Chapter III: Part 3

85. The folds of my eyelids,
86. I have made to be the sign of old age.
87. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
88. They shall live to see the sign of old age on their eyelids.

89. I have been able to bring myself to old age.
90. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
91. They also shall be able to bring themselves to old age.
92. I have been able to bring myself to the calm and peaceful days.
93. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
94. They also shall be able to bring themselves to the calm and
peaceful days, as they travel the path of life.

THE CHILD IS PASSED FROM GENS TO GENS TO BE BLESSED

At the close of the simultaneous recital of the wi´-gi-es by the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the six gentes, namely, the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, Tho´-xe, Noⁿ´-poⁿ-da, Çiⁿ´-dse-a-gthe, I´-ba-ṭse, and the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, the Sho´-ḳa carries the infant to the head of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi gens, who takes it in his arms, then, dipping the tips of the fingers into a wooden vessel, in which had been put sacred water and red cedar fronds, he gently touches with his moistened fingertips the lips, head, arms, and body of the little one. This ceremonial act is an appeal to Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da to grant to the little one health and strength so that it may grow to maturity and old age without interruption by disease.

The child is next taken by the Sho´-ḳa to the head of the Noⁿ´-poⁿ-da gens, who blesses it in the same manner with the symbolic water and cedar fronds.

Then the little one is taken to the head of the I´-ba-ṭse gens, who touches the lips, head, arms and body of the child with pounded corn, besides the sacred water and cedar fronds. The touching of the child with the life-giving corn is an act of appeal to Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da that the child be not permitted to suffer for want of food during its life, so that it may reach maturity and old age without difficulty. The gentile symbol of the I´-ba-ṭse gens is the wind but it was authorized by the Tho´-xe gens to use the corn ritual in its child-naming ritual.

The Sho´-ḳa takes the little one from the I´-ba-ṭse to the head of the Tho´-xe, Buffalo-bull, gens. In the mythical story of the origin of the maize it was Tho´-xe, Buffalo-bull, who gave to the people the maize and the squash. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 279-281, lines 54 to 110.) The head of the Tho´-xe gens takes the little one in his arms and blesses it with the sacred water and cedar fronds as did the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, then, mixing some of his own pounded corn with that of the I´-ba-ṭse, he blesses the child with the sacred corn, the life symbol of his own gens. The ceremonial act of the Tho´-xe is an expression of the wish that the life-giving corn will aid the new member of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens to successfully reach maturity and old age.

The next to take the child in his arms and bless it with the symbolic water, cedar fronds and corn is the head of the Çiⁿ´-dse-a-gthe, Wolf, gens. His ceremonial acts do not differ from those of the Tho´-xe.

The Sho´-ḳa then brings the little one to its own gens, the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, the People of Peace. The head of the gens takes the little one in his arms and blesses it in the same manner in which the Tho´-xe blessed it. This is the gens to whom the sick are brought that they might taste of the sacred food prepared by them and be strengthened. From this healing power the members of the gens like to take the name, Wa-stse´-e-doⁿ, Good-doctor.

When each of these gentes had blessed the child in turn the Sho´-ḳa brings the mother to the Xo´-ḳa, who places in her hands two little sticks, each of which represents a sacred name of the gens of which the little one has now become a member. The Xo´-ḳa bids her take one of the names represented by the sticks. The mother usually takes for her child the name that is most euphonious and which she thinks has the greater religious significance. The selection of a name for the new member of the gens closes the ceremony.

During the month of April, 1916, Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ was summoned to the house of Wa-xthi´-zhi to name his grandson, whose father is a member of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens. Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ promptly responded to the call but Wa-xthi´-zhi became uncertain as to whether or not the ceremonial naming of a child according to the ancient tribal rites would come under the prohibition of the new religion which he had accepted against the practice of the ancient Osage ceremonies. The full ceremony was omitted, but the old man was asked to offer to the mother the choice of two sacred names: Moⁿ-zhoⁿ´, Earth (see p. 70, line 45), and Wa-stse´-e-doⁿ, Good-doctor. The mother, a member of the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga (Puma) gens, chose for her son, a member of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens, the name Wa-stse´-e-doⁿ. Although the full child-naming ceremony was omitted, Wa-xthi´-zhi gave as fees to Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ a horse, a blanket, and other articles of value, amounting to about one hundred and fifty dollars.

The first wi´-gi-e recited in the child-naming ritual given by Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ (pp. 60 to 67) is entitled Wa-zho´-i-ga-the Wi´-gi-e, literally, The Taking of Bodies, and freely translated, The Taking of Life Symbols. In this wi´-gi-e eight gods, in the forms of certain cosmic bodies, are adopted as Life Symbols. Sex is attributed to these gods and goddesses and they are addressed as “grandfather” and “grandmother” because of their great age and mysterious character. The wi´-gi-e is an expression by the ancient Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of their longing desire for a tribal life that will be as lasting as that of the gods and goddesses who forever travel in the heavens. These gods and goddesses are paired in this wi´-gi-e as follows:

1. Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da Hoⁿ´-ba doⁿ, God of Day (the Sun), grandfather,
2. Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da Hoⁿ doⁿ, Goddess of Night (the Moon), grandmother.

