ALPHABET

Siouan SociologyA Posthumous Paper - Fifteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1893-1894, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, pages 205-244byJames Owen DorseyEdition 1, (October 10, 2006)[pg 207]In 1871, at the age of 23, James Owen Dorsey, previously a student of divinity with a predilection for science, was ordained a deacon of the Protestant Episcopal church by the bishop of Virginia; and in May of that year he was sent to Dakota Territory as a missionary among the Ponka Indians. Characterized by an amiability that quickly won the confidence of the Indians, possessed of unbounded enthusiasm, and gifted with remarkable aptitude in discriminating and imitating vocal sounds, he at once took up the study of the native language, and, during the ensuing two years, familiarized himself with the Ponka and cognate dialects; at the same time he obtained a rich fund of information concerning the arts, institutions, traditions, and beliefs of the Indians with whom he was brought into daily contact. In August, 1873, his field work was interrupted by illness, and he returned to his home in Maryland and assumed parish work, meantime continuing his linguistic studies. In July, 1878, he was induced by Major Powell to resume field researches among the aborigines, and repaired to the Omaha reservation, in Nebraska, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, where he greatly increased his stock of linguistic and other material. When the Bureau of Ethnology was instituted in 1879, his services were at once enlisted, and the remainder of his life was devoted to the collection and publication of ethnologic material, chiefly linguistic. Although most of his energies were devoted to the Siouan stock, he studied also the Athapascan, Kusan, Takilman, and Yakonan stocks; and while his researches were primarily linguistic, his collections relating to other subjects, especially institutions and beliefs, were remarkably rich. His publications were many, yet the greater part of the material amassed during his years of labor remains for elaboration by others. The memoir on "Siouan Sociology," which was substantially ready for the press, is the only one of his many manuscripts left in condition for publication. He died in Washington, February 4, 1895, of typhoid fever, at the early age of 47.WJM.[pg 208]ALPHABETa, as infather.'a, an initially exploded a.ă, as inwhat, or asoinnot.'ă, an initially exploded ă.ä, as inhat.c, asshinshe. See ṡ.ɔ, a medialsh, a sonant-surdć (Dakota letter), aschinchurch.ç, asthinthin.ɔ́, a medial ç, sonant-surd.¢, asthinthe.e, as inthey.'e, an initially exploded e.ĕ, as inget.'ĕ, an initially exploded ĕ.g, as ingo.ġ (in Dakota),gh. See x.ɥ (in Osage), an h after a pure or nasalized vowel, expelled through the mouth with the lips wide apart.ḣ (in Dakota),kh, etc. See q.i, as inmachine.'i, an initially exploded i.ĭ, as inpin.j, aszinazure, or asjin the FrenchJacques.ʞ, a medial k, a sonant-surd,k', an exploded k. See next letter.ḳ (in Dakota), an exploded k.ɯ (in Kansa), a medial m, a sound between m and b.ɳ (in Dakota), after a vowel has the sound ofnin the Frenchbon. See [n].ñ, asnginsing.hn, its initial sound is expelled from the nostrils and is scarcely heard.o, as inno.'o, an initially exploded o.d, a medial b or p, a sonant-surd.p', an exploded p.q, as Germanchinach. See ḣ.s, a medial z or s, a sonant-surd.ṡ (in Dakota), asshinshe. See c.ʇ, a medial d or t, a sonant-surd.t', an exploded t.u, asoointool.'u, an initially exploded u.ŭ, asooinfoot.u̱, a sound between o and u.ü, as in Germankühl,süss.x,gh, or nearly the Arabicghain. See ġ.ź (in Dakota), aszinazure. See j.dj, asjinjudge.tc, aschinchurch. See ć.tc', an exploded tc.ʇɔ, a medial tc, a sonant-surd.ts', an exploded ts.ʇs, a medial ts, a sonant-surd.ai, as inaisle.au, asowinhow.yu, asuintune, orewinfew.The following have the ordinary English sounds: b, d, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y, and z. A superior n (n) after a vowel (compare the Dakota ɳ) has the sound of the French n inbon,vin, etc. A plus sign (+) after any letter prolongs it.The vowels 'a, 'e, 'i, 'o, 'u, and their modifications are styled initially exploded vowels for want of a better appellation, there being in each case an initial explosion. These vowels are approximately or partially pectoral sounds found in the Siouan languages and also in some of the languages of western Oregon and in the language of the Hawaiian islands.ContentsGENERAL FEATURES OF ORGANIZATIONTHE DAKOTA TRIBESDESIGNATION AND MODE OF CAMPINGTHE MDEWAKANTONWANTHE WAQPE-KUTETHE WAQPE-TONWANOR WAHPETONTHE SISITONWANOR SISSETONTHE IHAÑKTONWANOR YANKTONTHE IHAÑKTONWANNA OR YANKTONAITHE TITONWANOR TETONTRIBAL DIVISIONSTHE SITCANXUTHE ITAZIPTCOTHE SIHA-SAPA OR BLACKFEETTHE MINIKOOJUTHE OOHE-NONPA OR TWO KETTLESTHE OGLALATHE HUÑKPAPADAKOTA SOCIAL CUSTOMSTHE ASINIBOINTHE OMAHATHE PONKATHE QUAPAW OR KWAPATHE KAƝZE OR KANSATHE OSAGETHE IOWATHE OTOTHE NI-U'-T'A-TCI OR MISSOURITHE HOTCAÑGARA OR WINNEBAGOTHE MANDANTHE HIDATSATHE CROW OR ABSAROKATHE BILOXITHE TUTELOTHE CATAWBAIllustrationsFIG. 30.—Sisseton and Wahpeton camping circle.FIG. 31.—Sisseton camping circle.FIG. 32.—Sitcanxu camping circle.FIG. 33.—Oglala camping circle.FIG. 34.—Omaha camping circle.FIG. 35.—Iñke-sabĕ gentile assembly. A, The Wa¢igije, Maze or Whorl, or Wagnbe-gaxe-aka, He-who-acts-mysteriously. B, The Watanzi-jide-¢atajĭ, Those-who-eat-no-red-corn.FIG. 36.—Ponka camping circle.FIG. 37.—Kansa camping circle.FIG. 38.—Osage camping circle.

