Symbolic and Decorative Art of the Osage People 0942574109, 9780942574104

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Symbolic — ee eS ee

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D ec orative

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of the.

é Osage “People _

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SYMBOLIC

AND

OF

OSAGE

Louis

DECORATIVE

THE

PEOPLE

Francis

Burns

ART

SYMBOLIC AND DECORATIVE ART OF THE OSAGE PEOPLE, © 1994, Louis F. Burns. Before copying please check the United States copyright laws or contact Ciga Press, Box 654, Fallbrook, CA 92088. Phone/Fax: (619) 728-9308. ISBN

0-942574-10-9

i

To the many Osage women whose gentle, loving, never idle hands have wrought such beauty and preserved such a rich heritage.

il

FRONT

COVER

DESIGN

This beadwork design is a stylized monarch butterfly in angular geometrics. The monarch was one of the major guardians of an Osage person’s honor. That is, an Osage dared not to lie or do any other dishonorable acts in the presence of a guardian for it would drop a punishment upon the person.

BACK

COVER

DESIGN

The design depicted here is from the headboard of an Osage baby board. The two hearts placed in the position shown, often signifies a butterfly.

lv

TABLE

OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction A. The Osages 1. Names 2. Area B. The Ne ke A 1. Introduction 2. Philosophy of the Ne ke A 3. Religion 4. War and peace C. Prehistoric Osage Art 1. Osage Connection with Woodland Cultures 2. Woodland and Desert Culture Designs

II. Osage Graphic Art A. Divisions B. Elements of Pictorial Art 1. Introduction ZS OlOr 3. Form

4, Subject or Symbolism III. Media or Types A. Introduction B. Baby Boards C. Parfleches 1. Definition 2. Materials 3. Designing 4. Application D. Beadwork 1. Background 2. Different Types E. Ribbonwork 1. Description 2. History F. Leather and Hair 1. Introduction 2. Braiding and Platting

3. Clothing G. Body Adornment 1. Introduction 2, Point

eee rr SLarqa rrr CQQKPHOM BURBBRER

3. Tattoos 4. Pendants and Ear Ornaments

H. Temporary Media

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Listed by Figure Numbers) LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Listed by Title) INDEX ILLUSTRATIONS (Listed by Figure Number) Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

1. Effigy Mound; Four Winds: B&W 2. Osage Version of Four Winds: color 3. Osage Isolated Earth: B&W 4. Hopewell Ear Spool; Four Winds: B&W 5. Effigy Mound; Isolated Earth: B&W 6. Osage “Sawtooth:” color 7. Town Creek; Four Winds and Isolated Earth: B&W 8. Mississippian Sundown (evening) Star: B&W 9. Osage Sundown Star: color 10. Anasazi Sundown Star: B&W 11. Osage Thunder: B&W 12. Zuni, 1920-30; Rain Cloud: B&W 13. Anasazi Rain Cloud: B&W 14. Mississippian Altar Bowl; Thunder: B&W 15. Zuni Altar Bowl; Rain Cloud: B&W 16. Four Upper Worlds: color 17. Cedar Tree: color 18. Old Version of Morning Star: color 19. Current Morning Star: color 20. O ke sa or Midway: color 21. O ke sa Variations: color 22. Rare Version of Four Winds: color 23. Ho e ka or Snare; Elks Forehead Type: B&W 24. Rare Version; Thunderbolt: color

Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.

Thirteen War Honors: color Paired Opposites: color Baby Board #1: color Baby Board #2: color Parfleche #1: color Optical lusion: B&W Parfleche #2: color Beaded Headband: color Beaded River of Life: color

34. Beaded Ho e ka and Thunder: color 35. Beaded O ke sa and Four Winds: color v1

RLSVBSASS

Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Beaded Medallion: color Thunder and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color Upper Worlds and Four Winds [traditional]: color Ho e ka and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color Ho e ka and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color Ho e ka and Arrow [traditional]: color Arrow and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color Arrow and Thunder [traditional]: color Arrow and Thunder [innovative]:color Thunder and Rare Four Winds [innovative]: color Repeats of Thunder [innovative]: color Thunder, Arrow, and Upper Worlds [innovative]: color Upper Worlds [complicated]: color

. Upper Worlds, Four and Six Winds [complicated]: color

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Four Winds and Misc. [complicated]:color Upper Worlds and Misc. [complicated]: color Woodland Shapes [return to the woodlands]: color Butterfly [current trend]: color Tie Belt Photograph: color Whip Photograph: color Finger Weaving; Chevron Pattern:color Finger Weaving; Feather Pattern: color Bluff Paint: color Funeral Paint: color Dropping Sticks on the Wa ho pe Paint: color Adoption Paint: color Songs of the Wa ho pe Paint: color Sending the Will Paint: color Men’s Tattoo: color Women’s Tattoo: color Striking the Earth: color

55S SS S98 RSSSRR SBA SIAIAANAN

ILLUSTRATIONS (Listed by Title)

Adoption Paint: color, Fig. 61 Anasazi Rain Cloud: B&W, Fig. 13 Anasazi Sundown Star: B&W, Fig. 10 Arrow and Thunder [innovative]: color, Fig. 44 Arrow and Thunder [traditional]: color, Fig. 43 Arrow and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color, Fig. 42 Baby Board #1: color, Fig. 27 Baby Board #2: color, Fig. 28 Beaded Headband: color, Fig. 32 Beaded Ho e ka and Thunder: color, Fig. 34 Vil

FRAESIRARKR

Beaded Medallion: color, Fig. 36

Beaded O ke sa and Four Winds: color, Fig. 35 Beaded River of Life: color, Fig. 33 Bluff Paint: color, Fig. 58 Butterfly: color, Fig. 53 Cedar Tree: color, Fig. 17 Current Morning Star: color, Fig. 19 Dropping Sticks on the Wa ho pe Paint: color, Fig. 60 Effigy Mound; Four Winds: B&W, Fig. 1 Effigy Mound; Isolated Earth: B&W, Fig. 5 Finger Weaving; Chevron Pattern: color, Fig. 56 Finger Weaving; Feather Pattern: color, Fig. 57 Four Upper Worlds: color, Fig. 16 Four Winds and Misc. [complicated]: color, Fig. 50 Funeral Paint: color, Fig. 59 Ho e ka and Arrow [traditional]: color Fig. 41 Ho e ka and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color, Fig. 39 Ho e ka and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color, Fig. 40 Ho e ka or Snare; Elks Forehead Type: B&W, Fig. 23 Hopewell Ear Spool; Four Winds: B&W, Fig. 4 Men’s Tattoo: color, Fig. 64 Mississippian Altar Bowl; Thunder: B&W, Fig. 14 Mississippian Sundown (evening) Star: B&W, Fig. 8 O ke sa or Midway: color, Fig. 20 O ke sa Variations: color, Fig. 21 Old Version of Morning Star: color, Fig. 18 Optical Illusion: B&W, Fig. 30 Osage “Sawtooth:” color, Fig. 6 Osage Isolated Earth: B&W, Fig. 3 Osage Sundown Star: color, Fig. 9 Osage Thunder: B&W, Fig. 11 Osage Version of Four Winds: color, Fig. 2 Paired Opposites: color, Fig. 26 Parfleche #1: color, Fig. 29 Parfleche #2: color, Fig. 31 Rare Version of Four Winds: color, Fig. 22. Rare Version; Thunderbolt: color, Fig. 24 Repeats of Thunder [innovative]: color, Fig. 46 Sending the Will Paint: color, Fig. 63 Songs of the Wa ho pe Paint: color, Fig. 62 Striking the Earth: color, Fig. 66 Thirteen War Honors: color, Fig. 25 Thunder and Rare Four Winds [innovative]: color, Fig. 45 Thunder and Upper Worlds [traditional]: color, Fig. 37 Thunder, Arrow, and Upper Worlds [innovative]: color, Fig. 47 Tie Belt Photograph: color, Fig. 54 Vili

ABESORSe bt OD co

SEIESSSS |ae

BRBRBARS

Town Creek; Four Winds and Isolated Earth: B&W, Fig. 7 Upper Worlds and Four Winds [traditional]: color, Fig. 38 Upper Worlds and Misc. [complicated]: color, Fig. 51 Upper Worlds [complicated]: color, Fig. 48 Upper Worlds, Four and Six Winds [complicated]: color, Fig. 49 Whip Photograph: color, Hige55 Women’s Tattoo: color, Fig. 65 Woodland Shapes [return to the wood-lands]: color, Fig. 52 Zuni Altar Bowl; Rain Cloud: B&W, Fig. 15 Zuni, 1920—30; Rain Cloud: B&W, Fig. 12

De

BRBSSSIVS

PREFACE The illustrations shown here were collected since World War II. Beginning in 1990 I started to draw and paint my interpretation of these designs in watercolor. The last of these were done in the spring of 1994. I had not done any significant artwork for forty years. Certainly, at seventy years of age, the project was more than an ordinary everyday challenge. One surely gains a healthy respect for the Osage artisans who created the originals in more difficult media than watercolor. A paper I presented at the Plains Indian Art Seminar at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming sparked my interest in doing such a project. Dr. John Ewers, emeritus Smithsonian Institution, and other fine scholars encouraged me to publish these designs. I drug my feet on the project because of the cost of color printing. However, I felt it must be done in color or not at all in order to be fair to the Old Osages who put their love into the designs and color. My wife of fifty years (Ruth Blake) gently prodded from time to time. And Mrs. Billie Ponca, Curator of the Oklahoma Historical Society's White Hair Memorial shoved heavily last summer. So, on the long drive back to California after attending the I’n Lon Schka dances I decided to publish the collection even if it was expensive. It ee was something that had to be done because it had not been one.

