THE OSAGE

In the Osage nation there are three primary divisions, which are tribes in the original acceptation of that term. These are known as the Tsiɔu utse pe¢ŭnda, the Seven Tsiɔu fireplaces, Hañʞa utsse pe¢ŭda, the Seven Hañʞa fireplaces, and Waɔaɔe utse pe¢ŭda, the Seven Osage fireplaces. Each "fireplace" is a gens, so that there are twenty-one gentes in the Osage nation. The Seven Hañʞa fireplaces were the last to join the nation, according to the tradition of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe people. When this occurred, the seven Hañʞa gentes were reckoned as five, and the seven Osage gentes as two, in order to have not more than seven gentes on the right side of the tribal circle.

At first the Hañʞa uta¢antse gens had seven pipes, and the Waɔaɔe had as many. The Waɔaɔe gave their seventh pipe to the Tsiɔu, with the right to make seven pipes from it, so now the Waɔaɔe people have but six pipes, though they retain the ceremonies pertaining to the seventh.

FIG. 38.—Osage camping circle.

When there is sickness among the children on the Waɔaɔe or right (war) side of the circle, their parents apply to the Tsiɔu (Tsiɔu wactaʞe?) for food for them. In like manner, when the children on the left or Tsiɔu side are ill, their parents apply to the Panhka (wactaqe?), on the other side, in order to get food for them.

The Seven Tsiɔu fireplaces occupy the left or peace side of the circle. Their names are:

1. Tsiɔu Sĭntsaʞ¢e, Tsiɔu-wearing-a-tail (of hair)-on-the-head; also called Tsiɔu Wanŭn', Elder Tsiɔu; in two subgentes, Sintsaʞ¢ĕ, Sun and Comet people, and Cŭñʞe i'nik`ăcin'a, Wolf people.

2. Tse ʇṵ'ʞa intse', Buffalo-bull face; in two subgentes, of which the second is Tse' ¢añka' or Min'paha', Hide-with-the-hair-on. The policemen or soldiers on the left side belong to these two gentes.

3. Min k'in', Sun carriers, i.e., Carry-the-snn (or Buffalo hides)-on-their-backs. These have two subgentes, a, Mini'niɥk`acin'a, Sun people; b, Minxa' ska i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Swan people,

4. Tsi'ɔu wacta'ʞe, Tsiɔu peacemaker, or Tan'wanʞa'xe, Village-maker, or, Ni'wa¢ĕ, Giver of life. These have two subgentes, a, Wapin it`a'ɔi, Touches-no-blood, or Qü¢a' ɔü'tse, Red-eagle (really a hawk);[pg 234] b, Qü¢a' pa san', Bald-eagle, or Ɔansan'u'niɥk`ăcin'a, Sycamore people, the leading gens on the left side of the circle.

5. Han i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Night people, or Tsi'ɔu we'haʞi¢e, the Tsiɔu-at-the-end, or Tse'¢añka'. Their two subgentes are: a, Night people proper; b, Wasa'de, Black-bear people.

6. Tse ʇṵ'ʞa, Buffalo bull. In two subgentes, a, Tse ʇṵ'ʞa, Buffalo bull; b, ¢u'qe, Reddish-yellow buffalo (corresponding to the Nuqe of the Ponka, Tuqe of the Quapaw, and Yuqe of the Kansa).

7. ʞ¢ŭn, Thunder-being, or Tsi'hacin, Camp-last, or Ma'xe, Upper-world people, or Niɥ'ka wakan'ʇaʞi, Mysterious-male-being. Subgentes not recorded.

