Viewing page 5 of 37

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

214 First St. S.E.

[[preprinted]] 
WOMEN'S ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY
[[strikethrough]] OF AMERICA [/strikethrough]]
Washington, D.C. 
[[/preprinted]]Jany 30, 1895.

My dear Miss Kate,

Pardon this paper it is the first to come to my hand.  I am busy with my Fellowship work & want to get a paper out upon Billy's map and I want in the same paper to treat of Nez Perce proper names.  To do this I need your help, if you will kindly give it to me.  Let me explain what I want, & the enclosed papers.

The blue sheets contain Nez Perce proper names. These are taken from my registry of the tribe, and are arranged alphabetically.  The capital letters "F" and "M" stand for [[underlined]] male [/underlined]] and [[underlined]] female [/underlined]].  For example take the first name & line:  F. Ah-chee (wife of Per-per-ta-lekt)
"F" means female
"Ah-chee" Indian name." (wife of Perpertalekt.)" locates the woman, tells you to which man she is married.
Take another example.
F.c. Ah Kas ne (Daughter of Tonahun)

[[end page]]
[[start page]]

"F." shows the name belongs to a female.
"Ah.Kas.ne" Indian name.
(Daughter of Tonahun) shows to which family this daughter belongs. locates her for you.
"C." this shows you that Ah.Kas.ne is a child. 
She is down in registry as 6 yrs.

So I was informed that each village in family has a set of child names which were given children, and that these names were changed when the child grew to womanhood or manhood.  I have marked the names "C" that belong to children.

Will you please ask some wise Indian if I am correct.  If each village had a set of names for the children, and if new names were given the boy or girl at puberty?

Also: if there was any ceremony when the new name was given?  Also, what that ceremony was?  Also: what was the ceremony when the first name was given?  Also: if there was any name given