CHAPTER

I

INTRODUCTION The Osages Osage (Oh’ say juh) is an English corruption of the French Ouasage (Wah sah gee). The French version is reasonably close to Wa sha she. Apparently, the name of the water people was mistaken for the tribal name. Thus, the Ni U Kon ska or People of the Middle Waters became known as Osage. The Osages were the mother group of the five Dhegiha Sioux tribes.! That is, Osage, Omaha, Ponca, Kansas, and Quapaw. Omaha, Ponca, and Kansas were the Up River People. In contrast,

the Quapaw were the Down River People. Their location at the meeting place of the Missouri, Mississippi, and Ohio Rivers gave the Osages the name of People of the Middle Waters. Within historical time (1492-present) the Osages occupied half or more of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Their territory followed the Arkansas River into present day Colorado as far as Rocky Ford (Bent’s Fort). In addition, a narrow wedge with the southern apex at Natchitoches, Louisiana as well as the northeast corner of the Texas Panhandle was included in Osage territory. Because of their geographic position, superior organization, and great military strength, the Osages were able to hold the French and Spanish to a narrow strip along the Mississippi. The Arkansas, and Red Rivers had no Euro—American settlements west of Arkansas

Post, or Natchitoches prior to 1800. Of course, there were Spanish settlements in Texas, New Mexico, and California but the settlers in

these locations did not have to pass through the Osages to start these settlements. It should be noted that for over a hundred years, only sporadic communication existed between these settlements and those of the East because of the Osage blockade. The Ne ke A Introduction

Osage government was very well organized. In fact, Hiawatha could have gotten his idea for the Iroquois Confederation from the larly publications by Alice Fletcher and/or Francis La Flesche advanced the idea that the Omaha was the mother tribe of the Dhegiha Sioux. However, Francis La Flesche corrected this misconception later, when he published his research among the Osage

Osages. However, an equally good case could be made that, the Osages got the idea from the Iroquois. It is more probable that the organization idea came from the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico via the Mississippian or Late Woodland Culture. Some evidence tends to suggest that the Osages got the idea from the Mississippian Culture at Cahokia. Regardless of where the idea came from, the real power of the Osage governmental organization was held by a unique group of individuals. . This group of warrior-statesmen were the Ne ke A Shin ka or Little Old Men. In general, they are simply called Ne ke A or Old Men. These terms were expressions of humility directed respectfully toward Wa kon ta, the Great Creator. The Ne ke A were not little, they averaged over six foot two inches tall. They were not old either because most of them were in their early thirties. As a further point, not all of them were men. Customarily widows took the place that had been held by their deceased husbands. No group of individuals has come any closer to attaining the old Greek ideal of the warrior—scholar—statesmen than the Ne ke A. From early childhood they were taught the myths, legends, and accumulated learning of the Osage people. Euro-Americans who came into a rare contact with a Ne ke A were amazed by their fantastic memory. However, true to the Greek concept, the Ne ke A were also great warriors. Most of them had accomplished the difficult feat of earning all thirteen war honors. The remaining male members had earned seven or more of the war honors. As statesmen, the Ne ke A frustrated French efforts to expand westward

and completely stymied the efforts of the Spanish governors of Louisiana. Thus, it was also the Ne ke A who left their imprint on Osage graphic art. It was the Ne ke A who preserved and passed on for generation after generation the ancient stories. Yet, it was the Osage women who translated the knowledge of the Ne ke A into pictorial art. Philosophy of the Ne ke A

In the beginning, the Ne ke A were a group of men who often met to exchange ideas. They had observed the precision with which the heavenly bodies moved. In addition, they were aware of the relationship between the seasons and the position of the heavenly bodies. In their minds, they conceived the idea that the meeting of the Sky and earth made physical life possible. As time passed, it became increasingly clear to the Ne ke A that some force or power pervaded the earth and other heavenly bodies. It was obvious to them that this mysterious force gave life to the stars and planets. Thus, they called this force: Mysterious Power, Great Mystery, Great Creator, and Sovereign Being of the Universe—Wa kon ta or Wa kon ta Ke.

2

One concept of the Ne ke A appears repeatedly in Osage graphic art. As the Ne ke A “explored with their minds,” they discovered the thought that life was conceived in the sky and descended to earth to take a physical form. Thus, life is considered to be a combination of a physical body and a soul or spirit. Because of this concept, life on earth was viewed as being both spiritual and temporal; it was tangible and intangible at the same time. Part of all physical animals,

vegetable,

and

mineral

matter

was

considered

to be animate and part was considered to be inani mate?. Life was envisioned as always moving westward. That is, all life moves toward death even as it lives. West was the direction of death and east was the direction of life—sunrise was life and sunse t was death. In several of the old Ne ke A ceremonies, a distinction between birth and growth is made. This is shown by the order in which a body appears on the visible side of the horizon between the seen and the unseen. If the head, arms, body, legs, and feet appea r in ceremonial sequence, then it represents the coming of life.3 On the other hand, if this order is reversed, it refers to the passage from infancy, childhood, and maturity to old age. These are the four stages of life or the “division of days.” In the thoughts of the Ne ke A, the themes of life and death were almost always present. These themes are often shown, symbol ically, in graphic art. This is usually shown graphically in red and black coloring of identical shapes. Mainly, visible things are paired such as, sky and earth, sun and moon,

as well as the morning

star and

evening star. These various matched or paired opposites and many others appear frequently in Osage graphic art. It seems eviden t that the Ne ke A often thought in terms of paired opposites. This depart s from the thought patterns of Western Civilization which tends to think in syllogism. That is, a general observation followed by a more specific observation and a conclusion based on the previo us observations. If either of the observations are faulty the conclusion is also questionable. In looking for opposites the Osage mind tends to * As a result of nuclear research in the 1960s it was discovered that even inanimate material was composed of atoms whose nuclear composition was made of animate matter.

°This song continues until the whole figure appears but this sampling clearly shows a sequence that is symbolic of the coming oflife. In another song this same pattern is followed to describe the coming of the buffalo. Early Morning Song “He who is in the heavens is coming anew, Coming anew into the visible world, His head appears first as he approaches. He who is in the heavens is coming anew, Coming anew into the visible world, His arms appear as he approaches.”

3

view at least two sides of a question. As a result, unlike the Western mind, one often finds Osages more tolerant of views that do not agree with theirs. In Newton’s so—called third law of gravity he states, Hor every action there is an opposite and opposing reaction.” This statement comes close to describing Osage thought process. Religion

In addition to the myths which were incorporated into the rites, stories in traditional form tell how the Ne ke A conducted their deliberations. Thus, we have legends which help us understand the rites of the Old Osage religion. Rites did not spring from a single generation of Ne ke A. They were the product of great mental toil by numberless Ne ke A over a span of time measured in terms of many lifetimes. This long time span involved in creating the Osage religious rites caused a diversity which is noticeable in graphic art. In this respect, the various versions of the symbols are most evident. Even in a given Grand

Division version, one will sometimes

notice

minor variations in any particular symbol design. A classic example of this is the Black Widow Spider symbol. The center of the spider’s back may be a plus sign, a vertical line with from two to three cross bars, a diamond, or many other variations. Among the sub—divisions and the many clans with their sub—clans, variations are seemingly infinite. During the American period of Osage history several observers commented on the Osages and their religion. In 1820, Governor James Miller of Arkansas wrote of the Osages: “These Indians have a native religion of their own and are the only tribe I ever knew that had. At break of day every morning I could hear them at prayer for an hour. They

appeared to be as devout in their way as any class of people.”

The Reverend observation.

Isaac

McCoy,

in

1840,

echoed

the

Governor’s

“It has been reported that the Osages did not believe in the existence of the Great Spirit. I was astonished that anyone who had been two days among them....should be so deceived. I have never before seen Indians who gave more undoubted evidence of their belief in God.”

Certainly, the Osages had a religion and it is equally certain that they were true to their faith. This too, is evident in their graphic art, for their religion is woven into every aspect of Osage art. In the Old Osage religion there were seven great manifestations of

Wa kon ta. These were the: (1) Sun, (2) Earth, (3) Moon, (4) Upper Worlds, (5) Thunder, (6) Darkness, and (7) Morning Star. One will

md these repeated over and over in many ways as they look at Osage art.

War and Peace

There are more Osage war rites than peace rites. Yet, one must be

aware that the Osages had a very different concept of war than Western Civilization. War as an Osage concept included any activity that involved the taking of any human or animal life as well as making any human or animal a captive. That is, Osage use of the term “war” included the Western concept of both warfa re and the hunt in most of the Western sense. However, the Osage use of the term also included the non—Western concept of bluff warfar e. In Western Civilization the hunt is placed as a pursuit of peace time but it is recognized as a warlike experience. Thus, hunting to Western man was a sport or game, like chess or football. The hunt in the Osage sense was a pursuit to obtain food and resources for surviv al. Several themes in graphic art come from the war ceremonies. One example is in The Second Smoking Ceremony. “The shell of the mussel, they said to one another,

We shall make to be a symbol of courage. When we make the shell of the mussel to be a symbol of

courage, And go toward the setting sun against our enemies, We shall always go forth with courage, as we travel the

path of life.

Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, They made this symbol of courage to stand forever, it has been said, in this house.”

Osage men still wear medallions made of the mussel shell. These are either worn as pendants or a medallion on the choker worn around the neck. It should be noted that the fresh water mussel or its pearls are

also a symbol

of the morning,

red, or male

star. (All of these

names refer to the morning star.) Both the morning star symbol and the mussel are symbols of courage. However, they are also a symbol for the coming of day or the passing from the unknown to the known or from the unseen to the seen. The morning star symbol is commonly worn as a neckerchief slide rather than as a medallion or pendant. The chief peace symbol is a diamond. No form of the conventional diamond is ever used as a symbol of war. (A possible exception to this is a paired set of parallelograms which represents arrow fletching, however, this shape was not intended to be diamonds.) In decorative designs one often finds diamonds combined with arrow points and fletching or other symbols of war but in purely symbolic designs war

and peace are seldom combined. One common

exception would be in

paired opposites. It was customary to keep war and peace separated in the Houses of

Mystery or the churches of the Old Osages. In the We ke a or recited

5

ceremonies (the ceremonies that are not sung) references such as: “Tt has been said” and “It has been said, in this house” are often used. The shorter version indicates the Little House of Mystery or the House of Peace. Great House of Mystery or the House of War is indicated by the longer statement, “It has been said, in this house.

