Hethuska

[Mark-Awakuni Swetland]

From: "Louis Garcia" <Louis_Garcia at littlehoop.cc>
To: <siouan at lists.colorado.edu>
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 8:54 AM
Subject: Re: Hethuska


> I see a book was published last year "Dance Lodges of the Omaha People:
Building from memory" by mark Awakiuni-Swetland. New York: Routledge 2001.
$75. Have you seen it? Is it any good?

Louie:
I can not tell you if the monograph is any good. I will leave that up to the
opinion of the readers. However, I can mention that the Hethushka Dance is
mentioned as it relates to how the Omaha dance lodges were utilized, but the
origins and activities of the Hethushka Society is not described. I refer
readers to Wissler's 1916 compilation and Fletcher and La Flesche's 1911
description.

There is a brief description of the Omaha Hethushka ZhiNga society including
a list of the members through the early 20th century.

In regard to John's reference to the Kiowa dance, I am inserting a note from
my friend Gus Palmer, Jr.'s recent book on Kiowa story telling:

Telling Stories the Kiowa Way

Gus Palmer, Jr.

Tucson: University of Arizona Press

2003



Omaha: 133n. 1



    Óhòmaù is the sacred war dance society of the Kiowas. Given to the
Kiowas long ago by the Omaha tribe         as a token of friendship in the
form of a sacred dance bustle, songs, and dance, the society holds a
powwow every year at the Óhòmaù ceremonial grounds west of Anadarko,
Oklahoma. Only Kiowa males         may become members of the dance society.



I hope this is useful.



Mele Kalikimaka

mark



Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska
Anthropology/Ethnic Studies
Native American Studies
Bessey Hall 132
Lincoln, NE 68588-0368
402-472-3455
FAX 402-472-9642
mawakuni-swetland2 at unl.edu