INTRODUCTION

The two versions of the Osage Child-naming Rite recorded in this volume were obtained with considerable difficulty, owing to the reluctance of the people to speak of the sacred rites that were formulated by the Ni´-ḳa Xu-be, Holy Men, of long ago. This unwillingness to speak of the tribal rites, excepting in the prescribed ceremonial way, arose from a sense of reverence for things sacred and from the belief that within the rites, and in the articles dedicated to religious use, there resides a mystic power which could punish, by supernatural means, the persons who speak irreverently of the rites and put to profane use the symbolic articles.

In the early part of the life of the Osage, according to tradition, the people kept together for protection and moved about without tribal or gentile organizations, a condition which they termed “gani´-tha,” which may be freely translated as, without law or order.

It was in those days that a group of men fell into the habit of gathering together, from time to time, to exchange ideas concerning the actions of the sun, moon, and stars which they observed move within the sky with marvelous precision, each in its own given path. They also noticed, in the course of their observations, that the travelers in the upper world move from one side of the sky to the other without making any disturbances in their relative positions, and that with these great movements four changes take place in the vegetal life of the earth which they agreed was effected by the actions of some of the heavenly travelers. These seasonal changes they named Be, Do-ge´, Ṭoⁿ, and Ba´-the (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter).

The delving into the mysteries of the universe by this group of men, which was carried on for a long period of time, was primarily for the purpose of finding, if possible, the place from which comes all life.

The seasonal changes upon the earth which appear to accompany the movements of the sun and other cosmic bodies suggested to these men the existence between sky and earth of a procreative relationship, an idea which fixed itself firmly in their minds. It fitted their notion that the earth was related to and influenced by all of the great bodies that move around within the sky. However, they were not satisfied that these celestial bodies move without the guidance of some governing power, and they continued their search and their discussions. Then, in course of time, there crept into the minds of these men, who became known as the “Little Old Men,” the thought that a silent, invisible creative power pervades the sun, moon and stars and the earth, gives to them life, and keeps them eternally in motion and perfect order. This creative power which to their minds was the source of life they named Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da, Mysterious Power, and sometimes E-a´-wa-woⁿ a-ka, The Causer of Our Being.

These ideas are given expression in that part of the child-naming rite where the initiated members of two gentes are first called to enter the house in which the ceremonies are to take place. One of these gentes, the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, Peaceful Ṭsi´-zhu, represents the sky with its sun, moon, and stars, and the other, the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge, Peaceful Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, represents the earth with its waters and dry land. The house itself then becomes a symbol of the sky which encompasses the sun, moon, stars, and the earth. Thus the house, the two gentes and all the others who enter it to take part in the rite become, collectively, a symbol of the universe wherein life manifests itself by taking on an infinite variety of bodily forms. The whole ceremony is an expression of a longing desire that Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da who dwells in the universe will favor the little one who is to be named with a long life and an endless line of descendants.

The men who recorded the two versions of the Osage child-naming rite were typical full-blood Indians, neither of them spoke the English language, and nothing in all that they have given suggests foreign influence. Wa-xthi´-zhi (pl. 1) was a man of an inquiring mind. He did not hesitate to ask of his initiators the meaning of the parts of the rituals which he did not fully understand. He learned much from his father, who was well versed in the ancient tribal rites.

Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ (pl. 2) did not have these advantages, but he had a retentive mind and what he committed to memory of the rites was sufficient to him. He did not insist upon being informed as to the meaning of the parts of the rites that were obscure to him.

I am indebted to Mr. Vince Dillon, of Fairfax, Okla., for permitting me to use a photograph he had made of two little Osages showing symbolic hair cut of one of them. Also to Joe Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ for the loan of a photograph of his two daughters. Joe is the son of Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ, who recorded the second version of the child-naming ceremony.

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CHILD-NAMING RITUALS

To a self-respecting Osage husband and wife, the ceremonial naming of their first three sons and their first three daughters is of the utmost importance. The couple regard the performing of the ceremony as a sacred duty to their children which must never be neglected.