Siouan Sociology

A Posthumous Paper - Fifteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1893-1894, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1897, pages 205-244

byJames Owen Dorsey

Edition 1, (October 10, 2006)

[pg 207]In 1871, at the age of 23, James Owen Dorsey, previously a student of divinity with a predilection for science, was ordained a deacon of the Protestant Episcopal church by the bishop of Virginia; and in May of that year he was sent to Dakota Territory as a missionary among the Ponka Indians. Characterized by an amiability that quickly won the confidence of the Indians, possessed of unbounded enthusiasm, and gifted with remarkable aptitude in discriminating and imitating vocal sounds, he at once took up the study of the native language, and, during the ensuing two years, familiarized himself with the Ponka and cognate dialects; at the same time he obtained a rich fund of information concerning the arts, institutions, traditions, and beliefs of the Indians with whom he was brought into daily contact. In August, 1873, his field work was interrupted by illness, and he returned to his home in Maryland and assumed parish work, meantime continuing his linguistic studies. In July, 1878, he was induced by Major Powell to resume field researches among the aborigines, and repaired to the Omaha reservation, in Nebraska, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, where he greatly increased his stock of linguistic and other material. When the Bureau of Ethnology was instituted in 1879, his services were at once enlisted, and the remainder of his life was devoted to the collection and publication of ethnologic material, chiefly linguistic. Although most of his energies were devoted to the Siouan stock, he studied also the Athapascan, Kusan, Takilman, and Yakonan stocks; and while his researches were primarily linguistic, his collections relating to other subjects, especially institutions and beliefs, were remarkably rich. His publications were many, yet the greater part of the material amassed during his years of labor remains for elaboration by others. The memoir on "Siouan Sociology," which was substantially ready for the press, is the only one of his many manuscripts left in condition for publication. He died in Washington, February 4, 1895, of typhoid fever, at the early age of 47.WJM.

