Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-05-02
Maize Was King in This Coun-
try Before the White Men
Came.
LIVES IN SONG AND STORY

LIVES IN SONG AND STORY
BY Harry A. Robinson.
Omaha Watonzi. Dakota Wamnaheza
Ar Arawak Marise, the maise. the Indian
corn has been king of all the great CEN
trial Missouri valley since long before the
coming OF the white man, and in the lays
preceding the the French NOyageur and
FUR trader was even moro a monarch than
he ~ today, for 1t was the Indians only
cereal. Hence with him it was a sacred
object ranking rs a deity only under
Wakonda, the Great Spirit.
Harshberger says that there is linguistic
evidence that it was introduced into the
United States by the tribes of Mexico and
the Caiibs of the West Indies. but at a
time so remote that it can only be con-
occurred. Cartier in 1884 found large fields
growing on the site of Montreal. and in
1Hi Ehamplain discovered it under culti-
walton everywhere from Nova Scotia to
the upper Ottawa. There is evidence of
Its cultivation among the mounts. in am
Gent pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings,, and
the early NirginianS found at least four
varieties cultivated by the followers of
p~owhatan.
Few tribes. however. made more or bet
ter use OF maise than the Omaha whose
habitat was in the great corn belt of
northern Nebraska, northwestern Iowa
and southern South Dakota. With them.
each DAY. each process from the selection
of the seed to the final plucking was the
object of special prayer and rite. Care
was used in the selection of seed which
would do credit to the most advanced
farmer. The finest ears were chosen and
hung high and dry i'll the ~rafters of the
lodge. where they We're the object of spec
1al NeneratiOn and were called the Moth
@r Ears" Indians were known to starve
before they would touch this seed corn
Tor food purposes. Only kernels from
those ears which showed signs of germi-
mating were planted: a process in seed
corn selection that is only now coming
into general practice among white farm
ers. With the Omaha, the red ear was
the tabu of the subgens Inkecabe, which
coupled the same position as the Levites
to the tribes of Israel. 1t was the duty
of the men OF 1nkecabe to furnish the
sacred red ears to the men of the sub
tribe Honga. and when spring come. the
two sub-gens met together. and after
suitable ~incantations, the Inkecabe acted
As servitors to the Honga and distributed
four sacred kernels to each family, which
were then carefully mixed with the seed
grain by the women; portions of which
seed were frequently preserved from year
to year in the belief that it inspired vi
tally in the new seed. The four red
kernels We're believed to be able to vivify
the seed, and cause it to f~ruitify and Yield
an abundant harvest.
A Corn Song.
In connection Wit their worship. the
Omaha developed a beautiful corn ritual
song. there being a verse for each stage
an the cOrn's growth. A free translation
is:
o hasteni
Behold.
With four roots I stand.
Behold me!
O hasten!
Behold!
With one leaf I stand.
Behold me!
And then on in the same form with two
leaves. and three leaves, etc. to seven
leaves. Again:
@ hastenl
Behold!
With one joint 1 stand.
Behold me:
The ritual runs along through seven
verses, adding one joint with each verse
until:
q hasten.
Behold!
With clothing I stand.
Behold me!
The form runs the same with the
changed line descriptive of the different
phases of the development ST the ear as:
With light glossy hair I stand: With vel
low hair L stand; With dark hair I stand:
With light glossy tassel I stand; then
with pale and yellow tassel, until finally
the story runs.
y hasten!
Behold!
With fruit possessed 1 stand.
Behold me!
q hasteni
Grasp We!
MY fruit as I stand.
Pluck me!