Osage Traditions

by J. Owen Dorsey

Edition 1, (October 4, 2006)

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.

[INTRODUCTION.]
[TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS.]
[UNŬn'U¢ÁʞE. TSÍOU WACTÁʞE ITÁPE.]
[UNŬn’ U¢ÁʞE. QÜ¢ÁPASAn ITÁPE.]
[CONCLUDING REMARKS.]

Illustrations

[FIG. 389. Symbolic chart of the Osage.]

[pg 377]

OSAGE TRADITIONS.

BY REV. J. OWEN DORSEY.

INTRODUCTION.

When the author visited the Osage, in the Indian Territory, in January, 1883, he learned of the existence of a secret society of seven degrees, in which, it was alleged, the traditions of the people have been preserved to the present time. Owing to the shortness of his visit, one month and eleven days, he was unable to gain more than fragmentary accounts of the society, including parts of two traditions, from several Osage who had been initiated.

The version of the first tradition was dictated to the author by Hada-ɔüʇse (Red Corn), a halfbreed Osage of the Tsíɔu wactáʞe gens. He obtained it from Sadeki¢e. Hada-ɔüʇse was adopted in childhood by a white man named Matthews, who sent him to a Jesuit college in Missouri(?) to be educated for the priesthood. But the boy left the institution after he had been taught to read and write, as he did not wish to become a priest. He took the name of William P. Matthews, but among his white associates he is known as Bill Nix. He has tried several occupations and is now an Indian doctor. The author was inclined at first to underrate Mr. Matthews's accomplishments and stock of information, but subsequently changed his opinion of him, as he obtained much that agreed with what had been furnished by members of other tribes in former years. Besides, the author obtained partial accounts of similar traditions from other Osage, who used the same chant which Hada-ɔüʇse had sung. None of the younger Osage men knew about these matters and the author was urged not to speak to them on this subject. He observed that several of the elder men, members of the secret order in which these traditions are preserved, had parts of the accompanying symbolic chart (Fig. 389) tattooed on their throats and chests. This chart is a fac simile of one that was drawn for the author by Hada-ɔüʇse. At the top we see a tree near a river. The tree is a cedar, called the tree of life. It has six roots, three on each side. Nothing is said about this tree till the speaker nearly reaches the end of the tradition. Then[pg 378] follows the "ceremony of the cedar." The tree is described very minutely. Then follows a similar account of the river and its branches.

FIG. 389. Symbolic chart of the Osage.

Just under the river, at the left, we see a large star, the Red or Morning Star. Next are six stars, Ta¢ad¢in. The Omaha know a similar group, which they call "Minxa si ʇañga," or "Large foot of a goose." Next is the Evening Star; and last comes the small star, "Mikak'ĕ-ɔiñʞa." Beneath these four we see the seven stars, or Pleiades (Mikak'ĕ udátse pé¢ŭnda, the Seven Gentes of Stars), between the Moon (on the left) and the Sun (on the right). Beneath these are the peace pipe (on the left) and the hatchet (on the right). A bird is seen hovering over the four upper worlds. These worlds are represented by four parallel horizontal lines, each of which, except the lowest one, is supported by two pillars. The lowest world rests on a red oak tree.

The journey of the people began at a point below the lowest upper world, on the left side of the chart. Then the people had neither human bodies nor souls, though they existed in some unknown manner.[pg 379] They ascended from the lowest upper world, on the left, to the highest. There they obtained human souls in the bodies of birds, according to Sadeki¢e. ʞahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa said that there they met a male red bird, to whom they appealed for aid. (See p. 383, line 18.) This was distinct from the female Red Bird, who gave them human bodies. They descended to the first world, and from that they traveled until they alighted on the red oak tree. (See p. 383, line 30.) The ground was covered with grass and other kinds of vegetation. Then the paths of the people separated: some marched on the left, being the peace gentes that could not take life; they subsisted on roots &c.; while those on the right killed animals. By and by the gentes exchanged commodities.

The small figures on the left, in going from the tree (on the right when facing the tree), show the heavenly bodies or beings to whom the Black Bear went for help, and those on the right, in going from the tree (on the left when facing the top of the chart), show similar bodies or beings to whom the Waɔaɔe or war gentes applied for assistance. These are unknown to the members of the Tsíɔu gentes. After the female red bird gave bodies to the Tsíɔu people, the Black Bear found seven skins, which were used for tents. Subsequently the people discovered four kinds of rocks, which were the In’qĕ sáde, or black rock; In’qĕ tṵhṵ,[1] or blue (green?) rock; In’qĕ ɔüʇse, or red rock; and In’qĕ skă, or white rock. Therefore, when a child is named, four stones are heated for the sweat bath. After finding the rocks, according to ʞahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa, four buffalo bulls approached the people, as one of the men was returning to the company. When the first bull arose after rolling on the ground, an ear of red corn and a red pumpkin fell from his left hind leg. The leader of the Tsíɔu wactáʞe noticed them, and asked his younger brother to pick them up and taste them. The leader of the Bald Eagle subgens did so. Then the elder brother said: "These will be good for the children to eat. Their limbs will stretch and increase in strength." When the second bull arose after rolling, an ear of spotted corn and a spotted pumpkin dropped from his left hind leg. These, too, were tasted and declared good for the children. When the third bull arose after rolling, an ear of dark corn and a dark (black?) pumpkin dropped from his left hind leg. From the left hind leg of the fourth buffalo dropped an ear of white corn and a white pumpkin. Therefore, when a child is named in the Tsíɔu gens (alone?) the head man of that gens (ʞahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa himself, according to his statement) takes a grain of each kind of corn and a slice of each variety of pumpkin, which he puts into the mouth of the infant. Hada-ɔüʇse knew that the four kinds of[pg 380] rocks were found, "but he could not say in what part of the tradition the account belonged. He said that subsequently the Waɔaɔe and Tsíɔu gentes came to the village of the Hañ'ʞa-utá¢anʇse, a very war-like people, who then inhabited earth lodges. They subsisted on animals, and bodies of all kinds lay around their village, making the air very offensive. The Tsíɔu succeeded at last in making peace with the Hañ'ʞa-utá¢anʇse. After this followed the part of the account given to the author by ʞahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa:

