CONTENTS 



Page. 



Introduction 43 



Ancient home of the Osage 43 • 



Influence of traders 43 



Visit of Captain Kke 44 



Present home and condition of the Osage 44 



Rites given in this volume 47 



Symbolic organization of the tribe 51 



Gentile organization 51 



Gentes of the Ho^'-ga Great Division 52 



Wa-zha'-zhe Subdi\dsion 52 



Ho^'-ga Subdi\TBion 52 



Gtentes of the Tsi'-zhu Great Division 53 



Sacred fireplaces 53 



Sanctuaries 54 



Rituals presented in three forms 54 



Acknowledgments 55 



Part I. The Osage Tribal RrxES. Free Translation 



Rite of the chiefs 59 



Allegorical story of the organization 59 



Summary: Development of the military branch of the Government G5 



Civil government: Chieftainship and duties G7 



The Wa-xo'-be To"-ga, the Great Portable Shrine 71 



Initiation into the rite of the chiefs 73 



The Ki'-no", or ceremonial painting of the Xo'-ka 74 



Xo'ka Wi'-gi-e 74 



Wi'-gi-e of the Chief's vigil 84 



Wa-the'-tho, or ceremony of Sending 91 



Simultaneous recital of the wi'-gi-es of the gentes 92 



U-dse'-the A-do°-be, Keeper of the Fireplace 139 



Instructions to the wife of the Initiate 140 



The Mo'"-gthu-stse-dse (Arrow ceremony) 145 



The Too'-wo" A-do^-be (Overseer of the Village) 146 



Xi'-ki Xo^-lc'e" rite (Hearing of the Sajings of the Ancient Men) 152 



Place of the Ni'-ki Ko"-k'o° in the Order of the Rites 152 



Requirements for initiation 154 



Wa-the'-the, or ceremony of Sending 155 



Xi'-ki Wi'-gi-es 150 



Version of the Puma gens 157 



Deer songs 185 



Songs of setting up the house of mystery 198 



Songs of the gathering 200 



The Hi'-fa-da story of the Finding of the Foe 211 



Xi'-ki Wi'-gi-e, version of the Black Bear gens 219 



39 