OSAGE

PREHISTORIC

ART

Osage Connection with Woodland Cultures It would seem evident from their location and time of residence that the Osages certainly must have had some association with both the Adena (Early Woodland Culture) and the Hopewell (Middle Woodland Culture). One writer (John Upton Terrell, American Indian Almanac) suggests that the Dhegiha Sioux were the Indian Knoll People who had a direct link to the Folsom Culture. We are inclined to agree with this hypothesis. Some evidences given in the myths and legends suggest the Wa sha she sub—division may have been the original core of the Dhegiha Sioux. We doubt that this core group was a part of the Hopewell Culture in any real sense, although they almost certainly had frequent contact with the culture. They seemed to have been a fringe group which was more like either the Archaic Culture or Adena Culture than the Hopewell Culture. However, it is seems likely the Wa sha she were traders with both the Hopewellians and the Desert Cultures although they themselves remained migratory hunters, gatherers and traders with minor agricultural activities. As the mighty Hopewell Culture began to fall apart and disperse, some of these elements merged with the fringe hunting peoples such as the Wa sha she. The Tsi shu or Sky Division people must have been one of these elements because they brought many traits of Hopewellian Culture such as governmental reorganization with them. Not the least of these innovations was a hereditary class of leaders. A hint of this is also indicated by the fact that the seven T'si shu clans not only stood equal to the seven Wa sha she clans of the core group plus the Isolated Earth clan but the merger included the seven Hun ka clans as well.4 That is, in the reorganized Osage government the seven Tsi shu clans held slightly more power and ‘These seven Hun Ka clans were Siouan speaking as were the Wa sha she and Isolated Earth clans. These fifteen clans made up the Hun ka or Earth Division. The seven Tsi shu clans were the only clans in the Sky Division until around 1600 when the Mississippian Men of Mystery and Buffalo Bull clans Tsi Ha She (Those Who Were Last To Come) joined the Osages on the Sky Division side of the tribal circle. The Hun ka clans were in the process of merging with the Osages when the Tsi shu joined the Osages. At first, the Hun ka refused to merge with so much of the power and prestige going to the Tsi shu.

6

prestige than the combined Wa sha she, Isolated Earth, and Hun ka clans. This slight advantage of power and prestige was gained by making the Sky Division Chief spokesman for the Ne ke A. After contact with Euro—Americans, this led to the misconception that White Hair, the Sky Division Chief, was chief of all the Osages . The six White Hair chiefs were only chiefs of their own division but they

also had the special right to act as spokesmen for the Ne ke A. It seems probable that since a mere seven clans were awarded a status equal to the other fifteen clans combined, that the Tsi shu were a people of considerable prestige. At the time and place of this merger there was only one known people who could command this much prestige and that would be the Hopewell people.» Ultimately, two more clans merged with the Osage and these were from the Mississippian (Late Woodland) Culture. It is significant that in another military and governmental reorganization at this time (ca1600) these two clans of Tsi Ha She (Those Who Were Last To Come) became a part of the Tsi shu (Sky Division). We believe that since the two notable reorganizations of the Osage people involved placing clans of the Tsi shu and Tsi Ha She in the same Grand Division apart from the other clans suggests the possibility of their relationship to the Woodland Cultures. In spite of the splintering off by the Omaha, Ponca, Kansas, and Quapaw, the Osages were still large enough to consist of three distinct tribes at the time of contact. These tribes were the Big Osage, Little Osage, and Chaneers (Those of the Oaks)°, Osage people of the divisions,

subdivisions,

and clans crossed from band

to band

and

tribe to tribe. The Grand Division government was the central government and the tribal groups made up of bands were governed by their own local leaders regardless of the central government of the Ne ke A. The Grand Division or Ne ke A government ruled through the gentile system (the clan organization). Thus, the Osage people were federated through their gentile system and were governed locally by elected leaders.7 ®While Osage myths and legends give no specific dates, they do follow events in chronological order. Thus, we can determine with some limited accuracy an approximation of events. This merger took place slightly before 1500 and at that time the Osages were along the Ohio River between the site of present day Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and the mouth of the Wabash at Vincennes, Indiana. °Zebulon Pike is often cited as giving the date of 1800 for the origin of the Osages of the Oaks. However, a reading of letters exchanged between the Spanish Governors of Louisiana and their Assistant Governors clearly show the existence of the Osages of the Oaks long before 1800. A similar misconception exists because of the Lewis and Clark papers which give 1770 as the date for the creation of the Little Osages. Both the myths and Etienne de Véniard Bourgmont (1720) contradict this date. The myths would place the Little Osage split between 1500 and 1600. 70n the local level the Osage people “voted with their feet.” That is, they walked away from leaders they did not like and joined either bands or tribes that

7

Woodland and Desert Culture Designs Introduction

The oldest known Osage artifacts other than those made of stone are pottery sherds. It is through proven Osage pottery sherds that the Osages have been associated with the Orr focus of the Oneota Culture. This culture is thought to be of the Late Woodland Culture which is also called the Late Mississippian Culture. Osage pottery was typically shell tempered and if it was decorated, the decoration was parallel vertical lines with occasional sets of horizontal lines. If these lines had any symbolic meaning it has been lost in the passage of time. We would be remiss if we left the impression that Osage pottery equaled the best of the Mississippian or Hopewell pottery. Osage pottery can best be described simply as utilitarian. There are so few identifiable sites of prehistoric Osage villages that only a few pieces exist. It is possible that the shape of Osage projectile points may have had a symbolic meaning. Certainly, both the Hopewell and Mississippian Cultures made identical arrow points. Typically, Osage arrow points were made of white flint/chert. Some of the points formed an equilateral triangle and others had sides longer than the base. Most of these projectile points range from one-half to three-quarters of an inch in length. In view of the Osage cultural attachment to religious symbolism, it seems probable that some special meaning would be given to the color and shape of their arrow points. Triangular shapes were often used to symbolize either the Four Winds or the Bends in the River of Life. Of special significance is the earliest mention of bows and arrows in Osage myths. A strange people were discovered in the bend of a large river. The intrusion of these alien people in Osage territory launched the Osages on their warlike career. Only after a long series of wars were these intruders defeated, that is, forced to move

away.

Of special interest is the arrows that were loaned by the Wa sha she to both the Hun ka and Tsi shu. These Wa sha she arrows were patterns for the many that were made for the war with the strange people. Thus, all of the Osage clans were able to be armed with bows and arrows for this war with the strangers.

had leaders they were willing to follow. For this reason, the Osages were very mobile from band to band and even tribe to tribe. 8These alien people must have been the Iroquoian Cherokee. Certainly, the hair style and tattoos described in the myths fit the Iroquois people. They also lived in long houses. The earliest French and Spanish records for the Illinois Country mention that the Osage and Cherokee were ancient enemies.

8

We do not state that the shape and color of Osage projectile points were, in fact, symbolic. However, we think there is a possibility this might be true. Yet, there is an equal possibility that the shape was dictated by “cultural habit” and the color of flint/chert was that which was readily available.

Hopewell or Middle Woodland Culture Mounds were associated with the Adena Culture (Early Woodland).

In general, Adena mounds

were low burial mounds

artifacts that hint at some

Osage connection.

but some

effigy

mounds are attributed to them. It was the Hopewell Culture which first built spectacular mounds. Many of these Hopewell mounds were called effigy mounds and these have been the topic of myriad archaeological discussions. We are especially interested in the Hopewell effigy mounds and In Pickaway County,

Ohio there is an effigy mound that could easily have been a model for the Osage Four Winds symbol. (see Fig. 1) While the Osages used several Four Winds symbols, the predominate symbol is in the form of a plus sign, that is, it is composed of four intersecting arms of equal size. The arms may be squares or rectangles but they form a Square at the intersection. It should be noted that this symbol is also called, The Four Quarters of the Upper World. (see Fig. 2) To the best of our knowledge, the Osages always placed a Square at the junction of the four equal arms or omitted any center shape. The Hopewell effigy mound has a disc in the center. It is highly probable that this disc represents the Sun and the four arms represents The Four Quarters of the Upper World. If the Osages ever used the symbol as the Hopewell people used it, and they probably did, the disc was dropped from the design before historic times. A second Hopewell design shows in different variations in an effigy mound and a copper ear spool. The effigy mound is a serpentine

mound

at Portsmouth,

Ohio. Both of these designs

show the Four

Quarters of the Upper World and a center disc within a disc. (see Figs. 3-5) We could easily be mistaken but to us it seems clear that this is a depiction of the Isolated Earth concept. That is, the Old Osage belief that the earth was an isolated planetary body that stood apart from other cosmic bodies. One of the copper artifacts found in Ross County, Ohio has a design in common with an Osage design theme. (see Fig. 6) Although this theme is called “sawtooth”

as a convenience, it is a true symbol. In

fact, it could be a symbol of the Four Winds, Four Valleys (stages) of Life, or a symbol of the Seven Bends in the Path of Life. As a side note of interest, we would like to mention that serpentine effigy mounds also have seven bends. We have wondered if they could also represent the Path or River of life?