3. Wa´-ṭse-do-ga, Male Star (the Morning star), grandfather,
4. Wa´-ṭse Mi-ga, Female Star (the Evening star), grandmother.

5. Wa´-ba-ha, Litter (the Dipper), grandfather,
6. Ṭa-p̣a´, Deer-head (the Pleiades), grandmother.

7. Ṭa Tha´-bthiⁿ, Three-deer (the three great stars that form
Orion’s Belt), grandfather,
8. Mi-ḳa-ḳ’e u-ḳi-tha-ç’iⁿ (Stars-strung-together) (theta and iota
in Orion), grandmother.

Xu´-tha-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ (Elder Ṭsi´-zhu), a war gens of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division, was asked for the Child-naming Ritual of his gens, he being referred to as one versed in the rituals of the Ṭsi´-zhu war gentes, but he declined to give it in full. With some reluctance he consented to recite the first wi´-gi-e of his ritual which corresponds to and bears the same title as the one given by Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ, a Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens. (See pp. 60 to 67.)

FIG. 3.—Chart of constellation Wa´-ba-ha (Ursa Major)]

FIG. 4.—Chart of Ṭa Ṭha´-bthiⁿ, Three Deer (in Orion)]

In the Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ wi´-gi-e (The Taking of Life Symbols), the people of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens implored four gods and four goddesses of the sky for permission to take from them “bodies” for their little ones. The people of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ, in the wi´-gi-e recorded by Xu-thu´-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ, entreated six gods and four goddesses of the sky for permission to take “bodies” from them for their little ones. The following is the order in which the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ people approached these ten sky deities, the order in which they paired them according to sex, and the terms of relationship they used in addressing them:

1. Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da Hoⁿ´-ba doⁿ, the God of Day (the Sun), grandfather, 2. Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da Hoⁿ doⁿ, the Goddess of Night (the Moon), grandmother.

3. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ’e Hoⁿ-baⁿ doⁿ, the Day-star (Morning star), grandfather, 4. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ’e Hoⁿ´ doⁿ, the Night-star (Evening star), grandmother.

5. Wa´-ba-ha, Litter, the Dipper (Great Bear), (fig. 3), grandfather, 6. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ’e u-ḳi-tha-ç’iⁿ, Double-star, grandmother.

7. Ṭa-p̣a´, Deer-head, Pleiades, grandfather, 8. Ṭa Tha´-bthiⁿ, Three-deer, the three great stars in Orion’s belt (fig. 4), grandmother.

9. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ’e Zhu-dse, Red-star, the Pole star, grandfather, 10. Shoⁿ-ge A-ga-k’e e-goⁿ, Dog-star, Sirius, grandfather.

The two wi´-gi-es do not agree as to the sexes of two of the sky deities. In the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge wi´-gi-e, Ṭa-p̣a´ (Pleiades) is addressed as grandmother and in that of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ as grandfather. Ṭa-tha´-bthiⁿ, Three-deer, is addressed as grandfather in the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge wi´-gi-e and in that of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ as grandmother.

The difference between the two wi´-gi-es in this respect was spoken of to Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ and he said: “We notice such mistakes in the tribal rites but controversy over them is always avoided by the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga. Xu-tha´-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ recited his wi´-gi-e correctly, and we recite ours as it was handed down to us. The Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ, being a war people, mention in their wi´-gi-e their two war gods, the Red-star and the Dog-star; they address both as grandfather. We (the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge) are a peace people, therefore we do not mention those two gods in our child-naming ritual.”

FIRST CHILD-NAMING WI´-GI-E OF THE ṬSI´-ZHU WA-NO^N GENS

The following is the first wi´-gi-e in the Child-naming Ritual of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ, war gens, of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division, as recited by Xu-tha´-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ.

TAKING OF LIFE SYMBOLS

1

1. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,
2. The Ṭsi´-zhu, a people who have seven fireplaces, spake to one
another,
3. Saying: O, younger brothers,
4. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
5. Then, at that very time they spake
6. To the Sho´-ḳa Wa-ba-xi (the Chief Messenger),
7. Saying: O, younger brother,
8. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies,
9. Take heed and see what can be done.
10. Then, at that very time,
11. The Chief Messenger
12. Hastened to the
13. God of Day (the Sun), who sitteth in the heavens,
14. And returned with him to the people.
15. They spake to the God of Day, saying: O, grandfather,
16. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
17. Then, at that very time,
18. The God of Day quickly replied: It is well you sent for me.
19. Of all the groups of gods,
20. I am a god by myself.
21. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
22. Even among the gods,
23. There is not one who has power to see my path.
24. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
25. Even among the gods
26. There is not one who shall be able to see their path, in life’s
journey.
27. Even among the gods
28. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
29. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
30. Even among the gods
31. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path, in
life’s journey.
32. Even among the gods
33. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
34. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
35. Even among the gods
36. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
37. I am not the only god,
38. Take heed and make further search.