In 1871, at the age of 23, James Owen Dorsey, previously a student of divinity with a predilection for science, was ordained a deacon of the Protestant Episcopal church by the bishop of Virginia; and in May of that year he was sent to Dakota Territory as a missionary among the Ponka Indians. Characterized by an amiability that quickly won the confidence of the Indians, possessed of unbounded enthusiasm, and gifted with remarkable aptitude in discriminating and imitating vocal sounds, he at once took up the study of the native language, and, during the ensuing two years, familiarized himself with the Ponka and cognate dialects; at the same time he obtained a rich fund of information concerning the arts, institutions, traditions, and beliefs of the Indians with whom he was brought into daily contact. In August, 1873, his field work was interrupted by illness, and he returned to his home in Maryland and assumed parish work, meantime continuing his linguistic studies. In July, 1878, he was induced by Major Powell to resume field researches among the aborigines, and repaired to the Omaha reservation, in Nebraska, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, where he greatly increased his stock of linguistic and other material. When the Bureau of Ethnology was instituted in 1879, his services were at once enlisted, and the remainder of his life was devoted to the collection and publication of ethnologic material, chiefly linguistic. Although most of his energies were devoted to the Siouan stock, he studied also the Athapascan, Kusan, Takilman, and Yakonan stocks; and while his researches were primarily linguistic, his collections relating to other subjects, especially institutions and beliefs, were remarkably rich. His publications were many, yet the greater part of the material amassed during his years of labor remains for elaboration by others. The memoir on "Siouan Sociology," which was substantially ready for the press, is the only one of his many manuscripts left in condition for publication. He died in Washington, February 4, 1895, of typhoid fever, at the early age of 47.

WJM.

[pg 208]ALPHABETa, as infather.'a, an initially exploded a.ă, as inwhat, or asoinnot.'ă, an initially exploded ă.ä, as inhat.c, asshinshe. See ṡ.ɔ, a medialsh, a sonant-surdć (Dakota letter), aschinchurch.ç, asthinthin.ɔ́, a medial ç, sonant-surd.¢, asthinthe.e, as inthey.'e, an initially exploded e.ĕ, as inget.'ĕ, an initially exploded ĕ.g, as ingo.ġ (in Dakota),gh. See x.ɥ (in Osage), an h after a pure or nasalized vowel, expelled through the mouth with the lips wide apart.ḣ (in Dakota),kh, etc. See q.i, as inmachine.'i, an initially exploded i.ĭ, as inpin.j, aszinazure, or asjin the FrenchJacques.ʞ, a medial k, a sonant-surd,k', an exploded k. See next letter.ḳ (in Dakota), an exploded k.ɯ (in Kansa), a medial m, a sound between m and b.ɳ (in Dakota), after a vowel has the sound ofnin the Frenchbon. See [n].ñ, asnginsing.hn, its initial sound is expelled from the nostrils and is scarcely heard.o, as inno.'o, an initially exploded o.d, a medial b or p, a sonant-surd.p', an exploded p.q, as Germanchinach. See ḣ.s, a medial z or s, a sonant-surd.ṡ (in Dakota), asshinshe. See c.ʇ, a medial d or t, a sonant-surd.t', an exploded t.u, asoointool.'u, an initially exploded u.ŭ, asooinfoot.u̱, a sound between o and u.ü, as in Germankühl,süss.x,gh, or nearly the Arabicghain. See ġ.ź (in Dakota), aszinazure. See j.dj, asjinjudge.tc, aschinchurch. See ć.tc', an exploded tc.ʇɔ, a medial tc, a sonant-surd.ts', an exploded ts.ʇs, a medial ts, a sonant-surd.ai, as inaisle.au, asowinhow.yu, asuintune, orewinfew.The following have the ordinary English sounds: b, d, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y, and z. A superior n (n) after a vowel (compare the Dakota ɳ) has the sound of the French n inbon,vin, etc. A plus sign (+) after any letter prolongs it.The vowels 'a, 'e, 'i, 'o, 'u, and their modifications are styled initially exploded vowels for want of a better appellation, there being in each case an initial explosion. These vowels are approximately or partially pectoral sounds found in the Siouan languages and also in some of the languages of western Oregon and in the language of the Hawaiian islands.

a, as infather.

'a, an initially exploded a.

ă, as inwhat, or asoinnot.

'ă, an initially exploded ă.

ä, as inhat.

c, asshinshe. See ṡ.

ɔ, a medialsh, a sonant-surd

ć (Dakota letter), aschinchurch.

ç, asthinthin.