Since the Four Winds always blow above the horizon line and this line divides earth and sky the winds are considered to be a part of the sky or Upper World, so they are said to divide the Upper World by quarters. This is because they blow from the opposing directions of North-South and East-West. One rarely sees all six winds displayed together. The other two winds are updrafts and down drafts but they are not used to divide the Upper Worid. The Four Winds are also called the breath of life for they bring life to the earth. This is why the Osage were so horrified when they found the Isolated Earth People using the Four Winds to destroy life. The feeling about this abuse eventually led to the abandonment of using the winds

to kill. The

south

wind,

in some

designs,

is omitted

because it is thought to be a breath of death rather than a breath of life. Among the Osages, the south wind is considered to be a killing wind since so many people died in the time of the prevailing south winds of August. Even today it is rare for Osage H Lon Schka dancers to sit on the south side until all the seats on the north, east, and west

are taken. Other Dhegiha Sioux such as the Ponca also follow this south wind belief.

Mississippian or Late Woodland Culture In Montgomery County, North Carolina and near the Richmond County line one can find the Town Creek Mound. Town Creek lies in the Pee Dee Valley. Although this was Siouan country before and after the Town Creek mound was erected, it was the Creeks who built the mound during their one hundred year residence there. We wanted to reach an area far removed from the Osages in order to show how designs can come great distances, so we selected the Town Creek mound. As a result of selecting this site we are showing how far the Mississippian Culture spread rather than where the Osages might have acquired the design. At the time Town Creek mound was constructed the Osages were in the midst of the greatest of the Mississippian Culture centers—Cahokia. Therefore, they more than likely acquired many of the Mississippian designs. We have taken two symbols from the Mississippian Town Creek site but they could have come from Spiro Mound in Oklahoma or any Mississippian center. (see Fig. 7) The two symbols selected are a continuation of the Isolated Earth and Four Winds themes. These differ from both the Osage and Hopewell versions in one notable respect. The Town Creek and other Mississippian designs of these symbols have a double circle around the Isolated Earth symbol and the Four Winds symbol. The Osage and Hopewell versions have only a single ring around the Isolated Earth symbol and none around the Four Winds symbol. The ringed Four Winds was a widespread symbol and has been adopted as a logo by the Santa Fe railroad corporation.

10

Fig. 1. This is a schematic drawing of an effigy mound in Pickaway

County, Ohio. It shows the solar disc in the center of the Four Winds which is also called the Four Quarters of the Upper World. ie

Fig. 2. Notice in this Osage version of the Four Winds or Four Quarters of the Upper World it has a square in the center rather than a circle. Lz

Fig. 3. This is the Osage symbol for the Isolated Earth. 3

a Fig. 4. A Hopewell copper ear spool which has been enlarged. The center black disc and the inside circle are symbols of the Isolated Earth. Four Quarters of the Upper World is also shown as are four of the more important cosmic bodies. 14

Fig. 5. This is a schematic sketch of an serpentine effigy mound found at Portsmouth,

Ohio. It

shows, among other things, the Four Quarters of the Upper World and the Isolated Earth. The other symbols are unidentified.

re,

Fig. 6. version there is break

This is a popular version of Osage “saw—tooth.” In this of the Four Winds or Four Quarters of the Upper World a break in every four points. However, in many cases no is made and the symbol is then identical to the copper ornament found in an Ohio mound.

16

One design on a specimen of Mississippian pottery also appears among Osage designs in a more elaborate form. (see Fig. 8) We believe the Mississipian pottery design represents the Sundown Star or Evening Star. Our reasons for believing this are a single line plus sign is a common symbol for stars. In the Mississippian design, this plus sign is overlaid by a solar disc and only the four tips of the cross arms show. Wavy lobes rather than points usually represent the uncertain vision at dusk. By contrast, points indicate the improved sharpness of sight at daybreak as the sun rises. In the Osage version of the Sundown Star, there are eight nodes instead of four. (see Fig. 9) Four is a special Osage number so the four nodes were probably reserved for some other use. The center circle which overlays the plus sign was also omitted. However, the sun is represented by eight points within the eight nodes. Thus, the passing of the setting sun is depicted in the Osage design as the solar disc which overlays the plus sign in the Mississippian design also suggests.

Desert

Cultures

From our viewpoint the three leading Desert Cultures were the Anasazi, Hohokam, and Mogollon Cultures. The Anasazi were primarily in the Four Corners area of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. On the other hand, the Hohokam Culture was spread along the Gila River watershed or what is termed the Tucson Basin. Without a doubt these Desert Cultures had trade connections with the Woodland Cultures to the east of their settlements. Certainly, the trade routes are a matter of written record and archaeology has unearthed mound artifacts such as obsidian (Apache tears) that could only come from the Desert Culture areas. It is evident from the designs that an exchange of thoughts and art also occurred among the Desert Cultures, Woodland Cultures, and the Osage Culture. The Osage Thunder symbol is a series of terraces or steps in the

shape of a truncated pyramid. (see Fig. 11) Both the Desert and Woodland Cultures also used this design on the rims of ceremonial bowls. (See Fig. 14-15) However, the design is termed Rain Cloud by the Desert Cultures rather than Thunder. A series of three left halves of the Osage pyramidal terraces were used by the Desert Cultures to represent their drawings of Rain Clouds. (see Fig. 13) That is, the rims of the ceremonial bowls were shaped into two or more full stepped pyramids but the drawn symbols on the side of bowls were three left halves of the stepped pyramids. Descendants of the Desert Cultures such as the Zuni, Hopi, Pueblo, Papago, and Pima use three half circles with the curves up and vertical lines

under them to represent Rain Clouds. (see Fig. 12) However, they still retain the old pyramidal terraces on the rims of ceremonial bowls. (see Fig. 15) ley,

Fig. 7. The Four Winds symbol is shown on the left and the Isolated Earth symbol is shown on the right. These are from the Town Creek Mound in North Carolina. 18

Fig. 8. Above is a sketch of a Mississippian version of the Sundown Star (Evening Star). The solar disc

covers most of the single line plus sign which indicates a star and the four wavy nodes indicate uncertain light of dusk. 19

Fig. 9. An Osage version of the Sundown Star (Evening Star) is shown above. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum 7)

Fig. 10. The symbol shown above is an Anasazi version of the Sundown Star (Evening Star). Mogollon Culture was centered in Southeastern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico. al

Fig. 11. The Osage Thunder symbol is shown above. oe

Fig. 12. A Zuni Rain Cloud from the 1920-30 decade is shown above. Although the Zuni are descendants of the Anasazi this symbol is farther from the old symbol of their ancestors than that of the modern Osage Thunder symbol.

ae

Fig. 13. The terraced Anasazi Rain Cloud symbol shown above is much closer to the Osage Thunder symbol than the modern Zuni Rain Cloud symbol.

24

Fig. 14. A Mississippian altar bowl with terraced Thunder symbols on the rim is shown above.

2

Fig. 15. The illustration above is a sketch of a Zuni altar bow! with Rain Clouds on the rim. 26

Some of the best designs of on the bottom of the bowl. designs. Among such designs Sundown Star. Ordinarily, represent cosmic bodies when

the Desert Cultures These are usually is what we believe a plus sign made used by the Desert

appear inside bowls simple uncluttered is a symbol for the with single lines, Cultures. However,

a plus sign made of square or rectangular arms is probably a Four Winds—Four Quarters symbol in the Desert Cultures, Woodland Cultures, and the Osage Culture. It should be observed that the Desert Cultures used five nodes and placed a single line plus sign in the center of the design. (see Fig. 10) We have mentioned earlier that the Mississippian Culture used four nodes and the Osages eight nodes. The Mississippian version has the centered single line plus sign but the sign is overlaid by a solar disc. In the Osage version, there is a point inside each of eight nodes to represent the sun. We may be mistaken but in our opinion, we can see no other rational representation for these symbols.

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CHAPTER OSAGE

GRAPHIC

II ART

Divisions

Osage art may be divided into two divisions, Symbolic art and decorative art. Symbolic art must incorporate all three of the basic elements of pictorial art (i.e. color, form, and subject). Osage decorative art always has form and with few exceptions it also has color but it is not mandatory that it must have a subject. It is probable that many pieces of decorative art had subject but only the original designer knew the story being told. When we speak of subject, we are referring to the myths and legends. Thus, we can truly say that mythological symbols are the subject in Osage art and decorative art may or may not have subject. Elements of Pictorial Art

Introduction

Both symbolic and decorative art of the Osages tend to follow the linear—angular geometric forms associated with other Indians of the

Southwest and South-Central Great Plains. However, some rare examples of ancient Osage symbolic art incorporate the curving geometric forms more common among Indians of the Eastern Woodlands. In the latter half of the present (20th) century, a few curving geometric forms are again appearing in Osage graphic art. Certainly, we cannot distinguish between Osage symbolic art and purely decorative art by the forms, since both use angular geometric shapes. We encounter a similar problem if we attempt to classify by object adornment and personal adornment, that is, by body decoration and decoration of pottery and other items. Distinguishing between symbolic and decorative Osage art must be by subject. Identification of subject is possible only when three or more aspects of the art match the myths and legends. Thus, color; color combinations; relative placement of color; form; and form arrangement become the criteria of determining if Osage art has a subject. One must keep in mind that, subjects in Osage art are always symbolic.

Osage symbolic art often has large areas of backgrounds, usually white, and a small variety of colors. Their decorative art is characterized by many repeat forms, a variety of colors, and outlining of forms. Older decorative art was outlined in dark colors but light

pastels are more characteristic in modern Osage art. Almost without exception, symbolic art was limited to three colors and never more than four. Thus, a knowledge of color symbolism is necessary for an understanding of Osage themes in their art. The myths and legends determine the colors and the forms in Osage art, which in turn, dictate the subject. Color

The Osages have four sacred colors which the myths tell us they received from the crayfish. We feel it would be worth the space to quote the story of the four sacred colors here. “ ..The man replied: I am Hun ka (A sacred person). I am...(the Crawfish) I am...(the Little Earth), O, elder brothers. The man continued quickly: O, elder brothers, I am a person who is ever present at any important movement. I am a person who, in truth, is a symbol...

Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,

Within a hillock of soft mud He disappeared as though sucked into his home. And quickly reappeared with a bit of dark soil Which he held aloft as he stood offering it to the people, and spake to them, saying: This bit of dark [black] earth, O, elder brothers, You shall use as a symbol when offering

your

supplications.... Then, gently and slowly, The man again descended into the earth

And reappeared with a bit of blue clay, Which he stood offering to the people as he spake to them, saying: This bit of blue clay, O, elder brothers, You shall always use as asymbol, O, elder brothers... For a third time The man descended into the earth And reappeared with a bit of red clay, Which he stood offering to the people as he spake to them saying: This bit of red clay also You shall always use as a symbol, O, elder brothers...

Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, The man for the fourth time 29

Descended into the earth And brought forth a bit of yellow clay Which he stood offering to the people as he spake to them, saying: This bit of yellow clay also You shall always use as a symbol...”

The partial We Ke a (recited ritual) given above, comes from the genesis myths of the Hun ka (Earth, the Sacred One) Division. Dias: the four sacred colors are dark,° blue, red, and yellow. In addition to these oldest of sacred colors are the more recent white or clear and green. After contact in the last quarter of the seventeenth century other colors appeared. Among these were magenta or plum red which was sometimes used symbolically as a red substitute. However, magenta became a very popular decorative color. Orange is seldom used as a decorative color but it was used as a yellow substitute in facial paint and other symbolic representations. In addition to these colors of historic times there are other popular colors. These are pink, purple, navy blue, and brown. Red is the most sacred of Osage colors. It has a great variety of symbolic meanings. Among these meanings are: It represents the rising sun, life, the known world, and daylight. However, when worn on the body it symbolizes the all consuming flame of fire and as such is considered to be a war color. Blue is usually the pale, delicate blue of a clear day. Both white and blue represent the clear day which, in turn, symbolizes a long tranquil life. White also symbolizes the known or seen world and mid—day. Both the Chewere and the closely related Dhegiha Sioux use Ska or Scah for white or clear. Thus, the Chewere Otoe word for the Platte River, Ne Bra Ska, means the same in Osage. That is, Ne=water or river; Bra=flat; and Ska=white or clear. Translated into English this would be, Clear Flat River. Black also has many symbolic meanings. Among these are death and the unknown or unseen world. Red and black are often paired, following the Osage mental process of paired opposites. Paired red and black represent night and day; life and death; the seen and unseen; as well as the known and unknown. Yellow means mercy and some form

of benefit. Osage “bluff paint” was black or red on the upper face and yellow on the lower face which symbolized the mercy of capture rather than death. Yellow is also symbolic of the benefits derived from the sun’s rays. In an indirect sense, yellow commemorates the union of sky and earth which makes physical life on earth possible. Yellow always denotes some kind of benefit to the Osage people but not necessarily to non—Osages. Green symbolizes the plants of the earth (vegetative life) in the same sense that red symbolizes animal life or hfe in general. 9Sop py was used here and it means dark. However, it is customary to interpret this to mean black or navy blue in English.

30

Black symbolized the all consuming nature of fire when it was worn as war paint. It was the sign of no quarter warfare when worn by H un ka Division warriors. Red stood for the flames or life of the all consuming fire and was worn by Tsi shu Division warriors to signify no quarter warfare. Form

The Osage Tribal Museum has four examples of ancient Osage symbolism. These take the form of a Cedar Tree, a Red Oak Tree holding the Four Upper Worlds, the Morning Star (Male Star), and the Evening Star (Female Star). Typical curving shapes of the Eastern Woodlands make-up three of the designs. But the fourth design, an old style morning star, is angular-—straight line in shape and its relationship to the Sioux Star of the Dakota—Lakota cannot be ignored. In the Osage version, however, we are dealing with ten points rather than eight. Regardless of this difference the two Siouan Stars strongly suggest their great age because of the early dispersion of the Siouan speaking peoples. It is probable that by cal600 A.D., Osage art was dominated by angular—straight line geometric shapes. Likewise, most if not all Osage symbolism had become fixed by this date. We do not intend to say variations were not added after this time. We are, however,

stating

most of the basic motifs of the symbols were established by ca1600. The curving forms of the Eastern Woodlands were as distinctive as the angular—straight line forms of the Plains and Southwestern Deserts. The woodland

forms were

often clearly realistic. Yet, they

were more often stylized and followed conventional forms. Stylization is also a characteristic of the Plains forms. In our opinion, the trend toward stylization was a step toward a written language. If they had been given another century of unhampered development, free of Euro—

American intrusion, it is possible that some Indians of the Plains, Southwestern Deserts, or the Woodland areas could have developed a written language of some type but probably it would have been a

pictographic language. If such a language had been developed, it would have most likely followed the Oriental pattern of writing rather than that of Western Civilization. Subject or Symbolism

A relationship exists between the Osage language and their art. Many Osage words evoke a whole train of thought and a series of pictures, much like a movie, passing through the “mind’s eye.” These are the so-called picture words. Like the symbols of Osage pictorial art, the picture words require a knowledge of Osage myths and legends as well as Osage culture to be fully understood. dl

One of the great pleasures of life is to look at beauty and experience an inner satisfaction. Thus, it is not necessary to comprehend all the meanings of pictorial art. However, life also offers pleasures other than appreciation of beauty. Along with the appreciation of beauty goes an intellectual appreciation. To know the meaning or the intellectual message of the art, is like the frosting on a cake. The cake is delightful and the frosting is a lingering memory of a delightful experience. For these reasons we will now turn to a discussion of the subject or symbolism. Color and form are the two major factors in identifying the symbolism of Osage art. Earlier we mentioned the principle of paired opposites. Western Civilization pairs black and white but Osage Civilization paired black and red more often than black and white. It should be noted, the ancient symbols never used two colors from the same family of colors in representing the symbol. Yet, Osage decorative art frequently incorporate two or more colors from the same family of colors. Thus, all symbolic color schemes are opposites and most of these opposites have paired opposite meanings. For example, in the traditional Four Winds symbol which forms a plus sign, the bars or arms are red and the square formed by the junction of the arms is green. These colors represent the life made possible by the “Breath of Life” or The Four Winds. Red in this case, indicates animal life and green represents vegetative life. One often finds combined meanings within a single symbol. An excellent example of this is found in the Paired Opposite symbol which is normally called Night and Day. This orients the symbol for the east to the right and for the west to the left. That is, day is always to the east and night is always to the left because those are the directions of sunrise and sunset. Directions were always oriented facing north

because that was the direction the first wind came from. Since night is to the left, this places war and death to the left or west while life and peace lie to the east. This same Night and Day: Paired Opposites symbol places a sky symbol to the north and the earth symbol to the south. The Tsi shu (Sky) Division People had their lodges to the north and the Hun ka (Earth) Division People built their lodges to the south. The only exceptions to this was during wartime or when going to or from the grand hunts. At these times the arrangement was reversed and the Tsi shu lived to the south and the Hun ka to the north. A third

set of symbols are also in the Night and Day symbol. There are symbols for the sun and moon with the sun to the right and the moon to the left. All of the heavenly bodies are paired. Grandfather (the Sun) and Grandmother (the Moon) as well as the Morning Star (Male Star) and Sundown Star or Evening Star (Female Star) are examples. Because all of these are manifestations of the same Great Creator it is interesting to note that each pair is also given opposite sex. In Osage

thought and practices man and woman were united and equal in their 32

effort to maintain immortality through descendants as they traveled the River of Life together. Form is like color in—so—far as paired opposites are concerned. That is, the shapes are drawn in pairs that often have opposite meanings. Sometimes a horizontal line represents the horizon or the dividing line between sky and earth. However, a horizontal line may also be the line dividing life and death, the path of the sun, or night and day. It is interesting to note the Osage five pointed star has paired points with each set pointing the same direction. One of the points is an acute angle and the other is an obtuse angle. This pairing of opposite forms is a means of identifying subject.

One other clue leads to subject or symbol identification. The background is very important in Osage pictorial art. Osage symbols are almost universally placed in a large background which with few exceptions is white. In some examples these backgrounds may be pale blue, and even black is sometimes used. The peace and clear day symbolism of white and pale blue have been explained under color. Symbolism of large black backgrounds are subject to many interpretations if considered alone. That is, meaning of black backgrounds must be interpreted within the context of the symbol it surrounds.!° Black backgrounds cannot stand alone as white or pale blue are able to stand. This is probably why black is not used as a background as often as white and pale blue. Myths and Legends at the Base of All Subjects

Since all Osage art subjects are symbolic, we find it necessary to examine ancient Osage myths. One must always bear in mind that varying versions of these myths were preserved. Each of the two grand divisions had their own versions of these stories. In fact, each of the twenty-four clans had specialized versions. Yet, the essence of each

myth was preserved; they varied only in some details. We will base our paraphrase on the Tsi shu version of the genesis myths because it is the one most commonly related. In the beginning the Great Creator made the Universe. He created the Upper World which he divided into four quarters or the Four Upper Worlds. Twenty-three of the twenty-four clans claim origin in the Upper World.!! The people originated in the fourth or lowest of the 10This statement was phrased for comprehension by the Western mind. To the Old Osages the background was the design and the symbol was placed within the design. It is like viewing a black and white optical illusion where the problem is whether to concentrate on the black figures or the white figures.