2

39. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,
40. The Chief Messenger
41. Hastened to the
42. Goddess of Night (the Moon), who sitteth in the heavens,
43. And returned with her to the people.
44. They spake to her, saying: O, grandmother,
45. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
46. Then, at that very time,
47. The Goddess of Night replied: It is well you sent for me.
48. Of all the groups of gods,
49. I am a god by myself.
50. Even among the gods
51. There is not one who has power to see my path.
52. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
53. Even among the gods
54. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
55. Even among the gods
56. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
57. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
58. Even among the gods
59. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
60. Even among the gods
61. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
62. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
63. Even among the gods
64. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
65. I am not the only god,
66. Take heed and make further search.

3

67. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,
68. The Chief Messenger
69. Hastened to the
70. Star of Day (the Morning Star), who sitteth in the heavens,
71. And returned with him to the people.
72. They spake to the Star of Day, saying: O, grandfather,
73. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
74. Then, at that very time,
75. The Star of Day replied: It is well you sent for me.
76. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
77. Of all the groups of gods,
78. I am a god by myself.
79. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
80. Even among the gods
81. There is not one who has power to see my path.
82. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
83. Even among the gods
84. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
85. Even among the gods
86. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
87. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
88. Even among the gods
89. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
90. Even among the gods
91. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
92. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
93. Even among the gods
94. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
95. I am not the only god,
96. Take heed and make further search.

4

97. The Chief Messenger
98. Hastened to the
99. Star of Night (the Evening Star), who sitteth in the heavens,
100. And returned with her to the people.
101. They spake to her, saying: O, grandmother,
102. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
103. Then, at that very time,
104. The Star of Night replied: It is well you sent for me.
105. Of all the groups of gods
106. I am a god by myself.
107. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
108. Even among the gods
109. There is not one who shall be able to see their path, in their
life’s journey.
110. Even among the gods
111. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
112. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
113. Even among the gods
114. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path, in
their life’s journey.
115. Even among the gods
116. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
117. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
118. Even among the gods
119. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
120. I am not the only god,
121. Take heed and make further search.

5

122. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
123. The Chief Messenger
124. Hastened to the
125. Litter (Great Bear), who stands in the midst of the heavens,
126. And returned with him to the people.
127. They spake to Litter, saying: O, grandfather,
128. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
129. Then, at that very time,
130. The Litter replied: It is well you sent for me.
131. Of all the groups of gods,
132. I am a god by myself.
133. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
134. Even among the gods
135. There is not one who has power to see my path.
136. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
137. Even among the gods
138. There is not one who shall be able to see their path, in their
life’s journey.
139. Even among the gods
140. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
141. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
142. Even among the gods
143. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
144. Even among the gods
145. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
146. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
147. Even among the gods
148. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
149. I am not the only god,
150. Take heed and make further search.

6

151. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
152. The Chief Messenger
153. Hastened to
154. Ṭa-p̣a´, Deer-head (Pleiades), who stands in the heavens,
155. And returned with her to the people.
156. They spake to her, saying: O, grandmother,
157. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
158. Then, at that very time,
159. Deer-head replied: It is well you sent for me.
160. Of all the groups of gods
161. I am a god by myself.
162. Even among the gods
163. There is not one who has power to see my path.
164. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
165. Even among the gods
166. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
167. Even among the gods
168. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
169. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
170. Even among the gods
171. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
172. Even among the gods
173. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
174. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
175. Even among the gods
176. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
177. I am not the only god,
178. Take heed and make further search.

7

179. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
180. The Chief Messenger
181. Hastened to
182. Ṭa Tha´-bthiⁿ, Three-deer (Orion’s belt), who sitteth in the
heavens,
183. And returned with him to the people.
184. They spake to him, saying: O, grandfather,
185. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
186. Then, at that very time,
187. Three-deer replied: Of all the groups of gods,
188. I am a god by myself.
189. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
190. Even among the gods
191. There is not one who has power to see my path.
192. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
193. Even among the gods
194. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
195. Even among the gods
196. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
197. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
198. Even among the gods
199. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
200. Even among the gods
201. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
202. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
203. Even among the gods
204. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
205. I am not the only god,
206. Take heed and make further search.

8

207. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
208. The Chief Messenger
209. Hastened to
210. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ’e U-ḳi-tha-ç’iⁿ, Double-star (theta and iota in
Orion), who sitteth in the heavens,
211. And returned with her to the people.
212. They spake to her, saying: O, grandmother,
213. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
214. Then, at that very time,
215. Double-star replied: It is well you sent for me.
216. Of all the groups of gods
217. I am a god by myself.
218. Even among the gods
219. There is not one who has power to see my path.
220. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
221. Even among the gods
222. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
223. Even among the gods
224. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
225. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
226. Even among the gods
227. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
228. Even among the gods
229. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
230. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
231. Even among the gods
232. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
233. I am not the only god,
234. Take heed and make further search.