ɔ́, a medial ç, sonant-surd.

¢, asthinthe.

e, as inthey.

'e, an initially exploded e.

ĕ, as inget.

'ĕ, an initially exploded ĕ.

g, as ingo.

ġ (in Dakota),gh. See x.

ɥ (in Osage), an h after a pure or nasalized vowel, expelled through the mouth with the lips wide apart.

ḣ (in Dakota),kh, etc. See q.

i, as inmachine.

'i, an initially exploded i.

ĭ, as inpin.

j, aszinazure, or asjin the FrenchJacques.

ʞ, a medial k, a sonant-surd,

k', an exploded k. See next letter.

ḳ (in Dakota), an exploded k.

ɯ (in Kansa), a medial m, a sound between m and b.

ɳ (in Dakota), after a vowel has the sound ofnin the Frenchbon. See [n].

ñ, asnginsing.

hn, its initial sound is expelled from the nostrils and is scarcely heard.

o, as inno.

'o, an initially exploded o.

d, a medial b or p, a sonant-surd.

p', an exploded p.

q, as Germanchinach. See ḣ.

s, a medial z or s, a sonant-surd.

ṡ (in Dakota), asshinshe. See c.

ʇ, a medial d or t, a sonant-surd.

t', an exploded t.

u, asoointool.

'u, an initially exploded u.

ŭ, asooinfoot.

u̱, a sound between o and u.

ü, as in Germankühl,süss.

x,gh, or nearly the Arabicghain. See ġ.

ź (in Dakota), aszinazure. See j.

dj, asjinjudge.

tc, aschinchurch. See ć.

tc', an exploded tc.

ʇɔ, a medial tc, a sonant-surd.

ts', an exploded ts.

ʇs, a medial ts, a sonant-surd.

ai, as inaisle.

au, asowinhow.

yu, asuintune, orewinfew.

The following have the ordinary English sounds: b, d, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, w, y, and z. A superior n (n) after a vowel (compare the Dakota ɳ) has the sound of the French n inbon,vin, etc. A plus sign (+) after any letter prolongs it.

The vowels 'a, 'e, 'i, 'o, 'u, and their modifications are styled initially exploded vowels for want of a better appellation, there being in each case an initial explosion. These vowels are approximately or partially pectoral sounds found in the Siouan languages and also in some of the languages of western Oregon and in the language of the Hawaiian islands.

ContentsGENERAL FEATURES OF ORGANIZATIONTHE DAKOTA TRIBESDESIGNATION AND MODE OF CAMPINGTHE MDEWAKANTONWANTHE WAQPE-KUTETHE WAQPE-TONWANOR WAHPETONTHE SISITONWANOR SISSETONTHE IHAÑKTONWANOR YANKTONTHE IHAÑKTONWANNA OR YANKTONAITHE TITONWANOR TETONTRIBAL DIVISIONSTHE SITCANXUTHE ITAZIPTCOTHE SIHA-SAPA OR BLACKFEETTHE MINIKOOJUTHE OOHE-NONPA OR TWO KETTLESTHE OGLALATHE HUÑKPAPADAKOTA SOCIAL CUSTOMSTHE ASINIBOINTHE OMAHATHE PONKATHE QUAPAW OR KWAPATHE KAƝZE OR KANSATHE OSAGETHE IOWATHE OTOTHE NI-U'-T'A-TCI OR MISSOURITHE HOTCAÑGARA OR WINNEBAGOTHE MANDANTHE HIDATSATHE CROW OR ABSAROKATHE BILOXITHE TUTELOTHE CATAWBA

IllustrationsFIG. 30.—Sisseton and Wahpeton camping circle.FIG. 31.—Sisseton camping circle.FIG. 32.—Sitcanxu camping circle.FIG. 33.—Oglala camping circle.FIG. 34.—Omaha camping circle.FIG. 35.—Iñke-sabĕ gentile assembly. A, The Wa¢igije, Maze or Whorl, or Wagnbe-gaxe-aka, He-who-acts-mysteriously. B, The Watanzi-jide-¢atajĭ, Those-who-eat-no-red-corn.FIG. 36.—Ponka camping circle.FIG. 37.—Kansa camping circle.FIG. 38.—Osage camping circle.

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