James Owen Dorsey

James Owen Dorsey
James Owen Dorsey (1848–1895) was an American ethnologist and linguist, known for his work documenting the languages and cultures of Native American tribes, particularly the Siouan and Athabaskan groups. As a member of the Bureau of American Ethnology, he contributed extensively to the study of Native languages, helping to preserve knowledge through translations and research. His notable works include "Omaha Sociology" and "Siouan Sociology," which provided in-depth analyses of Native American social structures. Dorsey's contributions were foundational in early anthropological and linguistic studies of indigenous cultures in the United States.

Author's Books:


TRANSLATION. Once upon a time the Rabbit dwelt in a lodge with no one but his grandmother. And it was his custom to go hunting very early in the morning. No matter how early in the morning he went, a person with very long feet had been along, leaving a trail. And he (the Rabbit), wished to know him. "Now," thought he, "I will go in advance of the person." Having arisen very early in the... more...

DWELLINGS. The primitive domiciles of the Omaha were chiefly (1) lodges of earth or, more rarely, of bark or mats, and (2) skin lodges or tents. It may be observed that there were no sacred rites connected with the earth lodge-building or tent-making among the Omaha and Ponka. Earth Lodges. When earth lodges were built, the people did not make them in a tribal circle, each man erecting his lodge where... more...