9

235. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
236. The Chief Messenger
237. Hastened to
238. Mi-ḳa´-ḳ´e Zhu-dse, Red-star (Pole star), who sitteth in the
heavens,
239. And returned with him to the people.
240. They spake to him, saying: O, grandfather,
241. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
242. Red-star replied: It is well you sent for me.
243. Of all the groups of gods
244. I am a god by myself.
245. The little ones shall make of me their bodies.
246. Even among the gods
247. There is not one who has power to see my path.
248. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
249. Even among the gods
250. There is not one who shall be able to see their path.
251. Even among the gods
252. There is not one who has power to cross my path.
253. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
254. Even among the gods
255. There is not one who shall be able to cross their path.
256. Even among the gods
257. What one is there who can stand in my way to prevent my going?
258. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
259. Even among the gods
260. There is not one who shall be able to stand in their way to
prevent their going.
261. I am not the only god,
262. Take heed and make further search.

10

263. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this
house,
264. The Chief Messenger
265. Hastened to
266. The side of the heavens
267. Where lay Shoⁿ´-ge, the Dog (Sirius), as though suspended in
the sky,
268. And returned with him to the people.
269. They spake to him, saying: O grandfather,
270. The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
271. Then, at that very time,
272. The Dog replied: The little ones shall make of me their bodies,
273. Behold my toes, that are gathered closely together,
274. I have not folded them together without a purpose.
275. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
276. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
277. When they become aged men,
278. In their toes, closely folded together,
279. They shall see the sign of old age.
280. Behold the folds of skin on my ankle.
281. I have not put them there without a purpose.
282. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
283. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
284. When they become aged men,
285. In the skin of their ankles, gathered in folds,
286. They shall see the sign of old age.
287. Behold the flaccid muscles of my thigh.
288. They have not become flaccid without a purpose.
289. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
290. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
291. When they become aged men,
292. They shall see in the flaccid muscles of their thighs the sign
of old age.

293. Behold my shoulders, that are drawn close together.
294. They are not drawn together without a purpose.
295. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
296. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
297. When they become aged men,
298. They shall see in their shoulders drawn together the sign of
old age.

299. Behold the flaccid muscles of my throat.
300. They have not become flaccid without a purpose.
301. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
302. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
303. When they become aged men,
304. They shall see in the flaccid muscles of their throat the sign
of old age.

305. Behold the folds of the corners of my mouth.
306. They are not put there without a purpose.
307. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
308. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
309. When they become aged men,
310. They shall see in the corners of their mouth the sign of old
age.

311. Behold the folds in the corners of my eyes.
312. They are not put there without a purpose.
313. I have made them to be a sign of old age.
314. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
315. When they become aged men,
316. They shall see in the corners of their eyes the sign of old
age.

317. Behold the tip of my nose.
318. It is not placed there without a purpose.
319. I have placed it there for chasing away other gods.
320. I use it for keeping other gods from entering my house.
321. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
322. They shall use it to chase away other gods, as they travel the
path of life.

323. Behold the hair on the crown of my head grown thin.
324. It has not grown thin without a purpose.
325. I have made it to be a sign of old age.
326. When the little ones make of me their bodies,
327. When they become aged men,
328. They shall see in their whitened hair
329. The sign of old age, as they travel the path of life.
330. There comes a time
331. When a calm and peaceful day comes upon me,
332. So there shall come upon the little ones a calm and peaceful
day, as they travel the path of life.

The most important wi´-gi-es (recited parts of a ritual) used in the child-naming rituals are those which relate to the life symbols of a gens, such as the sun, the moon, the morning and evening stars, night and day, deer, elk, bear, etc., which are called wa-zho´-i-ga-the, objects of which bodies are made; and those which relate to the personal, sacred names adopted by a gens to be used by its members for their children. The wi´-gi-e relating to the life symbols are usually recited at the beginning of the ceremony. (See wi´-gi-e of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens, p. 60.) The name wi´-gi-es, called Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ (Zha´-zhe, name; Ḳi-ṭoⁿ, the taking of), are recited when all the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga who were invited to take part in the ceremony of the conferring of a name upon a child have assembled. The life-symbol and the name-taking wi´-gi-es are paraphrases of the mythical stories of the origin of the people of a gens. These mythical origin stories are called Ni´-ḳi-e, freely translated, Sayings of the Ancient Men.

Xu-tha´-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ (pl. 7), of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ gens of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division, recorded the life symbol wi´-gi-e of his gens (see pp. 75-84) but he declined to give the wi´-gi-e of the sacred gens names. However, these names appear in the Wi´-gi-e Ṭoⁿ-ga, Great Wi´-gi-e (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 254-269), which are here given in their order, as follows:

1. ’Iⁿ-çka´, White Rock. In the origin story of this gens the people came down from the sky, as eagles, to the earth and alighted upon seven trees. Thence:

36. They moved onward over the earth.
37. They came to the top of a rocky cliff,
38. Close to it they came and paused,
40. They spake to one another, saying: White Rock
41. We shall make to be a personal name for ourselves.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 255.)