11The Isolated Earth Clan is the only Osage clan that claims origin on the earth. This along with the story of meeting these people where it is noted that they 33

Four Upper Worlds. However, they did not become beings until they reached the Third Upper World.!2 Between the Third and Second Upper Worlds was O ke sa or the midway point of the Upper Worlds. It was at O ke sa that the people acquired their immortal souls. In the Second Upper World, the people were given thought. Now, they could “explore with the mind.” When the people reached the First Upper World they attained the power of communication. Now the people became restless and discontented. They were beings with mind and communication but they had no bodies. One may speculate that without bodies there could be no physical life or speech. Without physical life there could be no living memories of a past. In an existence where the past, the present, and the future are one and the same, time without end, it is not surprising that the people longed for bodies. (As a matter of related interest, according to the old Osage beliefs, upon the death of the physical body the soul returned to O ke sa. At O ke sa there could be no discontent for there the soul had neither mind nor communication.) After asking the many manifestations of the Great Mystery for help in their search for bodies, the people then asked many of the animals for help. All offered to help in other matters but only the Bird Without Stain offered to help them reach the earth.13 The Great Sovereign of the Universe had brought sky and earth together when he created the universe. This made physical life possible on earth. Since, it was impossible to have a body any place except on earth, the people had to descend to earth if they were to acquire bodies. In three soarings the Mottled Eagle led the people down to the earth. Unfortunately, at this time the earth was covered with water. Such a condition forced the people to land in seven red oak trees. (The Hunka say seven huge boulders.) Even yet, they had no bodies but the red bird gave them bodies.!4 However, the people were still stranded in the red claimed to be Hun ka and spoke Osage (Siouan) leads one to suggest they may have been a stray clan of Dakota—Lakota Sioux or more likely Chewere Sioux. 12The Osage make a distinction between a being and a person. Any life has being but a human remains a non-person until they are properly named. It is significant, that, under the old customs the Isolated Earth Clan always presided at

the naming ceremonies. Possibly, origin on earth made this clan especially suited to bestow the Ne ke A or ceremonial name upon a human being and thus make them a person. 13Bird Without Stain is one of the many appellations for the near mature golden eagle. This spotted or mottled eagle was thought to have been a separate species by the Old Osages.

14We must explain, if one follows thought habits of Western Civilization, red

bird could only refer to the Kentucky cardinal. However, in the minds of the Old

Osages, red bird always indicated the Red Eagle or morning prayer eagle. This eagle

34

oaks and their newly acquired bodies put such a burden on the oak limbs that they were almost at the point of breaking. Wa kon ta, the Great Creator, took pity on the people as they desperately clung to the branches of the red oaks. He sent O pon Tun ka the Great Elk to help them. Three times the Great Elk threw himself upon the water covering the earth. Each time there was a great splash and huge waves were created. The waters receded and the muddy soil of the earth emerged. Now the Great Elk called for the wind of the cedars (north) to come

and blow across the land. After a

while he called the wind of the south. Soon, he summoned the winds of the east and the west. As the winds dried the soil of the earth they also blew the breath of life across the land. Now, the Great Elk threw himself upon the earth for the fourth time and the grasses and plants

of the earth grew from the hairs he left on the ground. The story continues as the people search the earth for the Isolated Earth People. They discovered many wonderful things about the earth as they searched. After many years of wandering, a messenger from the Travelers in the Mists clan reports that a strange people who claimed to be Hun ka and speaking Osage had been met.!> The people had found the Isolated Earth People as Wa kon ta had commanded them. However, their joy turned to dismay when they saw the village

of these long sought people. Filth was everywhere and human remains lay rotting around the village. Evidence of cannibalism was also present and these people killed with the Four Winds.!* But since Wa

kon ta had also commanded them to teach the Isolated Earth People the proper way to live, the two peoples merged and the new people abandoned their old bad ways and shared with the Osages the best they had of their old ways. With this background we now have a framework to help us understand the stories about the various symbols with a greater comprehension. A knowledge of the three elements of Osage pictorial art helps breathe life into the ancient symbols. Thus, the past is kept was called the Red Eagle because the red from the rising sun colored his feathers as he flew at dawn. It is fitting for the female Red Eagle to give the people bodies. Both the sunrise and the Red Eagle are symbolic of new life. To the Ancient Osages the cardinal was a weather symbol and he was not associated with life. The Four Sacred Eagles of the Osages in the order of their significance were: (1) Bird Without Stain; (2) Red Eagle; (3) White Eagle; and (4) Dark Eagle or Black Bird.

15Travelers in the Mists is a sub—clan of the Wa sha she Clan of the Earth Division, This sub-clan always scouted ahead when the people were on the move.

16To use the Four Winds or Breath of Life for killing was a perversion of Wa kon ta’s intent. Such a wanton act of disharmony horrified the Osages. For the same reason human cannibalism was repulsive to the Osages who regarded this as the action of beasts and not of humans.

35

Fig. 16. The ancient design above comes from the woodland period of Osage history. This symbol represents the Four Upper Worlds or Four Quarters of the Upper World resting in a Red Oak Tree. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum 36

Fig. 17. Another ancient symbol from the Osage woodland period is illustrated above. The Red Cedar which is depicted here was a tree of life. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum ai!

Fig. 18. Depicted above is a very old version of the Osage symbol for the Morning Star. Five pointed stars were unusual in Osage design and the Morning Star was the only example. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum 38

Fig. 19. The Morning Star is still worn and the version above is the one used. This is usually worn as a scarf slide made of silver. 39

Fig. 20. The illustration shown here is the leading symbol of O ke sa or midway. This depicts the Four Upper Worlds and the mid—point between the Second and Third Upper Worlds. 40

Fig. 21. Several variations of the O ke sa symbol are shown here. Four is an often used Osage number but the diamond is an absolute identification of the Upper World. Al

Fig. 22. The Four Winds symbol shown above is a rare version. It is difficult to guess the origin of this symbol; it could be very old or it could be of recent origin. 42

Fig. 23. A Ho e ka or snare is shown in the illustration above. This is one of two Ho e ka that was widely used by the Osage People. This version was given to the people by the Great Elk. 43

Fig. 24. Like the rare Four Winds symbol (Fig. 22), this Thunderbolt symbol could be either old or new. Its origins and story have been lost. 44

Fig. 25. The Thirteen War Honors are depicted here. There are seven honors on the drawing’s right and six on the drawing’s left. 45

Fig. 26. The Paired Opposites shown here are of indeterminate age. The name and meaning of this symbol has been lost but we can interpret the meaning of the pairs from other symbols. 46

the alive in the present through art. Color, form, and subject are vehicles which carry the past into the present.

47

CHAPTER MEDIA

III

OR TYPES

Introduction

When we speak of Osage art we must remember ink, paper, and a written language did not exist for the ancient Osages. Thus, they used other media to preserve their most precious thoughts. Quite often the nature of the art dictated which of the available types of materials would be used. Contact with Western Civilization brought new media and trade which motivated adjustments in design so new mediums could be used. In time, portions of the old available selections were dropped and the techniques of working in the discarded types were lost. However, by whatever means they may have been depicted, the old symbols exist today and they are recognizable along with the story they tell. As long as the ancient symbols exist so shall the Osage people. Baby Boards

One would not normally consider a baby board as an art medium. (see Figs. 27-28) This would be especially true if we were discussing Western art but we are discussing Osage (Indian) art and the media used are different than those of Western Civilization. The head of an Osage baby board when viewed separate from the rest of the board can stand by itself as a work or art. Yet, if one considers only the shade strips and fascinators, these by themselves also make an Osage baby board a work of art. (Shade strips are two inch wide beaded or finger woven strips that pass over the bow of the board and are fastened at the head and foot of the board. Fascinators are fastened to the bow to help the infant focus his eyes.) Each of the three decorative components of the boards, the head—board, shade strips, and fascinators reflect the Osage love for their young. Like their parfleches, each woman placed her personal design above the head of her baby. Thus, no two baby boards are identical in design. There are several instances of Osages painting on wood other than on baby boards, hatchet handles and pipe stems. However, in the known instances these were either on living trees or upon green wood. Baby boards, hatchet handles and pipe stems are the only seasoned wood objects adorned with colored designs. Ceremonial arrows and bows were painted but no design was placed upon

them.!7 The two annual grand buffalo hunts in the spring and the fall made durability and toughness an absolute necessity. For this reason, Osage Orange (Bois d’Arc) which was used for bows and the three types of hickory trees available were the woods of choice used in most objects made

of wood.!8 However,

for some

ceremonial

uses,

sycamore or cottonwood was often used as well as redbud and red willow. Considering the penchant of Western Civilization for briar pipes, itis notable that the Osages never made pipe bowls of either wood or roots. They preferred to make pipe bowls of soft stone such as catlinite and thick shales although some ceramic pipe bowls were made. Thus, baby boards, hatchet handles and pipe stems stand as an unique form of Osage art media. Parfleches

Definition Parfleches are rawhide storage containers they were ideal for the old semi—nomadic life of the buffalo hunting Indians such as the Osage. Wood was not only too heavy but it was also too brittle to use as a container while on the hunt. Metal was too heavy and too rigid to endure the hard knocks of the hunt. Rawhide is tough, waterproof when sized, and flexible to blows or pressure. After the hunt of 1884,

the Osages never chased the buffalo again. They continued to use the old parfleches they had made when buffalo hide was still available but they made very few new parfleches because they felt cowhide, horsehide, and other large animal hides were not as good as buffalo hide. One must also realize that with the passing of the Southern Herd, Indians of the Southern Plains were forced to radically change their way of life in order to survive. In the new sedentary life, parfleches were not as desirable as they had been in the old nomadic hunting life. Therefore, the art of making parfleches was soon lost by

the Osages. Methods and techniques described here are taken mostly from other Indian people. Yet, the Osage almost certainly used the same basic techniques. Hopefully, this will help restore an art form that has been lost.

17In the Ceremony of the Arrows, one arrow is painted red and the other is painted black. The bow is painted black on the front and red on the inside. The red arrow is shot to the west and the black arrow is shot last in the same direction. Thus, symbolically day and night follow each other in endless procession and the Osage people will continue into infinity. 18The three hickory types available to the Osages were shag-bark hickory, regular—bark hickory, and smooth-bark or pig—nut hickory. Of these three, the latter had the whitest wood and took color well.

49

Fig. 27. Shown here is the head—board design from an Osage Baby Board. This decoration has no known subject.

