
fact that the Bureau of American Eth
nology has been for the last thirty-two
years publishing the results Of compre-
hensive researches into various phases
of the life history OF the native Ameri-
cans. In the course of its service the
bureau has conducted researches into In
dian languages, customs, government and
social organizations, religion, music ana
arts and industries, as WE'LL as into the
physical and mental characteristics OF
the people; studies covering nearly sixty
linguistic families and more than 800
tribes. Its publications total twenty
seven reports, fifty-one bulletins ana
several volumes Of miscellaneous contri-
| buttons.
! The latest publication. designated as
the twenty-seventh annual report, deals
in the first part with the administration
and operation OF the bureau. and in the
second with the story OF the Omaha
tribe, the latter a monograph of about
$50 pages, illustrated by sixty-five plates
and 1872 text figures. This monograph is
the joint production OF Miss Alice c..
Fletcher, who for thirty years has en-
joyed exceptional opportunities for eth
biological studies among the Omaha.
people, and Francis La Flesche, himself
an Omaha, the son of former princl-
pal chief This peculiarly fortunate COL
! laboration gives the paper especial sig
nificance as an important contribution to
American ethnology, and it forms the
most complete monograph of an Indian
tribe which has yet appeared.
The Indians forming the Omaha tribe
now live in the state of Nebraska, in
the counties Of Burt. Cunning and Thurs
ton, where land was ceded to them by
an act of congress In 1882, amended in
1898. On this reservation, selected by
them in 1854 is gathered the remnant OF
once great tribe of Siouxan stock, which
had begun several centuries before. a
westward migration from it's home in the
east, near a great body OF water prob
ably In the Appalachian mountains.
Although there were at one time many
tribes which together constituted the
Omaha group. today only five have OBJ
Usage. Kansa and Quapaw: these five
are closely bound together by language,
organization and religion.
Both the Omaha sacred legend, with
which the paper deals at some length.
covering their early migration to their
settlement in the west, and the re-
searches of the authors show the Omaha
to have been a quiet and peaceably in
clined people, maintaining an attitude of
defense rather than arrogance towards
other tribes and the white settlers II
is recorded that the Omaha were never
at war with the government and that It
is the only tribe which has continued to
live in Nebraska since the advent OF the
white settlers.
While not travelling, the Omaha estab-
lished their villages near streams, con-
venient to timber. and generally on hill
sides where good garden sites could be
obtained. Here their dwellings took the
form OF either earth lodges, conical tents
or tipts. Some of the tiptis were so large
that the hides Of several buffalo were re-
quired TO make a single covering. Each
family had a corral of horses and cult
waited certain part OF the hlllsides OF
low lands, where corn and other vegeta-
bles were raised for winter provisions and
for trade. Corn or maize was the prin-
cipal food, and every household had its
garden where the corn was carefully
planted, weeded and hoed until 1t was
well grown. Squashes, melons and beans
we're grown. and sometimes in the same
field with corn. the stalks serving as
poles for the beans.
In the summer. after the crops were
well advanced, the whole tribe. except
the aged. the sick and few who acted
as guards. went on the annual buffalo
hunt. This was always conducted with
great ceremony and was under the con-
troll of a leader selected for the occasion.
The yearly hunt was an event Of supreme