2. Moⁿ´-hiⁿ Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da, Mysterious Knife. From the White Rock the people went forth to wander over the earth. They thought to make for themselves a knife for ceremonial use. The Sho´-ḳa went again and again to find the right kind of stone of which to make the knife. He brought home the red flint, the blue flint, the flint streaked with yellow, the black flint and the white flint, one after the other, each of which was rejected as being unfit for use by the little ones as a knife. Finally he brought home a round-handled knife which was accepted as suitable for the purpose. Then followed the idea of the people of making a magical war club for ceremonial use. The Sho´-ḳa went in search for the right kind of tree out of which to make it. He brought to the elder brothers the hickory tree, the thick-barked hickory tree, the red oak tree, the red wood tree, the dark wood tree, each of which was rejected as being unsuitable for use as a club. Then he brought to them the willow tree, a tree that never dies. This the elder brothers accepted as eminently fitted for use as a club, and:

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XU-THA´-WA-ṬO^N-I^N (ṬSI´-ZHU WA-NO^N GENS)]

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STRAPS FOR TYING CAPTIVES]

268. Their round-handled-knife
269. They quickly took from its resting place,
271. And spake, saying: It is a fear-inspiring knife,
272. Verily, it is a mysterious knife.
273. Mysterious-knife
274. The little ones shall take as their personal name.
276. They lifted the round-handled knife
277. And quickly stabbed with it the body of the willow tree.
278. Then from its wound its life-blood streamed forth.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 261.)

3. We´-thiⁿ-ça-gi, Strong-strap. With the mysterious knife the people shaped out of the “tree-that-never-dies” a mystic club. Taking with them the knife and the club they went in search of a buffalo and found one. On coming in sight of the animal they brandished the magic weapon four times in the air and the buffalo fell lifeless to the ground:

511. The skin of the (left) hind leg
512. They cut into a narrow strip,
514. And said: Verily the skin stretches not,
515. We shall make use of it as we travel the path of life.
517. Verily, it is a strong strap,
519. We shall consecrate it for ceremonial use,
520. Therefore Strong-strap
521. We shall make to be our sacred personal name.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 267-268.)

4. We´-thiⁿ-ga-xe, Strap-maker. By the cutting of the first strap out of the skin of the left hind leg of the magically killed buffalo the people of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ gens created for themselves the office of making the straps (pl. 8) for the warriors for the tying of captives when any are taken. As they continued to cut out the strap they said:

523. Strap-maker, also,
524. We shall make to be our sacred personal name.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 268.)

5. Wé-thiⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga, Slender-strap. The strap they made out of the skin of the left hind leg of the animal was long and slender, and when they had finished it,

526. They said: Slender-strap, also,
527. We shall make to be our sacred personal name.
549. The skin of the left side
550. They cut in a circle,
552. And seven slender straps
553. They made of it for the Ṭsi-zhu who possesses seven fireplaces,
554. One for each fireplace,
556. And they said: We shall consecrate these straps for ceremonial
use.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 268-269.)

These seven straps cut from the left side of the buffalo were to serve as types for similar straps to be ceremonially made for each of the other gentes of the tribe when about to go to war, to use in tying captives.

6. He-thi´-shi-zhe, Curved-horn. As the people saw the horns of the buffalo they exclaimed:

558. Behold the left horn,
559. We shall consecrate it for ceremonial use,
561. Therefore Curved-horn, also,
562. We shall make to be our sacred personal name.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 269.)

7. He-thi´-zha-ge, Outspread-horns. The people noticed that the horns of the buffalo stood wide apart and outspread and so they exclaimed:

564. Outspread-horns, also,
565. We shall make to be our sacred personal name.
566. And they said, again: Behold the left horn,
568. We consecrete it for ceremonial use.

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 269.)

Personal names relating to any of the life symbols of a gens serve to keep the members informed of their place in the gentile and tribal organization. For example: Men who were given such names as Ho-çoⁿ´, White-fish; To´-ho-ho-e, Blue-fish; and Ho´-ḳi-e-çi, Wriggling-fish, know that they are members of the Ho´-i-ni-ḳa-shi-ga, Fish-people, gens whose life symbol is the Fish, and that the place of their gens is in the Wa-zha´-zhe, the first of the two subdivisions of the Hoⁿ´-ga great tribal division which symbolizes the earth. The Wa-zha´-zhe subdivision typifies the water portion of the earth.

Those who were given such names as O´-poⁿ-ṭoⁿ-ga, Great-elk; Moⁿ´-thiⁿ-ḳa-ga-xe, Maker-of-the-land; and Moⁿ-zhoⁿ´-ga-xe, Maker of-the-earth, know that they are members of the Elk gens whose life symbol is the male elk (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 165, lines 274 to 354) and that the place of their gens is with the Hoⁿ´-ga, the second of the two subdivisions of the Hoⁿ´-ga great tribal division which symbolizes the earth. The Hoⁿ´-ga subdivision typifies the land portion of the earth.

Men who bear the names P̣i-çi´, Acorn; U-bu´-dse, Profusion; and Noⁿ-bu´-dse, Profusion (by the treading of the eagles on the branches of the red oak tree) know that they are members of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge (Peacemaker) gens, that the life symbol of their gens is the red oak tree, the emblem of fruitfulness, and that the place of their gens in the tribal organization is with the Ṭsi´-zhu, the second of the two great tribal divisions which symbolizes the sky, including the sun, moon and stars that move therein. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 281, lines 111 to 120.)

