NI'-KI WI'-GI-ES OF THE TSI'-ZHU WA-NO'' AND THE TSI'- 

 ZHU WA-SHTA'-GE GENTES OF THE TSI'-ZHU DIVISION 



Ni'-Ki Wa-tiio'* of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-no" 



The Tsi'-zhu Wa-no" is the war gens of the fsi'-zhu tribal division 

 called by the Osage Tsi-zhu U-dse-the Pe-tho°-ba, The Tsi'-zhu who 

 Possess Seven Fireplaces. According to the mythical story of the 

 origin of the people of this division, the people came to a knowledge 

 of their existence as human beings within the sun, the place of their 

 origin. It was while the people of this division were still in the sun 

 that they estabhshed their Seven Fireplaces, an act that marked the 

 starting point of their traditions and tribal career. From the sun 

 they descended to the earth, upon which they were to make their 

 permanent abode. The manner of their descent, the story of their 

 subsequent movements which served as their guide in their cere- 

 monial life, were transmitted by the wi'-gi-e, entitled Wi'-gi-e 

 'fo^-ga, The Great Wi'-gi-e, a wi'-gi-e that forms the principal part 

 of this ritual and has for its theme the entrance of the people into 

 life — a life that touches all forms, including the sun and the earth. 

 This wi'-gi-e will be given in its proper place farther on. 



The Tsi'-zhu Wa-no° version of the Ni'-ki Wa-tho° as given by 

 Xu-tha'-wa-to"-i" (pi. 19), a member of that gens, is as follows: 



When a candidate has prepared himself to take the Ni'-ki Wa-tho° 

 degree of the war rites by securing certain symbolic articles, fees to 

 be paid to the Xo'-ka and other officials, and the provisions necessary 

 for entertaining the members of the order during the initiation, he 

 sends for the Sho'-ka of his gens. On the arrival of the Sho'-ka the 

 candidate hands to him a pipe and some tobacco, telling him at the 

 same time that he is ready to take the degree and that he is to go 

 after the Xo'-ka. The Sho'-ka fills tlie pipe with tobacco and carries 

 it to the house of the Xo'-ka and in presenting the pipe tells him 

 formally that the candidate is prepared to take the degree. The 

 Xo'-ka then takes a particle of the tobacco from the bowl of the 

 pipe and tosses it over his left shoulder; he takes a second piece and 

 tosses that over his right shoulder; the third piece he drops on his 

 left foot, the fourth on his right; and the fifth piece he offers to the 

 sky. The Xo'-ka then lights the pipe and takes a few whiffs as a 

 supplicatory act on behalf of his candidate, at the close of which he 

 follows the .Sho'-ka to the candidate's house. On entering anil taking 

 their places, the Xo'-ka instructs the Sho'-ka to assemble the No"'- 

 ho°-zhi°-ga of both the Tsi'-zhu and the Ho^'-ga tribal divisions. 

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