"After the council between the Tsíɔu, Waɔaɔe, and Hañ'ʞa-utá¢anʇse, two old men were sent off to seek a country in which all might dwell. One of these was a Tsíɔu wactáʞe and the other a Panɥka-wactáʞe. Each man received a pipe from the council and was told to go for seven days without food or drink. He carried a staff to aid him in walking. Three times a day he wept, in the morning, at noon, and near sunset. They returned to the people at the end of the seven days, being very thin. The report of the Tsíɔu man was accepted, so the Tsíɔu gens is superior to the Panɥka-wactáʞe or Watsetsi. A Waɔaɔe man acted as crier and told all about the new home of the nation. All the old men decorated their faces with clay. The next morning the two old men who had gone in search of the new home led their respective sides of the nation, who marched in parallel roads. When they reached the land the policemen ran around in a circle, just as they do previous to starting to war. The Waɔaɔe man ran around from right to left and the ¢uqe man from left to right. At different stations the two old leaders addressed the people. Finally the men took sharp pointed sticks, which they stuck into the ground, each one saying 'I wish my lodge to be here.' The next day the Cuka or messenger of the Tsíɔu old man went to summon the Elk crier. The latter was ordered to make a proclamation to all the people, as follows: 'They say that you must remove to-day! Wakanʇa has made good weather! They say that you must remove today to a good land!' In those days the Osage used dogs instead of horses. When the old Tsíɔu man made his speech, he went into details about every part of a lodge, the fireplace, building materials, implements, &c. Four sticks were placed in the fireplace, the first pointing to the west. When this was laid down, the Tsíɔu leader spoke about the West Wind, and also about a young buffalo bull (Tseʇu’-ɔiñʞa), repeating the name Wani’e-skă. When the stick at the north was laid down, he spoke of Tsehe quʇse (gray buffalo horns) or a buffalo bull. When the stick at the east was laid down he spoke of Tseʇuʞa tañʞa (a large buffalo bull). On laying down the fourth stick at the south, he spoke of Tse minʞa (a buffalo cow). At the same time a similar ceremony was performed by the aged Panɥka man on the right side of the tribe.[2]

"In placing the stick to the east, Taʇse ʞaqpa tsĕ, The East Wind, and Tahe cade, Dark-Horned Deer, were mentioned; to the north, Taʇse Pasan tsĕ, The North Wind, and The Deer with gray horns were mentioned; to the west, Taʇse Man'ha tsĕ, The West Wind, and an animal which makes a lodge and is with the Tahe pasiʞe were mentioned; to the south, T]aʇse Ak'a tsĕ, The South Wind, and Ta wañka he aʞ¢aɔĭ skutañʞa were mentioned."[3]

ʞahiʞe-waʇayiñʞa gave no further information, as a reported case of smallpox near the agency led the author to start for the East February 21, 1883. Since then he has learned of the existence of similar societies among the Kansa and the Ponka, and he suspects that there were formerly such societies among the Omaha.[4]

TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS.

In presenting the accompanying traditions, the following abbreviations are used in the interlinear translations:

an., animate.
cv., curvilinear.
du., dual.
in., inanimate.
mv., moving.
ob., object.
pl., plural.
recl., reclining.
sing., singular.
st., sitting.
std., standing.
sub., subject.

UNŬn'U¢ÁʞE. TSÍOU WACTÁʞE ITÁPE.

(Tradition of the Tsíɔu wactáʞe gens.)[5]

1 | Ɔiñʞa | weháʞi¢e[6]: | ádintaú, | Tsiká![7]

| Child | last | he really said | O grandfather!

6 | Ĕʇsíqtsi | níkacíʞa-dáɔĭ[10]: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Just there | they were not human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ĕʇsíqtsi | níkacíʞa-dáɔĭ: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Just there | they were not human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

12 | Ɔiñ’ʞa | ɔuíʞa | añʞúʞiʇsé tatsé: ádintaú, Tsiká!

| Ĕʇsíqtsi | níkacíʞa-dáɔĭ: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Just there | they were not human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

18 | Ĕʇsíqtsi | níkacíʞa é[12]: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Just there | they were human beings | he really said | O grandfather!

| Káxe-wáhü-san[13] | ¢é-na: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Crow bone white | he who was mv. in the past | he really said | O grandfather!