On the right (Hañʞa or Waɔaɔe) side of the circle are the following:

8. Waɔa'ɔe Wanŭn', Elder Osage, composed of six of the seven Osage fireplaces, as follows: a, Waɔa'ɔe ska', White Osage; b, Ke k'in', Turtle-carriers; c, Wake'¢e ste'tse, Tall-flags(?), Ehnan' min'tse tŭn', They-alone-have-bows, or Minke'¢e ste'tse, Tall-flags; d, Ta ¢a'xü, Deer-lights, or Ta i'niɥk'ăcin'a, Deer people; e, Hu i'niqk`ăcin'a, Fish people; f, Nan'panta, a deer gens, called by some Ke ʞa'tsü, Turtle-with-a-serrated-crest-along-the-shell (probably a water monster, as there is no such species of turtle).

9. Hañ'ʞa uta'¢antsi, Hañʞa-apart-from-the-rest, or Qü¢a'qtsi i'niɥ-k`ăcin'a, Real eagle people—the War eagle gens, and one of the original Hañʞa fireplaces. The soldiers or policemen from the right side are chosen from the eighth and ninth gentes.

10. The leading gens on the right side of the circle, and one of the original seven Osage fireplaces. Panɥ'ka wacta'ʞe, Ponka peace-maker, according to a Tsiɔu man; in two subgentes, a, Tse'wa¢ĕ, Pond-lily, and b, Waca'de, Dark-buffalo; but according to Panɥ'ka waʇa'yinʞa, a member of the gens, his people have three subgentes, a, Wake'¢e, Flags; b, Wa'tsetsi, meaning, perhaps, Has-come hither (tsi)-after-touching-the-foe (watse); c, Qŭntse', Red cedar.

11. Hañ'ʞa a'hü tŭn', Hañʞa-having-wings, or Hü'saʇa, Limbs-stretched-stiff, or Qü¢ i'niɥk`ăcin'a, White-eagle people, in two subgentes, which were two of the original Hañʞa fireplaces: a, Hü'saʇa Wanŭn', Elder Hüsaʇa; b, Hü'saʇa, those wearing four locks of hair resembling those worn by the second division of the Wasape tun.

12. Wasa'de tŭn, Having-black-bears. In two parts, which were originally two of the Hañʞa fireplaces: A, Sĭntsaʞ¢sĕ, Wearing-a-tail- (or lock)-of-hair-on-the-head; in two subgentes, (a) Wasade, Black bear, or Hañ'ʞa Wa'ts`ekawa' (meaning not learned); (b) Iñʞ¢ŭñ'ʞa ɔiũ'ʞa, Small cat. B, Wasa'de tŭn, Wearing-four-locks-of-hair, in two subgentes, (a) Minxa'ska, Swan; (b) Tse'wa¢ĕ qe'ʞa, Dried pond-lily.

13. Ṵ'pqan, Elk, one of the seven Hañʞa fireplaces.

14. Kan'se, Kansa, or I'dats`ĕ, Holds-a-firebrand-to-the-sacred-pipes-in-order-to-light-them, or A'k`a i'niɥak`ăcin'a, South-wind people, or Tatse' i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Wind people, or Pe'tse i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Fire people. One of the seven Hañʞa fireplaces.

The following social divisions cannot be identified: Ɔa'de i`niɥk`ăcin'a, Beaver people, said to be a subgens of the Waɔaɔe, no gens specified; Pe'tqan i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Crane people, said to be a subgens of the Hañʞa(?) sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ; Wapŭñ'ʞa i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Owl people; Manyiñ'ʞa i'niɥk`ăcin'a, Earth people; daqpü' i'niɥk`ăcin'a, meaning not recorded.

