NI'-KI NO^'-K'O'' RITE (HEARING OF THE SAYINGS OF 

 THE ANCIENT MEN) 



(the SKVENTH DF.C.UKE of THK OSAGE UlTES) 



Tlio second Rit(\ hero presontiul is called by some of the <;:entos 

 Ni'-ki No"-k'()", Hearing of the Sayings of the Ancient Men, and by 

 other geutes Ni'-ki Wa-tho°, Songs of the Sayings of the Ancient Men. 



As has been previously pointed out (see introduction), this rite 

 deals with life in the abstract. It sets forth in particular the tribal 

 belief in the mysterious power known to the people as Wa-ko°'-da 

 antl of the conception concerning the close relationship between 

 Wa-ko°'-da and all celestial and terrestrial forms. 



Place of the Ni'-ki No''-k'o'* in the Order of the Rites 



The Osage rites are divided into seven ceremonial divisions that 

 partake of degrees. According to the statements of certain men 

 familiar with the tribal rites it appears that the various gentes of the 

 tribe do not follow in an initiation a single fixed order of the seven 

 divisions, but that each gens has its own order, which it observes inde- 

 pendently of the others. Whatever may be the differences in the 

 order of six of the degrees, the one about to be described is by all the 

 gentes placeil last, and thus becomes the seventh degree. 



The following example will illustrate this tribal custom: 



Order Fixed by the Tho-xe Gens 



1. Wa-xo'-be A-wa-tho", The Singing of the Wa-xo'-be Songs. (The 



Wa-xo'-be is the sacred hawk, the symbol of courage.) 



2. (,\i Tha-dse Ga-xe, The Making of the Rush Mat Shrine for the 



Sacred Hawk. 



3. Mo°'-sha-ko° U-gtho°, The Placing of the Sacred Burden-Strap 



Within.'^ 



4. No^'-zhi-'-zho" Wa-tho'', The Songs of the Vigil Rite. 

 .5. Wa-zhi°'-ga-o, The Rite of the Shooting of a Bird. 



6. Wa-do'-ka We-ko, The Call to the Ceremonial Distribution of 



Scalps. 



7. Ni'-ki Wa-tho°, Songs of the Sayings of the Ancient Men. 



1- No intimation is given as to what the words "placing within" refer to, but possibly they mean the 

 placing of the rite pertaining to the symbolic burden-strap within the list of the tribal rites. A man who 

 desires to honor his wife and to give her social standing, has a symbolic biirdea-strap ceremoniiilly made 

 for her. This sacred article she is enjoined to give a conspicuous place in her house— to the left of the door 

 if her father belongs to the Tsi'-zhu tribal division, or to the right of the door if her father belongs to the 

 Hon'-ga division. 



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