50

Fig. 28. We have never seen any two baby boards with the same design on it. Each mother had designs which identified the baby on the board as her baby. Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society’s White Hair Memorial

a fh

Materials

One buffalo hide made two standard sized parfl eches. Osage parfleches like those of the Dakota Sioux may be descr ibed as twotwo-two. That is, the thong holes in the two flaps were made in pairs. Double pairs of tie thong holes were placed at the two outer edges of the flaps and another double set in the middle edges of the flaps. Hence the two—two—two description. Some Indian nations made one—one-one parfleches and others made two—one—tw o or even one—two-—one parfleches. Sizing was an important part of parfleche making. Not only did this serve the utilitarian purpose of waterproofing but it also preserved the artwork on the flaps. Doubtless, the Osages used cedar gum and the gum of other plants in sizing. The gum was thinned and applied to a wet, stretched hide. Design and color were then applied to wet sizing and hide. Thus, the color mixed with the sizing and both were imbedded into the hide when it dried. Colors were derived from a variety of sources. Some colors were obtained from mineral sources and others came from vegetable

sources. Red, yellow, and sometimes blue clays were often sources of

colors. At times one will find a soft pliable mass of iron oxide in yellow or red clay beds. Filtered iron and alumina oxide clays made excellent red and yellows. Both clay and charcoal were filtered. The material was mixed in water until the particles were suspended. Fluid of this mixture was filtered through a deerskin. After filtering, the fluid which now had very fine particles suspended in it, was shaped into discs about three inches across and set out to dry. Tallow and cedar gum were sometimes kneaded into the still moist cake to act as a binder. Color derived from vegetative sources were also filtered when necessary. Charcoal from the redbud tree was the favored source of black. Red willow was sometimes substituted for the redbud. However, the wood of the red willow is red which causes it to be considered as a tree of life. The logic of the Old Osages is sometimes difficult to follow for the redbud has red buds in the spring. One might assume that since red is the color of life it does not seem logical that the redbud could be used as a symbol of death as well. However, the combination of black bark, dark wood, and red blooms was an ideal combination for the two grand divisions. Redbud became the symbol for both the flames (which were red) and remains (which were black) of the all consuming fire. The Sky Grand Division took red as their symbol of the all consuming fire and the Earth

Grand Division took the black as their symbol of the all consuming fire. When these colors alone were worn in warfare it was a sign of war without mercy.

Die)

Black was also derived from other sources. Brown and black were sometimes

obtained from fresh black walnut hulls. That is, the juice

was squeezed from the outer husk which surrounds the shell. The American wood nettle (Laportea canadensis) produced a green dye from the above ground parts and a yellow color from the roots. In addition yellow was made from dandelion and sunflowers. Red was also made from dandelion but it was often made from pokeweed and any of the three docks common to the Osage country. (i.e. Swamp dock=Rumex verticillatus; patience dock=Rumex patientia; and pale dock=Rumex allissimus) The marsh elder (va xanthifolia) was used to get the blue color the Osages needed. The available blue clays made an excellent gray—blue but it did not make a good true blue. Possibly, this is why the blue tints were used more widely than the deep—hued blues. Designing Parfleche designs were personal. Each woman had her own designs and they decorated as well as identified her possessions. Inspiration for the design could come from the myths, the symbols, her own mind, or any combinations of these. Parfleche designs were often abstracted from natural objects. One unusual practice was to stare at the bright sun and then duck into the less intense light inside the lodge with closed eyes. The shapes and colors seen in the “mind’s eye” resulted in a parfleche design. Since the sun was the chief manifestation of Wa kon ta, these particular designs were considered to be inspired by the Great Creator. Osage parfleches tended to follow the same characteristics which other Plains Sioux incorporated into their parfleches. In addition to making two—two-two flaps, the Osages also outlined their designs in dark colors. This outlining disappeared from Osage art between 1876 and about 1910. It reappeared as piping in ribbonwork shortly after the turn of the century. Planning a parfleche design was no small task. Once a design was conceived it had to be clearly planned. That is, the position of each shape and color had to be clearly pictured in the mind. No pre—sketch was made so the entire design along with color scheme and arrangement had to be held in the mind. However, a measurement system which involved peeled willow wands about the size of a lead pencil were prepared in advance. These sticks were cut to the needed sizes and were arranged on the buffalo hide to lay-out the design. That is, three or four standard length sticks were prepared—one stick for each repeated length. Curves were made by bending a willow wand and tying it with a thong—making, in effect, a small bow. There were many difficulties in applying the design. Not the least of these was the need for haste. To repeat applying the same design

a8)

four times in no more than an hour was quite a feat. This is more remarkable when one remembers there was no drawn plan to provide a guide. The feat becomes even more incredible when one realizes only one person had the design in her mind. Little could be done to assist her. Then, of course, almost one hundred pounds of wet buffalo hide stretched a few inches above the ground on pegs driven into the earth was not the Same as a stret ched canvas placed on an easel for easy access. Touching the wet, sized hide anywhere within the design area with the hand would create an unsightly blemish which would ruin the design. Application Applying the techniques of parfleche making required a great deal of very hard labor. For the squemish we will omit the gory details of skinning a buffalo and stretching the “green hide.” However before

stretching the hide, a majority of the old parfleche makers prefer red

to “flesh” the hide. That is, bits of flesh, thin tissue, fat, membr ane,

and blood were scraped from the inner side of the hide.!9 The reason for doing this as soon as possible after the animal was slain was to prevent the fatty, oily particles, and blood from soaking into the hide. Fleshing was done by pressing the hide against the top of a post or some other firm backing. Great care was taken not to nick or cut the fleshed side because it would cause bad places in the design. Some fleshers worked from the center out and others worked from one end. It was a matter of pride to get a parfleche hide as white as possible. This was accomplished after the fleshed hide was stretched and pegged about four inches above the ground. The fleshed side was the upside and it was repeatedly sluiced with clean water and then each sluicing of water was scraped off. This may sound simple but the hide of a modern 1,000 pound steer would weigh almost sixty pounds when first removed from the animal. A 1,200 pound buffalo would have a hide that weighed very near one hundred pounds or more when first removed. Cow and steer hide are not as thick as buffalo

hide nor do they have such a thick mat of hair and dirt. A wet, clean,

fleshed, and dehaired buffalo hide weighed very nearly fifty pounds. Once the hide was clean it was dehaired. All the usual dehairing processes were “thrown away” when a hide destined to be parfleches was dehaired. The hide was placed hair up on a grassy spot. It was then struck with repeated slanting blows from a rounded stone held in the hand. Each blow mashed off a tuft of hair and made the

19°The finer particles from this scraping process were saved for a variety of

uses. These uses ranged from treatment for cuts and wounds to the making of glue and sizing.

54

rawhide slightly more pliable. After the hair had been struck off, the hide was washed and soaked. Then it was again pegged on the . ground with the flesh side up. as hide The pre-cut “measuring sticks” were laid on the damp soon as the sizing was applied. Sizing acted as a mordantas wellasa water proofer. As the sticks were arranged in their proper places, they were pressed firmly into the moist hide. This made visible indentations in the hide which acted as a guide for the application of color. Thin color lines were often applied directly from the prepared color disks or cakes. Sometimes fine lines were applied with a “bone brush.”2° These “brushes” had a straight tapered end and were thin like a spatula. Primarily, these “brushes” were used to fill-in the large areas of color although they could also make very thin lines.

Like other Siouan peoples, the Osage always outlined in dark color. As a final comment we would like to mention an important fact about viewing an Osage parfleche design. (see Figs. 29-31) To some extent this fact also applies to other media which involve Osage design and color especially those that predate contact. The whites in our illustrations represent the color of the prepared buffalo rawhide. To the eye of Western Civilization these whites are viewed as backgrounds and are usually so described. However, the Old Osages considered the so—called background to be a part of the actual design and the other colored shapes were to be seen through the mis-named “background.” Itis difficult for the Western oriented eye to shift from its customary viewing habits but the new perspectives gained from viewing a design with the eye of the Old Osage culture is well worth the effort. Osage parfleche designs were usually outlined in a dark color like parfleches of other Siouan People. The Old Osage women always said, “The white shapes are the design; the colored shapes are the background. Outlining the white shapes give depth to the design.” Thus, depth as a third dimension is given to an otherwise flat or two dimensional design. We had been conditioned to look at art through the eyes of Western Civilization, so, we did not understand what they meant until we studied art at the university. An assignment in art abstractions finally allowed us to see parfleche designs through the eyes of the Osage culture.

*°in the Orient, one style of painting also uses a spatula—like bamboo brush shaped like the Old Osage “bone brushes.” It is amazing how deftly a variety of shapes can be painted by an artist experienced in their use. The Osage “bone brushes” were made of the cellular inside parts of large bones. Being porous the “bone brush” held a greater stock of paint than the fine pores of the Oriental “pamboo brush.”

