Sraithsouiauiustitutitiou | Bureau of Ethnology: J.W, Powell, Director|— |Omaha and Pouka Letters | by |James Owen Dorsey I [Vignette]. Since 1872 it has been the good fortune of the writer to record two hundred and thirty-eight letters (letters) in the (/Jegiha, which is the language spoken by the Omaha and Ponka tribes of North American Indians. One hundred and sixty-one of these letters, with numerous myths, legends, and historical articles appear in "Contributions to North American Ethnology.
Myths, stories,. and letters;" and it was decided to publish the remaining letters in their present form. EXPLANATION OF CHARACTERS OCCURRING IN THE TEXTS. a like father; German, haben. a-^ a lengthened a; always a final sound. a° a nasalized a . . . a at the beginning exi)loden a, as in wes'n, snake, a° nasalized a. Occurs before nin (|^egihain before n andr in j^oiwere. d as iudo; German,das; French , de. e asin then; German denn; French sienne. h as ill he; German hahen.
Common in j^power and Osage; not used in (pega. au aso in how, coiv; German, Hans.
OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
10 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 11
TRANSLATION
12 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
PART OF ANOTHER LETTER FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME
14 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
I hope that you can continue to covet the skins until then too. hope that you will not fail, but that you may obtain them in abundance.
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OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 17
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OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 19 TRANSLATION
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OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 21
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OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 23
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OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS. 25
OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 27
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27, 4, wegaxa-baji refers to acts of Indian agents, not to those of the President. Judging from what they say, they have had reason to change their opinion of Mr. Tibbies, who married the daughter of the late Joseph LaFleche and lived in Omaha for several years. As the author has not returned to the Omahas since he left them in 1880, all subsequent information concerning the tribe has been obtained from letters and from Omahas who have visited Washington.
Oh people, oh you who understand something, a man who knows about us and who understands our problems in this country went to . you with the aim of working for us. As he understands some of the ways of all of us Indians, he went to you to. Therefore, oh you, if you assist him, and you all succeed in doing something for us, I may hope to continue working for myself with much joy in this country, it is wrong for those people.
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OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS. 31
32 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
O you people who offer various prayers to God and you lawyers, we hope you will help him. I request you all, both of you who offer various prayers to God and of you who talk to each other about it. Although every day I am working on different things, I sincerely long for the return of the man who has gone on the journey, hoping that he can bring back some very good words.
That Man who has gone (for you) knew about our problems before they began; and he has come to you to work for us.
34 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS, NOTES
OMAHA AND PONKA LETTER8. 35
We think: 'The children are doing very well when they stay in the school building!' And yet, when the children learned to speak English very well and made rapid progress, for some reason the school building was divided. Of the people who speak English, one is a government interpreter, one is a school tea (; they, two are car[K'nters, three know how to build houses, three are blacksmiths, and one works in the flour mill .) And now From those who have been to school, the Friends have taken over, and no one even speaks English!
They didn't make anything for themselves from it.. non-existence used to be really good in its tendency, but the way they broke it up to our disadvantage. With reference to the residence, .. we regard it as something that shines very brightly, aiul which must be for the benefit of the people. Wata"'zi Wheat measure twenty Is sown, very good Idi In the first work you are the Jil. to look, they had .. not the slightest de- Ami Just work on your thepi now. youmakeua.suffers greatly from quadruple some deer, two- elk, antelope. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 39 40 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERR OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS. 41 42 OMAHA AND PON KA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 43 45 CYRUS PHILLIPS, AN OMAHA, TO BATTISTE DEROIN AND SON, OTO CYRUS PHILLIPS, AN OMAHA, TO BATTISTE DEROIN AND SON, OTO. 46 OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS. 47 48 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS TKANSLATIUN OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 49 LION TO HATTISTE DEROIN AND THE OTO CHIEFS 50 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 61 OMAHA AN]^ PONKA LETTERS. 53 54 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 55 56 OMAHA AM) PONKA LETTERS TRANSLATION, 58 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 59 60 OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS 1 send to tell you, When I . saw one of the strange nations I was quick in my movements, but that. It is said that?) the Omahas will receive \arious iin])lciiieiits against tiie. summer com, including horse collars, wagons, plows and i)itch forks. OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 65 66 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 67 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 69 NOTES 70 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS 72 OMAHA AND- PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 73 74 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS But by the time they send me and tell me the decision they made themselves, I will go to you. If Pahi-san-mani and his father-in-law have enough stuff, I hope you will send me a proper report back. 76 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND FONKA LETTERS. 77 GIHAJI TO CORNELIUS RICKMAN. FEBRUARY, 1880 78 OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 79 Although this letter was dictated in Omaha, the parenthetical sentences were recorded only in English. Canfield was asked in this letter to tell the council that she did not want her husband to have anything to do with tribal affairs. And then you should stand up and plead with all the people, thus: "I have returned because I want to take possession of the land that belonged to my mother, and one wants to die there. 82 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS THE OMAHA CHIEFS TO THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTEK.S. 83 84 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 85 86 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS DECEMBER, ISSO 89 we have no chance of seeing any other).. I told both of them this, we have no chance of seeing any other). Indian common we walkedalong(a.sa thereia white onthe side oftlie . road)inthepast none; j) people pi.sub. 90 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 91 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 93 NOTES 94 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS JANUARY, 1881 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 95 Uren were ill, you should have given a large payment to the Indian OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 97 98 OMAHA AND TONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 99 XAXANGA-NAJI" JINGA TO STANDING BEAR 100 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS 102 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS XENUGA-ZI TO THE ACTING COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 103 This text consists of the address njade to Acting Commissioner Belt a few days after it was dictated in the original to the author. 106 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 107 108 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 109 NOTES 110 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS Ma^'zeskri (j^ize to wasnin'cle. there- on credit not take much. for how they are, horse spotted lame earlier howis it. GeorgeMiller, or A"fabi, of Ictas'.mda gens of Omaha, came . to Washington in the fall of 1889 to assist the author in verifying the art of his work. But you have not sent a hideous letter.. after day I am constantly thinking of my children and I want to hear how they are . I left you, you will have some trouble, even if you have trouble, . remember these words of mine {i. e., what I said about obtaining something for our children). But whether you follow up or fail to find someone, I hope you won't work too hard yourself. If the corn does not bring a good price, please do not hesitate to sell it, if you find it difficult. 112 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS Some of the Omahs blamed George Miller for leaving his family in Nebraska when he came to assist the author. reminds them how important it is to manage their own affairs. These people have nothing to do with me, and they should manage their own affairs; and I have nothing to do with them. I was very sad about my daughter's illness, but now that she has recovered, everything is going well. 114 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 115 NOTES GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. OCTOBER 18, 1889 116 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 117 NOTES TEANSLATION 118 OMAHA AND POXKA LETTERS OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 119 120 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. NOVEMBER 1, 1889 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 121 NOTES 122 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS GEORGE MILLER TO (JEORGE MARTIN. NOVEMBER 1, 1S89 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS. 123 TRANSLATION44 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
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PART OF A LETTER OF GAHIGE TO HLS SON SILAS. FEBRUARY, 1880
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88 OMAHA ^.ND PONKA LETTERS
104 OMAHA AND PONKA LETTERS
GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. SEPTEMBER 27, 1889
GEORGE MILLER TO HIS WIFE. OCTOBER 7, 1889