33 | ¢útsi naɔin’ | é | e¢ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Came directly to him and stood | he said | indeed, he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wiɔin¢é: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | elder brother! | he really said | O grandfather!

42 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

54 | Cŭnŭnckítá | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wítsiʞué | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

60 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wítsiʞué | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

66 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wítsiʞué | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

72 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wítsiʞué! | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

78 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Há, | wítsiʞué! | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Ho | grandfather! | he really said | O grandfather!

84 | Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢a¢é tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Ĕ’ʇsi | hi’ naɔin’ añká: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| There | he arrived and was standing | he really said | O grandfather!

The rest of this tradition was not obtained.

Translation.

The following translation is arranged in lines to correspond to the lines in the original text:

1 The first of the race
Was saying, "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies.
3 "We shall seek bodies for our children.
"Ho, younger brother! you shall attend to it."
They reached one upper world and stood.
6 There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
9 They reached the second upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
12 "We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the third upper world and stood.
There they were not human beings.
15 "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must seek bodies for our children."
They reached the fourth upper world and stood.
18 There they became human beings.
Still, the children were without (human) bodies.
"We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
21 They returned to the third upper world and stood.
The children were really without bodies.
"Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
24 "We must continue to seek bodies for our children."
They returned to the second upper world and stood.
The children did not find bodies for themselves.
27 "Ho, younger brother! the children have no bodies," he was saying.
"We must make an examination awhile longer."
They returned to the first upper world and stood.
30 They came to a red oak and were standing on it.
On a very fine day they came hither and stood.
Kaxe-wahü-san (the Black Bear), who was then moving,
33 Came directly to them and stood.
"Ho, elder brother!" (said the Black Bear.)
"You shall continue to burn my feet for me."
36 "Ho, Kaxe-wahü-san!" was he (the Tsiɔu) saying.
Kaxe-wahü-san went to the star Watse-ʇuʞa.
"Ho, grandfather!" he was saying.
39 "The children have no bodies."
Watse-ʇuʞa replied, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
42 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then Kaxe-wahü-san went to the star Watse-minʞa.
[pg 389] 44 "Ho, grandmother!" he said;
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
48 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of day.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
51 "The children have no bodies."
Said he, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
54 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the mysterious one of night.
"Ho, grandfather!" said he;
57 "The children have no bodies, grandfather!"
The Moon replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
60 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Pleiades, saying,
"Ho, grandfathers!
63 "The children have no bodies."
One of these replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
66 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the constellation called Three Deer.
"Ho, grandfather," said he;
69 "The children have no bodies."
The latter replied, "Can I give the children bodies?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
72 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Morning Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
75 "The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
78 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
Then he went to the Small Star, saying,
"Ho, grandfather!
81 "The children have no bodies."
The star replied, "Can I give bodies to the children?
"I am not the only mysterious one;
84 "You shall attend to it awhile longer."
The female Red Bird, who had been moving, was sitting on her nest.
To her he came, saying,
87 "Ho, grandmother!
"The children have no bodies."
She replied, "I can cause your children to have (human) bodies from my own,
90 "My left wing shall be a left arm for the children.
"My right wing shall be a right arm for them.
"My head shall be a head for them.
93 "My mouth shall be a mouth for them.
"My forehead shall be a forehead for them.
"My neck shall be a neck for them.
96 "My throat shall be a throat for them.
"My chest shall be a chest for them.
[pg 390] 98 "My bowels shall be bowels for them.
"My thighs shall be thighs for them.
"My knees shall be knees for them.
"The calves of my legs shall be calves of their legs.
102 "My heels shall be their heels.
"My toes shall be their toes.
"My claws shall be their toenails.
105 "You shall continue to exist without any cause of destruction for your race.
"Your children shall live as human beings.
"The speech (or breath) of children will I bestow on your children."

UNŬn’ U¢ÁʞE. QÜ¢ÁPASAn ITÁPE.

(Tradition of the Bald Eagle subgens.)[20]

| ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| he really said | O grandfather!

| Káxe-wáhü-san | tsi’ nacin’: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Káxe-wáhü-san | came and stood | he really said | 0 grandfather!

| Tsiká!

| O grandfather!

| Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢acé tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Tsiká!

| O grandfather!

| Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢acé tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

| Tsiká!

| O grandfather!

| Cŭn’ŭnckíta | úʇande¢acé tatsé: | ádintaú, | Tsiká!

| Awhile longer | you shall attend to it | he really said | O grandfather!

Contents

Illustrations

OSAGE TRADITIONS.

INTRODUCTION.

TRADITIONS OF THE ELDERS.

UNŬn'U¢ÁʞE. TSÍOU WACTÁʞE ITÁPE.

UNŬn’ U¢ÁʞE. QÜ¢ÁPASAn ITÁPE.