THE OSAGE TRIBE 



By Francis La Flesche 



INTRODUCTION 



Ancient Home of the Osage 



According to data gathered from the brief references to the Osage 

 people made by the early travelers it appears that during the seven- 

 teenth century these Indians were living on the banks of the Little 

 Osage near its confluence with the main Osage River. Marquette 

 (1673) was the first traveler to mention the Osage. He did not visit 

 the people in their villages, but, guided by information obtained from 

 inenibei"s of other tribes, ho located the Osage upon his map as living 

 at the head of the river bearing their name. How long prior to that 

 time the Osages had made that particular locality their home, held 

 it and the surrounding country b}' their valor while they lived upon 

 its natural products, is not known, but it is certain that for more than 

 a century since this first mention of them they had made this 

 place their fixed abode. From this locality thoy went forth u])on 

 their hunting excursions and to this spot they returned. From here 

 their war parties, both great aiid small, started when they went against 

 their enemies, and when the fighting was over the war parties came 

 back to this place. It was here that all their various ancient tribal 

 ceremonies were held, and the hills that surrounded their villages were 

 hallowed to the people by the graves of their ancestors, who were 

 always remembered in the daily orisons of the tribe. 



Influence of Traders 



As trading relationship was established with the Osage by the 

 Spanish and French tradei^s they introduced among the people woven 

 goods, such as blankets and strouding, also implements of iron, which 

 changed to a large extent the native industries and even crept into 

 the ancient ceremonials of the tribe. No serious interference, how- 

 ever, was made in the social organization of the Osage until there 

 came about a trade rivalry between certain traders, who, to further 

 their own enterprises, recognized as chiefs certain influential and 

 ambitious men who were not within the established order of chieftain- 

 ship. In this way a breach was made in the tribal organization — an 



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