mallerv] TRADITIONS — OSAGE CHART. 85 



The tree at the top represents the tree of life. By this flows a river. 

 The tree and the river are described later in the degrees. When a 

 woman is initiated she is required by the head of her gens to take four 

 sips of water (symbolizing the river), then he rubs cedar on the palms 

 of his hands, with which he rubs her from head to foot. If she belongs 

 to a gens on the left side of the tribal circle, her chief begins on the left 

 side of her head, making three passes, and pronouncing the sacred name 

 of Deity three times. Then he repeats the process from her forehead 

 down ; then on the right side of her head ; then at the back of her head; 

 four times three times, or twelve passes in all. 



Beneath the river are the following objects: The Watse iiuira, male 

 slaying animal (?), or morning star, which is a red star. 2. Six stars 

 called the "Elm rod " by the white people in the Indian Territory. 3. 

 The evening star. 4. The little star. Beneath these are the moon, 

 seven stars, and sun. Under the seven stars are the peace pipe and 

 war hatchet, the latter is close to the sun, and the former and the moon 

 are on the same side of the chart. Four parallel lines extending across 

 the chart, represent four heavens or upper worlds through which the 

 ancestors of the Tsiou people passed before they came to this earth. The 

 lowest heaven rests on an oak tree : the ends of the others appear to be 

 supported by pillars or ladders. The tradition, according to Sadeki<f,e, 

 begius below the lowest heaven, on the left side of the chart, under the 

 peace pipe. Each space on the pillar corresponds with a line of the 

 cbant; and each stanza (at the opening of the tradition) oontaius four 

 lines. The first stanza precedes the arrival of the first heaven, pointing 

 to a time when tbe children of the " former end " of the race were with- 

 out human bodies as well as human souls. The bird hovering over the 

 arch denotes an advance in the condition of the people ; then they had 

 human souls in the bodies of birds. Then followe d the progress from 

 the fourth to the first heaven, followed by the descent to earth. The 

 ascent to four heavens and the descent to three, makes up the number 

 seven. 



The tree on which the Tsiou was called pu-siihii, jack oak, or a sort 

 of a red oak. When they alighted, it was on a beautiful day when the 

 earth was covered with luxuriant vegetation. From that time the paths 

 of the Osages separated; some marched on the right, being the war 

 gentes, while those on the left were peace gentes, including the Tsiou, 

 whose chart this is. 



Then the Tsiou met the black bear, called Kaxe-wahu-sa 11 ' in the tra- 

 dition. Kaxe wahii-sa n/ , Crow-bone-white in the distance. He offered 

 to become their messenger, so they sent him to the different stars for 

 aid. According to the chart he went to them in the following order: 

 Morning star, sun, moon, seven stars, evening star, little star ; but, ac- 

 cording to the chant related, they were as follows: Watse ^UTja (morn- 

 ing star) ; Watse nii n jpi (female animal that slays another star) ; Ha n - 

 pa;a u -Wakan^a (Wakanda or Deity during the day, the sun) ; Wa- 