FIG. 5.—Totemic cut of the Omaha boys’ hair. No. 1 is typical of the head and tail of the elk. No. 2 symbolizes the head, tail, and horns of the buffalo. No. 2a—the children of this subgens and those of the Ni-ni´-ba-toⁿ subgens of other gentes have their hair cut alike; the locks on each side of the bared crown indicate the horns of the buffalo. No. 3 represents the line of the buffalo’s back as seen against the sky. No. 4b stands for the head of the bear. No. 4c figures the head, tail, and body of small birds. No. 4d, the bare head, represents the shell of the turtle; and the tufts, the head, feet, and tail of the animal. No. 4e pictures the head, wings, and tail of the eagle. No. 5 symbolizes the four points of the compass connected by cross lines; the central tuft points to the zenith. No. 6 represents the shaggy side of the wolf. No. 7 indicates the horns and tail of the buffalo. No. 8 stands for the head and tail of the deer. No. 9 shows the head, tail, and knobs of the growing horn of the buffalo calf. No. 10 symbolizes reptile teeth. The children of this gens sometimes have the hair shaved off so as to represent the hairless body of snakes.]

THE GENTILE HAIR CUT OF CHILDREN

Another custom, akin to the taking of personal gentile names, was originated by the ancient Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga, that of the adoption by each of the various gentes of the tribe of a particular style of hair cut for the young children to typify one of the life symbols of the gens. (Fig. 5.) The style adopted by the Hoⁿ´-ga gens of the Hoⁿ´-ga tribal subdivision for their children was that of cutting nearly all the hair of the head close to the skin, leaving an unbroken fringe along the entire edge. (Fig. 6.) The story of its adoption is best told in the wi´-gi-e of the gens, a paraphrase of which is here given:

THE WI´-GI-E

The Hoⁿ´-ga, a people who possess seven fireplaces, spake to one
another,
Saying: O, younger brothers,
The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
Then to the Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ (Winged Hoⁿ´-ga) they spake,
Saying: O, elder brother! and stood in mute appeal.
In quick response the Winged Hoⁿ´-ga set forth in haste
To a deep and miry marsh,
To the Little Rock who sitteth firmly upon the earth.
Close to the Little Rock he stood and spake,
Saving: O, Grandfather!
Our little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
The Little Rock spake in quick response:
I am a person of whom the little ones may well make their bodies.
Thereupon the Winged Hoⁿ´-ga hastened back to his brothers to whom
he spake,
Saying: O, younger brothers, a Little Rock sits yonder.
Then, with heads bent thitherward,
The younger brothers set forth in haste
To the Little Rock who sitteth firmly upon the earth, in the marsh.
Around him they gathered, close to him they stood as they spake
To the Little Rock sitting with algae floating about him, like locks
of hair blowing in the wind. (Fig. 6.)
O, Grandfather! they said to him,
Our little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies.
The Little Rock made reply:
I am a person who is difficult to be overcome by death.
When your little ones make of me their bodies,
They shall always be difficult to overcome by death.
Behold the locks that float about the edges of my head.
When the little ones reach old age,
Their locks shall float about the edges of their heads.
The little ones shall always live to see their locks grown scant
with age.
The younger brothers spake, saying: Close to the God of Day who
sitteth in the heavens,
We shall place the Little Rock.[3]
When our little ones make of the Little Rock their bodies,
Of the God of Day also
Our little ones shall make their bodies.
The four days,
The four great divisions of the days (the four stages of life),
The little ones shall always reach and enter,
They shall always live to see old age.

[3] The Little Rock of the marsh is spoken of as the Gentle Rock because it is a special life symbol of the people for whom there must always be peace and happiness. As a memorial of the finding of the Little Rock of the marsh the members of the Hoⁿ´-ga gens in cutting the hair of their little ones leave a fringe around the entire edge.

This style of hair cut is called ḳonⁿ´-ha-u-thi-stse (ḳoⁿ´-ha, along the edge; u-thi-stse, a line left uncut), meaning an unbroken line of hair left uncut along the entire edge.

FIG. 6.—Symbolic hair cut of the Hoⁿ´-ga gens]

At a festival being held at the Indian village near the town of Pawhuska, old Saucy-calf called the writer’s attention to a little boy who was playing hide-and-seek with other youngsters and said: “Look at the way his hair is cut (fig. 6); that is the Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ hair cut. That style is called ḳoⁿ´-ha-u-thi-stse. Xu-tha´-pa, Eagle-head, better known as Ben Wheeler, a young man who sat near us, looked up and said: “That’s my little boy; I cut my children’s hair like that.” Saucy-calf then explained that the act of the parents in cutting the hair of the child in that prescribed fashion was an implied petition to Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da to permit the little one to live to see old age without obstruction of any kind.