Each of these sons and daughters must be named according to the rites prescribed by the ancient Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga. Until the ceremonial naming the child has no place in the gentile organization, and it is not even regarded as a person.

Every one of these three sons and three daughters has a special kinship term which can be used only by the father, the mother, and the nearest relatives. These special kinship terms, as observed in their sequence, are as follows:

Sons	Daughters
Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´.	Mi´-noⁿ.
Kshoⁿ´-ga.	Wi´-he.
Ḳa´-zhiⁿ-ga.	Çi´-ge or A-çiⁿ´-ga.

All the sons born after the third one are Ḳa´-zhiⁿ-ga, and all the daughters born after the third one, Çi´-ge or A-çiⁿ´-ga.

To each of the first six children belongs a distinctive gentile personal name, spoken of as: iⁿ-gthoⁿ´ zha-zhe (Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´ name), mi´-noⁿ zha-zhe (Mi´-noⁿ name), etc. These names must always be ceremonially conferred upon the newly born child. All the other sons and daughters are named without any formality because the ceremony performed for the Ḳa´-zhiⁿ-ga and the Çi´-ge serves for the other children that may follow. These distinctive gentile names may be designated as gentile birth names.

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BIRTH NAMES OF THE PUMA GENS

The gentile birth names of the Puma gens, as given by Wa-xthi´-zhi, are as follows:

The First Three Sons

1. Mi´-wa-ga-xe, Child-of-the-sun. This name is commemorative of the talk that took place between the “Little Ones” and the Sun when they went to him to ask for aid as they were about to come to the earth, their future home. In asking for aid, the “Little Ones” addressed the Sun as grandfather, and the Sun, in reply, said to them: “It is true that you are my children.” Hence the name, Mi´-wa-ga-xe, Child-of-the-sun. The name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 41, lines 24 to 27.)

2. I´-e-çka-wa-the, Giver-of-speech. The Sun also gave to the “Little Ones” the power of expressing their thoughts by speech, and the skill in arranging their words so that they can be clearly understood. When a person speaks intelligently he is spoken of as i´-e-wa-çka, a clear speaker. The children are given the name I´-e-çka-wa-the as a recognition of this great gift from the Sun. The name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 41, line 34.)

The story of the introduction of this name, as told by the Black Bear gens in their Ni´-ḳi Ritual, differs from the Puma version of the story. (See p. 228, 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., lines 238 to 304.)

3. Moⁿ´-ga-xe, Arrow-maker. At the same time that the Sun gave to the “Little Ones” the gift of speech he gave to them a finished arrow so that when they came to dwell upon the earth they could make arrows like it and use them for defending themselves against enemies and for killing animals to use for food. The name is mentioned in the Puma Naming Ritual. (See p. 42, line 44.)

The First Three Daughters

1. Moⁿ´-ca-ṭse-xi, Sacred Arrowshaft. The name Moⁿ´-ca-ṭse-xi refers to the ray of light which was given by the Sun to the “Little Ones” for use as an arrowshaft. This shaft had the quality of unerring precision which excited the wonder of the “Little Ones.” It was to them a mysterious arrowshaft. The name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 41, line 29.)

2. Moⁿ-zhoⁿ´-op-she-wiⁿ, Woman-who-travels-over-the-earth. This name refers to the ever recurring westward movement of the moon over the earth. The name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 41, line 39.)

3. Noⁿ´-mi-ṭse-xi, Beloved-child-of-the-sun. This name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 42, line 49.)

Another name follows that of the third son in the ritual, Iⁿ-shta´-sha-be, Dark-eyes, and is a Ḳa´-zhiⁿ-ga name. The name is mentioned in the Naming Ritual of the Puma gens. (See p. 42, line 54.)

The name E-noⁿ´-gi-tha-bi, The Favorite, follows that of the third daughter, and is a Çi´-ge name. This name is not mentioned in the ritual. Wa-xthi´-zhi said the fourth daughter is the favored one because if the first three should fail to bring forth children the parents would cherish the hope that their fourth daughter will give them grandchildren.

