244 THE OSAGE TKIBE. [eth. ann.39 



The Wailing Ceremony. 



When all the No°'-h(>"-zhi"-ga have taken their places the Sho'-ka, 

 in obedience to the instructions from the A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka, places in 

 the hands of the candidate a pipe, at the same time giving him 

 directions as to the ceremony he is to perform. This done, the 

 candidate goes to the eastern end of the line of No'''-ho"-zhi"-ga on 

 the Ho"'-ga side and, placing the sacred pipe upon the head of the 

 first man, begins to wail at the top of his voice, and every No"'- 

 ho"-zhi"-ga on both sides of the house begins to recite the wi'-gi-e 

 of his gens relating to the animal skins that symbolize courage and 

 strength. The candidate passes from one member to the other 

 placing the pipe upon the heatl of each one, while the women mem- 

 bers of the order join him in the wailing. When the candidate 

 reaches the western end of the line he crosses over to the north side 

 and continues his wailing and the placing of the pipe on the head of 

 each member on that side. If he reaches the end of the line before 

 the closing of the recitation of the wi'-gi-e he must continue to wail 

 as he stands there until the last man has finished his recital. This 

 act of the candidate is an appeal to the No^'-ho^-zhi^-ga for sym- 

 pathy and for the faithful performance of their part of the ceremony 

 in order that he may become possessed of the same com-age and 

 strength bestowed upon the animals, sacred to the ceremony. 



The No^-ni' A-tha-shu-dse ceremony of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge 

 gens differs from that of the In-gtho"'-ga and the Tho'-Xe gentes in 

 the number of the animals used as symbols of courage and strength. 

 The I"-gtho°'-ga and the Tho'-xe use seven (see p. 46): 



1. I°-gtho°'-gthe-zhe, the mottled lynx. 



2. Sho°'-ge hi" to, the gray wolf. 



3. I°-gtho"'-ga do-ga, the male puma. 



4. Wa-fa'-be do-ga, the male black bear. 



5. Wa-dsu'-ta to°-ga, the buffalo bull. 



6. Wa-dsu'-ta stse-dse, the elk. 



7. Wa-dsu'-ta zhi"-ga, the deer. 



The Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge gens use but fom- of the above, namely: 



1. I°-gtho"'-gthe-zhe, the mottled lynx. 



2. Sho^'-ge hi" to, the gray wolf. 



3. Wa-fa'-be do-ga, the male black bear. 



4. I"-gtho°'-ga do-ga, the male puma. 



No explanation could be olitained as to why the fsi'-zhu 

 Wa-shta'-ge omit from their ritual the last three of the group of 

 seven animals used to symbolize courage. Sho^'-ge-mo"-!" and other 

 members of the gens, when questioned about this omission, gave the 

 vague and unsatisfactory reply that their gens had no war ritual, 

 but it used that belonging to the other gentes in a modified form. 