HAIR CUT OF THE ṬSI´-ZHU WA-SHTA-GE GENS

FIG. 7.—Symbolic hair cut of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens]

The people of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge (Peacemaker) gens, who occupied the most important and honored place in the great tribal division representing the sky and all that it contains, adopted the ḳoⁿ´-ha-u-thi-stse style of hair cut for their little ones, which varied slightly from the styles used by the Hoⁿ´-ga. In the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge symbolic hair cut the line of hair left uncut along the edge is divided into little locks to typify the petals of the cone-flower, which is the sacred flower of the gens (fig. 7).

Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ, in speaking of the symbolic hair cut of the children of his gens, the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, told the following mythical story of its origin:

In the beginning the Ṭsi´-zhu people came down, in the form of eagles, from the upper to the lower world. As they came in sight of the earth they beheld a large red oak tree. They soared down to it and alighted upon its topmost branches. The shock of their weight sent to the ground a shower of acorns which scattered around the foot of the tree, whereupon they said: We shall make of this tree our life symbol; our little ones shall multiply in numbers like the seeds of the oak that fall to the earth in countless numbers. The eagles that crowded upon the top branches of the oak became a people whose thoughts dwelt upon war, but two of the eagles found no resting place on the outspreading branches of the great oak and were obliged to drop to the earth. One alighted on a larger elder tree and his people became known as Ba´-po, people of the elder tree. The other eagle alighted upon the ground in the midst of a patch of little yellow flowers which his people made to be their life symbol and their emblem of peace. The people cut the hair of their children in such fashion as to make their heads resemble the little yellow flower, the emblem of peace. (Fig. 7.) This yellow flower is called Ba-shta´, Hair-cut. It is the _Ratibida columnaris_.

A paraphrase of the wi´-gi-e of the Xu-tha´-zhu-dse, Red Eagle, gens in which the “little yellow flower,” the emblem of peace, is mentioned, is here given.

PARAPHRASE OF THE WI´-GI-E OF THE RED EAGLE GENS

PEACEFUL DAY IS MY NAME

Verily, my abode is in the days that are calm and peaceful.
When the little ones make of me their bodies (their life),
They shall become a people of the days that are ever serene.
From each of the great gods,
I verily remove all traces of anger and violence.
When the little ones make of me their bodies,
They shall have power to remove from the gods
All anger and the desire for destruction.
From the god of the lower world (the earth);
From the god of light who standeth in the midst of heaven;
From the god of the upper world (the over-arching sky),
I have power to remove all anger and violence.
When the little ones make of me their bodies,
They also shall have power to remove from the gods all anger.
When the little ones of the Wa-zha´-zhe (subdivision),
And those of the Hoⁿ´-ga (subdivision),
Make of me their bodies,
They shall have power to remove from all lands,
All anger, hatred and violence.

NO-ANGER IS ALSO MY NAME

I am a person of whom the little ones may well make their bodies.
My abode is in the midst of the earth’s warm, quivering air.
When the little ones make of me their bodies,
They shall become a people of the earth’s quivering air.
Verily, in the days that are gentle and peaceful,
I make my abode.
When the little ones make of me their bodies,
They shall become a people of the days that are gentle and peaceful.
Of a little yellow flower
I have made my body.
The little Ba-shta´, that stands amidst the winds,
I have made to be my body.
When the little ones make of the Ba-shta´ their bodies,
They shall ever live together without anger, without hatred.

Ṭoⁿ-woⁿ-i´-hi-zhiⁿ-ga, Little Ṭoⁿ-woⁿ-i´-hi, in speaking to Miss Fletcher in 1898 of the Osage gentile system, said that there are five subgentes in the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens, namely:

1. Ṭsi´-u-çkoⁿ-çka, House in the center, meaning the Sanctuary in the keeping of this gens which, figuratively, stands in the center of the earth.

2. Ba´-po, Elder, or, People of the elder trees.

3. Moⁿ´-ça-hi, Arrow-tree, or, People of the arrow tree.

4. Zhoⁿ-çoⁿ´, White-tree (Sycamore), or, People of the white tree.

5. Sho´-ḳa, Messengers, or, People from whom a ceremonial messenger is chosen for the gens. Sometimes this gens is called Ṭsi´-u-thu-ha-ge, Last group of houses.

It is from the people of the Ṭsi´-u-çkoⁿ-çka that the hereditary chief of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division must always be chosen. The Ba´-po subgens has the office of making the stem for the ceremonial peace pipe of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge. The stem must always be made of the Ba´-po, the elder tree. The people of the Arrow-tree and the Sycamore gentes have lost the significance of their life symbols. All of these five subgentes use the cone-flower symbolic hair cut.

There is something pathetic in the passing away of these ancient rites and customs which the Osage Indians had treasured from the earliest times of their tribal existence. Joe Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ, like his father, had respect and reverence for the religious thoughts of his ancestors which they had expressed in symbols and rituals with ceremonial forms and handed down. Joe had two little daughters (pl. 9, _a_) upon whom he bestowed a large share of his affections. He not only gave to each of them a sacred name of his gens, but, from year to year, as they approached womanhood, he cut their hair to typify the sacred flower of peace and happiness, an act which implied a supplication to Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da to bless each little one with a long and fruitful life. At the last symbolic hair cut the children had reached school age and they willingly went to the house of learning. The white children with whom they mingled hooted and jeered at them for their strange hair cut and made them unhappy. When they came home they told their father of their unkind treatment at the school. The fond father quietly took a pair of shears and cut away from each little head the symbolic locks.

