50 THE OSAGE TRIBE Ikth. ann. 36 



Other writers of those early times have also mentioned this custom 

 of devotions, but none of them with the human sympathy and under- 

 standing manifested by Thomas Asche, Governor Miller, and Isaac 

 McCoy. Kecontly an Omaha Indian, in speaking of the Osages, said: 



My father and I visited them when they had moved to their new reservation (in 

 the early seventies). Before sunrise in the morning following the first night of our 

 visit I was awakened by the noise of a great wailing. I arose and went out. As far 

 as I could see men, women, and children were standing in front of the doors of their 

 houses weeping. My parents explained to me that it was the custom of the people to 

 cry to Wa-ko°'-da morning, noon, and evening. When I understood the meaning of 

 the cry I soon learned not to be startled by the noise. 



Such was the manner in which the Osage kept in touch with Wa- 

 ko^'-da, whom they believed to be present in all things. To-day the 

 voices of only a few old men like Ku '-zhi-wa-tse and ^o^-dse'-ko^-ha 

 can be heard in the summer mornings appealing to the All-eon- 

 trolling Power. 



There is another rite to which a number of the mixed-bloods and 

 all of the fuU-bloods still cling, a rite which seems to have escaped 

 the notice of travelers. It is the ceremonial bestowal of a gentile 

 name upon a child. The giving of the gentile name installs the 

 child in his proper place in the tribal organization and entitles him 

 to recognition as a person. The ceremonies of this rite are suppUca- 

 tory, inasmuch as they are an appeal for help that the little one 

 may successfully reach maturity, even to old age, and that he may 

 be blessed with an abundance of the foods necessary to his comfort 

 and existence. Parents who love their children (and all do) make 

 many personal sacrifices in order to have their children given a 

 proper place in the tribe and blessed with a long and fruitful life. 



Trifling is frowned upon and is not permitted in the ceremonies. 

 If a mistake occurs, which under ordinary circumstances would pro- 

 voke merriment, such an incident is ignored and the exerci-es are 

 continued with due solemnity. The tribal rites of the Osage, all of 

 which deal with serious matters, have been kept pure and free from 

 meaningless, vulgar tales, such as are found among civilized as well 

 as uncivihzed peoples. 



The thoughts of the ancient seers, the continual theme of which 

 is life, are given expression not only in formulated rites, but also in 

 symbols which are often more expressive than words. The tribal 

 organization, for instance, symbohcally expresses the idea con- 

 ceived by those old men, that the part of the universe visible to 

 them is a great unit; also that life issues from the combined force 

 and influence of the various bodies that compose the unit. This 

 expression is emphasized in the recited parts of some of the rituals 

 of the tribal rites which tell of the descent of the people from the 

 sky to take possession of the earth and make it their abode. In 

 the rituals those old men have even gone so far as to personify and 