There is some uncertainty respecting the true positions of a few subgentes in the camping circle. For instance, Alvin Wood said that the Tsewa¢e qeʞa formed the fourth subgens of the Tse ʇṵ'ʞa intse; but this was denied by ʞahiʞe waʇayiñʞa, of the Tsi'ɔu wacta'ʞe, who said that it belonged to the Panɥka wactaʞe prior to the extinction of the subgens. Tsepa ʞaxe of the Wasape gens said that it formed the fourth subgens of his own people. Some make the Tsiɔu wactaʞe the third gens on the left, instead of the fourth. According to ʞahiʞe waʇayiñʞa, "All the Waɔaɔe gentes claim to have come from the water, so they have ceremonies referring to beavers, because those animals swim in the water." The same authority said in 1883 that there were seven men who acted as wactaʞe, as follows: 1, Kaɥiʞe wactaʞe, of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe subgens, who had acted for eight years; 2, Pahü-ska, of the Bald-eagle or Qü¢a pa san subgens; 3, ʞ¢eman, Clermont, of the kidanan of the Tsiɔu wehaki¢ĕ or Night gens; 6, Panɥka waʇayiñʞa, Saucy Ponka, of the Wa'tsetsi or Ponka gens; 7, Niɥka waɔin tana, of the same gens.

On the death of the head chief among the Osage the leading men call a council. At this council four men are named as candidates for the office, and it is asked, "Which one shall be appointed?" At this council a cuka of the Watsetsi (Ponka gens, or else from some other gens on the right) carries his pipe around the circle of councilors from right to left, while a Tsiɔu cuka (one of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe gens, or else one from some other gens on the left) carries the other pipe around from left to right. The ceremonies resemble the Ponka ceremonies for making chiefs. When the chiefs assemble in council a member of the Kanse or Idats`ĕ gens (one on the right) lights the pipes. The criers are chosen from the Kanse, Ṵpqan, and Min k'in gentes. The Tsiɔu Sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ and Tse ʇṵʞa intse gentes furnish the soldiers or policemen for the Tsiɔu wactaʞe. A similar function is performed for the Panɥka wactaʞe by the Waɔaɔe wanŭn and Hañʞa uʇa¢antsi gentes. The Sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ and Hañʞa uʇa¢autsi are "akiʇa watañʞa," chiefs of the soldiers; the Tseʇṵʞa intse and Waɔaɔe Wanŭn being ordinary soldiers, i.e., subordinate to the others. The Waɔaɔe Ke k'in are the moccasin makers for the tribe. It is said that in the olden days the members of this gens used turtle shells instead of moccasins, with leeches for strings. The makers of the war-standards and war-pipes must belong to the Waɔaɔe ska.

Saucy Chief is the authority for the following: "Should all the Osage wish to dwell very near another tribe, or in case two or three families of us wish to remove to another part of the reservation, we let the[pg 236] others know our desire to live near them. We make up prizes for them—a pony, a blanket, strouding, etc—and we ask them to race for them. The fastest horse takes the first prize, and so on. We take along a pipe and some sticks—one stick for each member of the party that is removing. The other people meet us and race with us back to their home. They make us sit in a row; then one of their men or children brings a pipe to one of our party to whom he intends giving a horse. The pipe is handed to the rest of the party. The newcomers are invited to feasts, all of which they are obliged to attend." When the Osage go on the hunt the Tsiɔu wactaʞe (chief) tells the Sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ and Tse ʇṵʞa intse where the people must camp. The following evening the Panɥka wactaʞe (chief) tells the soldiers on his side (the Waɔaɔe and Hañʞa uʇa¢antsi) where the camp must be on the following day. The members of the four gentes of soldiers or policemen meet in council and decide on the time for departure. They consult the Tsiɔu wactaʞe and Hañʞa (Panɥka wactaʞe?) who attend the council. The crier is generally a man of either the Ṵpqan or Kanse gens, but sometimes a Min k'in man acts. The four leaders of the soldier gentes call on the crier to proclaim the next camping place, etc, which he does thus:

tci' | i'he¢a'e | ta'tsi | a'dintau+!"

tent {?} | you place in a line {?} | shall | they really say.

which is to say, "Halloo! tomorrow morning you shall pack your goods (strike camp). Halloo! you shall lay them down, after reaching (the other side of Missouri river)!"