Little Ṭoⁿ-woⁿ´-i-hi also stated that there was another style of symbolic hair cut called çiⁿ´-dse-a-gthe, tails worn on the head, which belongs to the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ, the principal war gens of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division, which he described as: All of the hair of the head cut close but leaving uncut a row of three locks, equidistant apart, beginning at the crown of the head and ending near the edge of the hair at the back of the head. (Fig. 8.) This style of hair cut symbolizes all animals of the dog family, including the gray wolf, the coyote, and the domestic dog. It also symbolizes a star called Shoⁿ´-ge a-ga-ḳ’e e-goⁿ, Dog that lies suspended in the sky (Sirius).

The Dog Star is mentioned in the Child-naming Wi´-gi-e of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ gens, bearing the title Wa-zho´-i-ga-the Wi´-gi-e, Taking of Life Symbols, given by Xu-tha´-wa-ṭoⁿ-in. (See p. 82, sec. 10 of the wi´-gi-e.)

Little Ṭoⁿ-woⁿ´-i-hi said that the Wa-ça-be-ṭoⁿ, Black Bear gens of the Hoⁿ´-ga great division, had a similar style of hair cut as that of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ gens. Wa-xthi´-zhi said that the Puma gens also had the same style of hair cut.

FIG. 8.—Hair cut of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ and Wa-ça´-be (Black Bear) gentes]

The symbolic hair cut of the Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi gens, Men of Mystery, is: hair of the head all cut close excepting a lock left uncut on the crown of the head (pl. 10, _a_) and a lock at the back of the head near the edge, which does not show in the picture. The life symbol of this gens is the hawk and the hair cut represents this raptorial bird which was adopted by all of the gentes of both the Hoⁿ´-ga and the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal divisions as an emblem of courage for their warriors.

The name of the boy whose picture shows the hair cut of his gens is Gthe-doⁿ´-çka, White-hawk (Gthe-doⁿ, hawk; çka, white). It is the name that belongs to the second son in a family of this gens. His father’s name is Noⁿ´-ḳa-ṭo-ho, Blue-back (Noⁿ´-ḳa, back; ṭo-ho, blue), a name referring to the blue-backed hawk. White-hawk’s mother is Xi-tha´-doⁿ-wiⁿ, Good-eagle-woman, daughter of Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens.

The style of symbolic hair cut adopted by the Tho´-xe gens is of the Çiⁿ´-dse A-gthe class and is described as, hair on entire head cut close excepting a little tuft left uncut just over the middle of the forehead, and a fringe running across the crown of the head from one ear to the other as shown in the picture (pl. 10, _b_); two tufts, one on either side of the head back of the fringe, and a tuft just above the nape of the neck, which do not show in the picture. This style of cut represents the buffalo bull, the principal life symbol of the gens.

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_a_

_b_

FOUR OSAGE CHILDREN]

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_a_

_b_

CHILD’S HAIR CUT OF THE THO-XE AND NI´-ḲA WA-ḲO^N-DA-GI GENTES]

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MEN, SHOWING HAIR CUT OF ADULT OSAGES]

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BONE EAR PERFORATORS AND EXPANDERS]

The two gentes, the Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi and the Tho´-xe, are closely related, being joint custodians of the rites pertaining to war. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 64-65.) The symbolic hawks, each of which formed the central figure in the ceremonies of the war rites, were regarded as being in the special care of the Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi, while all of the thirteen o-doⁿ´, military honors, to be won by each warrior of the tribe in order to secure ceremonial rank, belonged to the Tho´-xe. The war honor must be won in a fight by a war party carrying a hawk, the tribal emblem of courage. The places of these two gentes are on the Ṭsi´-zhu side of the two great tribal divisions, but they are not of the seven fireplaces of that great division.

In the Ṭsi´-zhu Wi´-gi-e recited by Moⁿ-zhoⁿ-a´-ḳi-da (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 277-285), relating to the mythical story of the descent of the people from the upper to the lower world, these two gentes are mentioned. A paraphrase of this part is here given:

PARAPHRASE OF WI´-GI-E RELATING TO THE NI´-ḲA WA-ḲOⁿ-DA-GI AND THE THO´-XE GENTES

The Messenger
Then hastened down
To the fourth division of the heavens,
Close to it he stood and paused
And lo, Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi, Man of Mysteries,
Appeared before him.
The Messenger turned and said to his followers: Here stands a man,
Verily, one who inspires fear.
I truly believe his name is, Fear-inspiring.
The Man of Mysteries spake, saying: I am a person of whom your
little ones may well make their bodies.
When your little ones make of me their bodies,
They shall be free from all causes of death.
They shall take the name Little-hawk,
To use as their personal name,
Then shall they be able to live to see old age.
Woman-hawk
Is also a name that I have.
Your little ones shall use it as their personal name,
Then shall they be able to live to old age.