Hidatsa Social and Ceremonial Organization (Classic Reprint)

Hidatsa Social and Ceremonial Organization examines how Hidatsa social life is organized through clans, warfare, and ceremonies, revealing how this culture structured village life and leadership.It draws on detailed ethnographic material to show how people govern, defend, and celebrate their community.This edition focuses on how clan systems connected Hidatsa, Awaxawi, Crow, and Mandan communities, and how those ties influenced cooperation. It also looks at village governance, the role of households in guiding war parties, and the ceremonial processes that shape everyday life. You’ll see how defense, ritual bundles, and dreams weave together to define status, duty, and generosity within the tribe.How clan lines and kinship shape social ties across groupsThe balance of household authority and formal police in village lifeThe four protectors of the people and how they influence village defense and site planningThe interplay of fasting, visions, and ritual power in leadership and warfareIdeal for readers of Plains Indian ethnography, social organization, and ceremonial life, as well as those seeking a clear, grounded view of Hidatsa traditions. Read more