Then the four leaders of the soldier gentes choose a'kiʇa (policemen) who have a ʇuʇan'hañʞa or captain, who then acts as crier in giving orders, thus:

adintau' | ni'kawasa'e!"

they say really | O warrior!

which means, "Halloo, O warrior! Halloo, O warrior, Saucy Chief! They have really said that you shall act as policeman or guard, O warrior!"

These a'kiʇa have to punish any persons who violate the laws of the hunt. But there is another grade of men; the four leaders of the soldier gentes tell the captain to call certain men wa'paʞ¢a'ɔi utsin', and they are expected to punish any a'kiʇa who fail to do their duty. Supposing Min k'in waʇayiñʞa was selected, the crier would say:

"Ha+! ni'kawasa'e! Ha+, Min k'in' waʇa'yiñʞa n'ikawasa'e! Ha+! u¢a'tsin tatsi' a'dintau', ni'kawasa'e!"

"Halloo, O warrior! Halloo, O warrior, Saucy Sun Carrier! Halloo, it has been really said that you shall strike the offenders without hesitation, O warrior!"

The four headmen direct a captain to order a Hañʞa uʇa¢antsi man to lead the scouts, and subsequently to call on a Sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ man for that purpose, alternating between the two sides of the camping circle. There are thus three grades of men engaged in the hunt—the ordinary members of the soldier gentes, the akiʇa, and the wapaʞ¢aɔi utsin.

Should the Osage be warring against the Kansa or any other tribe, and one of the foe slip into the Osage camp and beg for protection of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe (chief), the latter is obliged to help the suppliant. He must send for the Sĭntsaʞ¢ĕ and Tse ʇṵʞa intse (leaders), whom he would thus address: "I have a man whom I wish to live. I desire you to act as my soldiers." At the same time the Tsiɔu wactaʞe would send word to the Panɥka wactaʞe, who would summon a Waɔaɔe and a Hañʞa uta¢antsi to act as his soldiers or policemen. Meantime the kettle of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe was hung over the fire as soon as possible and food was cooked and given to the fugitive. When he had eaten (a mouthful) he was safe. He could then go through the camp with impunity. This condition of affairs lasted as long as he remained with the tribe, but it terminated when he returned to his home. After food had been given to the fugitive by the Tsiɔu wactaʞe any prominent man of the tribe could invite the fugitive to a feast.

The privilege of taking care of the children was given to the Tsiɔu wactaʞe and the Panɥka wactaʞe, according to Saucy Chief. When a child (on the Tsiɔu side) is named, a certain old man is required to sing songs outside of the camp, dropping some tobacco from his pipe down on the toes of his left foot as he sings each song. On the first day the old man of the Tsiɔu (wactaʞe?) takes four grains of corn, one grain being black, another red, a third blue, and a fourth white, answering to the four kinds of corn dropped by the four buffalo, as mentioned in the tradition of the Osage. After chewing the four grains and mixing them with his saliva, he passes them between the lips of the child to be named. Four stones are put into a fire, one stone toward each of the four quarters. The Tsiɔu old man orders some cedar and a few blades of a certain kind of grass that does not die in winter, to be put aside for his use on the second day. On the second day, before sunrise, the Tsiɔu old man speaks of the cedar tree and its branches, saying, "It shall be for the children." Then he mentions the river, the deep holes in it, and its branches, which he declares shall be medicine in future for the children. He takes the four heated stones, places them in a pile, on which he puts the grass and cedar. Over this he pours water, making steam, over which the child is held. Then four names are given by the headman of the gens to the father, who selects one of them as the name for the child. Meantime men of different gentes bring cedar, stones, etc, and perform their respective ceremonies. The headman (Tsiɔu wactaʞe?) takes some of the water (into which he puts some cedar), giving four sips to the child. Then he dips his own left hand into the water and rubs the child down the left[pg 238] side, from the top of the head to the feet; next he rubs it in front, then down the right side, and finally down the back. He invites all the women of his gens who wish to be blessed to come forward, and he treats them as he did the infant. At the same time the women of the other gentes are blessed in like manner by the headmen of their respective gentes.