Sky Names

The distinctive birth names of the Puma gens, mentioned above, are spoken of as sky names, to distinguish them from the common gentile names. These birth names are said to have originated in the sky when the “Little Ones” were about to descend to the earth to take upon themselves bodily form. Some of these names refer to important events that came to pass before the descent from the sky to the earth. Earth names were also used by both the Puma and the Black Bear gentes. These names will be referred to later.

Every Osage gens has its own version of the tribal Child-naming Ritual. The versions belonging to the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga (Puma) gens of the Hoⁿ´-ga great division and that belonging to the Ṭsi´-zhu great division have been secured and are given below in detail.

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CHILD-NAMING RITUAL OF THE PUMA GENS
(Wa-xthi´-zhi)

When a man of the Puma gens is prepared for the ceremonial naming of his newly born son he sends for the Sho´-ḳa (official messenger) of his gens. On the arrival of the Sho´-ḳa the father puts before him his customary fee of a blanket or blue cloth and a little pipe which he must carry as his official badge. The father of the child then orders the Sho´-ḳa to go and call the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Puma, the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, and the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge gentes. The Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge is the Peace gens of the Ṭsi´-zhu great tribal division, and the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge the Peace gens of the Hoⁿ´-ga great tribal division. Prominence was given, in this ceremony, to these two gentes because they are the favored people of the sun and the unclouded sky, the most sacred of the cosmic forces. Through these two favored gentes the blessings of peace and long life are invoked for the child to be named and formally given its place in the tribal unit.

The Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of these three gentes assemble in the evening at the house of the father who, in a formal speech, makes known to them the purpose of the summons. Then the heads of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge and the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge gentes direct the Sho´-ḳa to go and call the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the following gentes to assemble at the house of the father on the next morning:

Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ, Wa-ça´-be-ṭoⁿ and the O´-poⁿ, of the Hoⁿ´-ga subdivision; Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge, Ho´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga, Wa-zha´-zhe Çka and the Ṭa´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga of the Wa-zha´-zhe subdivision; Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ, Mi-k’iⁿ´ Wa-noⁿ and the Tho´-xe of the Ṭsi´-zhu great division.

The Sho´-ḳa, as he goes on this errand, does not neglect the little pipe, his official badge.

Ḳi´-no^N—Ceremony of Decorating the Xo´-ḳa

Before sunrise of the following day the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Puma gens assemble at the house of the member who had been appointed by the father to act as Xo´-ḳa in the ceremony. When all the members had taken their places the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa (master of ceremonies) recites the wi´-gi-e relating to the symbolic articles with which the Xo´-ḳa is to be decorated. The wi´-gi-e is accompanied by certain ceremonial acts performed by an assistant. The first section of the wi´-gi-e relates to the red dawn, the beginning of the life of day. The assistant, who has put red paint on the palms of his hands, spreads them out toward the dawn that is reddening the eastern sky. When the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa reaches the fourth line the assistant paints red the face of the Xo´-ḳa. Then, as the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa goes on to the second section the assistant takes up a white, downy feather (pl. 3, b), taken from the under covert of an eagle’s tail, and holds it poised over the Xo´-ḳa’s head. When the twelfth line of the wi´-gi-e is reached the assistant quickly fastens the feather to the scalplock of the Xo´-ḳa. This feather symbolizes one of the two white shafts of light that may be seen at either side of the sun as it rises through the fading color of the dawn. Each of these two shafts symbolizes a never-ending life. The one at the right belongs to the Hoⁿ´-ga great division and the one at the left to the Ṭsi´-zhu great division. At the beginning of the third section of the wi´-gi-e the assistant rubs in the palms of his hands a bit of buffalo fat, then holds his outspread hands poised over the Xo´-ḳa’s head. When the twentieth line is reached he anoints the Xo´-ḳa’s hair with the oil, an act by which is expressed the wish that the child whom the Xo´-ḳa represents shall always be abundantly supplied with food of all kinds.

At the fourth section of the wi´-gi-e the assistant takes up a necklace of beads, or a narrow woven band, to which is attached a shell gorget (pl. 3, a) and holds it in readiness. When the twenty-sixth line is reached he puts the necklace upon the neck of the Xo´-ḳa so that the gorget hangs upon his breast. This gorget typifies the Sun, whose life endures forever.

Ḳi´-no^N Wi´-gi-e
(FREE TRANSLATION)

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Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi and the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge Gentes

As the ceremony of decorating the Xo´-ḳa goes on, the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga members of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge gens, followed, by those of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens, go to the house of the father of the child to be named, and enter to take their places, those of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi at the east end on the south side and those of the Ṭsi´-zhu at the east end on the north side. (Fig. 1.) The house then becomes the home of these two gentes for the time being and for the purposes of the ceremony. The Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi is the Peace gens of the Hoⁿ´-ga great tribal division, its life symbol is the water portion of the earth. The hereditary chief of the Hoⁿ´-ga division was chosen from this gens. The Ṭsi´-zhu is the Peace gens of the Ṭsi´-zhu great division. Its life symbol is the clear blue sky. The hereditary chief of the Ṭsi´-zhu great division was chosen from this gens.

Ṭsi Ṭa´-p̣e (Approach to the House)

The purpose of the Ḳi´-noⁿ ceremony is to prepare the Xo´-ḳa who represents the child to be named to approach in the prescribed manner the house wherein sit the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi and the Ṭsi´-zhu gentes, the first representing the life-giving power of water and the latter the life-giving power of the sun whose abode is in the great blue sky. The Xo´-ḳa is to come to the sacred house as a suppliant for a full and complete life, uninterrupted by diseases or accidents, and for an endless line of descendants. The ceremonial approach of the Xo´-ḳa to the sacred house is called Ṭsi Ṭa´-p̣e (Ṭsi, house; Ṭa´-p̣e, approach), as to a place of refuge.

At the close of the Ḳi´-noⁿ ceremony the Xo´-ḳa wraps about his body a buffalo robe, hair outside, and thus clothed in his sacerdotal attire he goes out of his own house to make his processional approach to the sacred house, following his Sho´-ḳa who precedes him in the march. After the manner of all suppliants who approach Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da, the Xo´-ḳa carries with him a little pipe with which to make a smoke offering to that mysterious power that controls all life. The Xo´-ḳa and the Sho´-ḳa, on their solemn approach to the House of Mystery, keep a certain distance apart. When they have gone some 40 or 50 paces they make a pause and the Xo´-ḳa sings the following song, after which he recites the first section of the wi´-gi-e called Wa´-çi-thu-çe Wi´-gi-e (Footstep Wi´-gi-e). The song precedes each of the four sections of the wi´-gi-e:

Footstep Song and Wi´-gi-e

WI´-GI-E

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The words of the processional song:

are addressed to the child upon whom is to be conferred his personal, gentile name, and who is to be given his place in the Puma gens into which he was born. The star referred to in the song is the sun, the greatest life symbol of the Puma gens.

In the first section of the “Footstep Wi´-gi-e,” which the Xo´-ḳa recites as he makes his processional approach to the House of Mystery, the sun is referred to as the “Male Star.” The first line of the wi´-gi-e, “Toward what shall the little ones take their footsteps,” implies that much thought was given by the ancient Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga to the question as to the places where prayers for aid for the attainment of long life should be directed. The lines that follow imply that the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga had finally arrived at the belief that if the “Little Ones” go with their prayers to the “Male Star,” the sun, they would find the way by which they could reach old age. The authors of these peculiar rites in speaking of long life did not only mean the attainment of old age by the child but they also meant the continuity of its life by procreation.

In the second section of the wi´-gi-e the moon is referred to as the “Female Star.” The same form that is used for the sun is also used for the moon. The pairing of these two great cosmic bodies in this wi´-gi-e suggests a procreative relationship between the two. The last two sections of the wi´-gi-e are repetitions of the first two. These repetitions are made in order to complete the mystic number four. The moon, referred to in the second section as the female star, is the life symbol of the Wa-ça´-be, or the Black Bear gens.

When the Xo´-ḳa have finished reciting the first section of the Footstep Wi´-gi-e, which speaks of the approach of the little ones to the sun, he and the Sho´-ḳa continue their march. Again they pause and the Xo´-ḳa recites the second section which tells of the approach of the little ones toward the moon seeking for long life. The fourth pause brings them to the door of the House of Mystery, which they enter, followed by the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa and the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Puma gens who are to give their child a place in the visible universe. They take their place at the east end of the lodge where sit the father and mother with the child. The Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga who had been called to take part in the ceremony also enter and take their fixed places, those belonging to the Hoⁿ´-ga great division at the south side and those of the Ṭsi´-zhu great division at the north side of the lodge. (Fig. 1.)

The Wa-the´-the Ceremony

When all the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga have become settled in their places, according to gentes, the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa proceeds with the ceremonial acts called Wa-the´-the, which, translated literally, means, The Sending; that is, the sending of a fee of a blanket or other article of value to each, head of the gentes taking part in the child-naming ceremony. It is understood by these ceremonial acts that the members of the gens to whose head is sent a fee are requested to recite the wi´-gi-e relating to the Life Symbol of their gens. Each article is received from the hands of the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa by the Sho´-ḳa who delivers it to the head of the gens for whom it is sent.

Wa-xthi´-zhi, who gives this child-naming ritual of his gens, the Puma, when acting as A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa, sends the fees in the following order:

Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge: Fee, with a red downy eagle feather, symbolizing the sun. The members of the gens will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the life-giving power of the sun. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 124, lines 1 to 177.)

Wa-ça´-be: Fee; will recite the Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ Wi´-gi-e, Name Wi´-gi-e of the gens. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 228, lines 238 to 304.) The Wa-ça´-be and the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga gentes are closely related and one acts as Sho´-ḳa for the other in their ceremonies of initiation into the mysteries of the tribal rites.

Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ: Fee; will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the life-giving power of the sun, their life symbol. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 118, lines 1 to 36.)

Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ: Fee; will recite wi´-gi-e relating to the mottled eagle, the “stainless” bird that led the people down from the sky to the earth. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 162, lines 177 to 311.)

Mi-k’iⁿ´ Wa-noⁿ: Fee; the members of this gens will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the moon and all the stars and to their power to aid the “little ones” to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 122, lines 1 to 44.)

O´-poⁿ: Fee; the members of the gens will recite the Wa-dsu-ṭa I-hi-thoⁿ-be Wi´-gi-e which tells of the various places of the earth where the little ones may find the animals on which to live. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 112, lines 1 to 109.)

Tho´-xe: Fee; some grains of maize are also sent. The members of this gens will recite the wi´-gi-e relating to the bringing of the maize to the people by a buffalo bull, and to his offer to aid the little ones to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 280, lines 83 to 110; also p. 134, lines 1 to 162.)

Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge: Fee, with cedar fronds. Members of this gens will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the red cedar, an evergreen tree which has power to resist death, and to its offer to aid the little ones to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 95, lines 1 to 34.)

Ho´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga: Fee, with a kettle of water. The members of this gens will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the everflowing water which, has power to help the little ones to reach old age. These are the Fish people. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 98, lines 1 to 35.)

Wa-zha´-zhe çka: Fee, with a mussel shell. The mussel is the life symbol of this gens. The members of the gens will recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the power of the mussel to resist death, and to its consent to aid the little ones to reach old age. The Wa-zha´-zhe çka are a water people. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 94, lines 1 to 29.)

Ṭa I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga, the Deer People: Only a fee is sent to them. The members will recite their Wa-dsu´-ṭa I-hi-thoⁿ-be Wi´-gi-e, which tells of the various places of the earth where the deer will reveal themselves to the little ones to give them help to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 97, lines 44 to 103.)

When the Sho´-ḳa had delivered the last fee every Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga who knows his wi´-gi-e begins to recite it in a loud voice. None of the wi´-gi-es are alike and none of the members of a gens recite in unison, consequently there would be a volume of sounds most bewildering to the uninitiated.

Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭo^N Wi´-gi-e