Ds)

Fig. 29. This Osage parfleche design has a large amount of color and not much white. If the design once had a subject, it has been lost. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum

DA

Fig.30. A black and white optical illusion is shown above. By concentrating on either the white or black, the cubes seem to shift position. This is much like concentrating

on the white in a parfleche design. Seti

Fig. 31. The Osage parfleche design shown above is mostly white. Notice the dark green which outlines the white and the pyramid effect obtained by this technique. Courtesy Osage Tribal Museum

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Beadwork

Background

Early Euro-American Indian traders were amazed at the beautiful things Indian women created from pedestrian objects from Western Civilization. Among these amazing innovations was the objects created with the common beads of the Western World. To see such an extension of European beadwork was often a shock to Euro— Americans because Indian beadwork was alien to European conventions. Such beadwork was a part of the great romantic period in European art and literature. The Osages were not strangers to beadwork in pre-Columbian times. Beads were made from a great variety of materials ranging from seeds to fossilized crinoid stems. Beads of almost every imaginable material were articles of trade throughout pre-historic North America and the Osages lived at the crossroads of this commerce. Because all trade across the Plains required walking great distances, only high value light weight items were traded, thus, beads became an universal item of trade over 2,000 years before

Indian and Euro-American met. Strange alien beads which verged on the exotic were especially in great demand so it was natural when the new European beads became available that they would be in demand. Beadwork was applied in many ways to articles of clothing, luxury, and utilitarian uses. However, in all forms of application an effort was made to arrange the beads in patterns to please the eye. The idea of using small bits of color in order to make a design was not new to Western art. Mosaics and beadwork date far back in the history of Western art. However, the Indian designs and use of color caused a revolution in bead working. Using small colored beads to create designs for application to everyday objects was not new to Western minds either but the Indian applications were very unusual.?! Different types

There are six types of beadwork that are still in general use. (see Figs. 32-36) Many other types exist but we will confine ourselves to the main types used among the Osages. The most simple type of beadwork is a string of beads. Most E Lon schka dancers wear at

1It would be interesting to trace the history of pointillism (a form of impressionism) which arose in the late 1800s. This technique of using small dots of paint to create pictures may have been inspired by beadwork. Certainly, the modern

process of printing pictures uses the same idea of small dots to create a picture.

a9

least one bandolier which consists of one or more strings of beads.22 At the same dances, Osage ladies wear a neckl ace made of many strands of strung beads. Thus, simple strings such as necklaces are still in use.

Loomed beads are more popular today than in the past. Osage men usually wear a latigo belt with a loomed bead strip sewn on it as part of their dance clothing. In addition, a loomed bead strip is worn on the otter joining the top and center medallion.?3 A bead loom is simple to make and easy to use. Patterns of all kinds hold their shape easily in loomed beadwork. We mention this because in some types of beadwork it is very difficult to keep a constant shape in some patterns.

Lazy stitch is widely used on moccasins, leather shirts, blanke t strips, leggings and myriad other objects such as tobacco bags. This beading consists of stringing three to eight beads in a string and then stitching the string into leather at the loose end. Traditionally the Osage women do not run these stitches entirely through the leather . Lazy stitch beadwork holds the position of the design almost as well as looming. In more recent years diagonal beadwork has been called peyote stitch by the Osages. This is a freehand method of beading. Although it holds the pattern set very well in flatwork, when it is applied to cylindrical or conical objects, only a zig—zag holds its set. Other patterns tend to wander from the position where they were set. This is not to say a given pattern cannot be rendered in diagonal stitch. It is to say it is very difficult to do. Today, peyote stitch is mainly used on objects like canes, dance sticks, and fan handles. A seldom noticed form of beadwork is edging. There are literally dozens of edging styles. One very popular style places one bead vertical and the next bead flat, by alternating vertical and flat—laid beads a charming effect is obtained. This edging is applied to the outer edge of leggings, edges of the aprons and drag,”4 and the edges of the otter. Blankets and other parts of a man’s dance clothing may also be edged with beading. Rosettes or medallions are a final type of beadwork. These are made with a series of small lazy stitches. That is, two or three beads are strung before stitching to the backing and at times the new 22The E Lon schka dances have been held annually in June since 1885. In a free interpretation the name means Arena of the Eldest Son. Dressing styles have not changed since 1885 which makes the Osages unique in this respect. *3The otter is a backed otter skin that hangs from the nape of the neck down the back to the ground. It is symbolic of an active healthy body. ?4Aprons and drag are part of an Osage man’s dance clothing. The aprons are worn in lieu of a breech cloth and cover the crotch and rump. A drag hangs down from the waist to the ground and is worn at the back. All three pieces of clothing require a considerable amount of edging.

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strings are also stitched to the preceding row of strings. The beads are spiraled from the center outward. Patterns hold very well in this type of beadwork.

Ribbonwork Description

Ribbonwork is a form of appliqué. Two, three, or even more layers of different colored ribbons are used. This often includes two colors per layer. Cuts are made through the layers to make the designs. The edges of the cuts are turned under and hemmed. In some designs, piping is sewn under the hemmed edges. There are literally hundreds

of ribbonwork

designs.

Yet,

some

designs

are

more

popular than others and therefore, more familiar to the people. History

No one can be sure when ribbonwork appeared among the Osages. However, it was present amid them shortly after 1800. This would be about the same time it appeared among the Eastern Woodland nations. We have no doubt that it came as a result of trade with the French. Osage women have a quick eye for design, technique, and color. A glance at an example of French appliqué would have been enough to launch a new art form. Possibly, it came through the cover de bois (heart of the woods) who loved bright fancy decoration and could easily have exposed the Osages to appliqué. During the textile revolution in Europe, the English concentrated on the production of utilitarian textiles and the French specialized in fancy fabrics. As a result, the English strouding or wool broadcloth became standard in the British Indian trade and silk ribbon became standard in the French trade. French silk ribbon was the main raw material of Osage ribbonwork. Even in the Spanish and the later American period of Osage history, French ribbon was the usual trade ribbon. Needles were commonly English made while thread may have originated in either France or England in the earlier days. Whatever may be said about the origin of ribbonwork among the Osages, it was the Catholic nuns who put polish on the work of the Osage girls. The girl’s schools at Florissant, Missouri, Osage Mission, Kansas, and Pawhuska, Oklahoma all taught needle craft. Later the girl’s academies

in Kansas

at Paola, Mt. Carmel,

and St.

Mary College taught many Osage girls the techniques of fine needlework. We are not going to be so rash as to claim that the Osage ladies do the finest of all ribbonwork but their work does have a dis25Strouding takes its name from Stroud, England where a particularly fine

grade of wool broadcloth was made.

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Fig. 32. Shown above is an Osage loomed headband for a feather bonnet. The saw-tooth represents the River of Life but the subject of the over—all design is unknown. Courtesy Southwest Museum, Los Angeles 62

Fig. 33. This is a beautifully loomed version of the River of Life. The red, blue, green, and white colors are very significant.

63

Fig. 34. We believe this example of Osage lazy stitch has a variation of the Elk’s Forehead Ho e ka and Thunder in the design. This was on a pair of girl’s moccasins. 64

Fig. 35. O ke sa and the Kon za Clan Four Winds are shown here in lazy stitch. This design was taken from an old (1889) pair of Osage moccasins.

Ob)

Fig. 36. The medallion shown here was taken from the toe of a man’s moccasins. We doubt there was a subject for this design.

66

n tinctive quality about it that shows above all others. In our opinio _ . Sisters c Catholi this is due to the early influence of the The BIA boarding schools also had an effect on Osage ribbonwork. As Osage girls began to go away to the boarding schools, they were exposed to designs of other Indian people. This led to a great deal of experimentation and innovations in Osage ribbonwork. (see Figs. 37— 52) From about 1910 to 1930 the Osages underwent not only the most rapid changes in their history but they were at the same time exposed to a fantastic increase in monetary wealth through oil production from their reservation. With a slap on the back with one hand while the other hand was in the Osage pocket, the white man gave the Osages a liberal education in “civilization.” This shows in the ribbonwork for as their lives became more complicated by monetary wealth and rapid cultural change their ribbonwork also became more complicated. It is sometimes said that the fine arts reflect the cultural history of a people. One can almost read the history of the Osages from 1800 to 1960 in their ribbonwork. It is with great pleasure that we see Osage ribbonwork being applied to a variety of ladies clothing and household items. We are sure this also pleases Wa kon ta Ke (The Great Mystery). It is good to see the old symbols so vital and alive for it reminds us of our heritage. After World War II a few Osage women adapted some of the Eastern Woodland designs to Osage taste. When one views such designs, the first inclination is to think, this is not Osage. However,

upon reflection about the matter, it becomes more and more Osage. Yet, the Osages have always been willing to try out new ideas. Osages are an adaptive people. They have survived the catastrophic change brought to them because of the voyages of Columbus and contact with Western Civilization. Now once again with a return to the graceful curves of Eastern Woodland designs the circle is completed, we are back at the beginning. A final ribbonwork example combines the curving geometry of the woodlands with the angular geometry of the prairie—plains. (see Fig. 53.) This particular pattern is called the butterfly. This is especially interesting since the ribbonwork is on a young girl’s skirt. The monarch butterfly was one of the ten guardians of ones honor. Guardians dropped punishment on anyone guilty of lying or doing other wrongful acts. Monarch butterflies were one of the most active guardians. This ribbonwork is the finest example of hand sewn ribbonwork we have ever seen. One can almost trace the history of the Osage culture in the evolution of the ribbonwork illustrated here. Certainly, this example combines the ancient woodland period with oe Paget un period and at the same time shows the current rend.

Gay,

Fig. 37. The traditional Osage ribbonwork design shown above uses the Thunder and Upper Worlds symbols. However, if the design had a subject, it has been lost.

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Fig. 38. This traditional ribbonwork design incorporates the Upper Worlds and the Four Winds symbols. The subject is unknown.

69

Fig. 39. Shown above is a traditional Osage ribbonwork design. The Elk’s Forehead Ho e ka and the Upper World are depicted in this design. Omitting the South Wind is common in Dhegiha Sioux designs of the Four Winds.

70

Fig. 40. In this traditional ribbonwork design, all four winds are shown in the Elk’s Forehead Ho e ka. The Upper World is also shown. al

Fig. 41. Displayed here in a traditional mbbonwork design are an Arrow Point, Fletching, and the Elk’s Forehead Ho e ka. The Arrow Point and Fletching are quasi-symbols for security. V2

Fig. 42. Osage traditional ribbonwork often combines unusual symbols as in the example above. Arrow Fletching and the Upper World are combined in this design. is

Fig. 43. Both the Arrow Point and Fetching are shown here with Thunder in this traditional Osage ribbonwork design. 74

Fig. 44. Our first example of innovative Osage ribbonwork shows Arrow points and Thunder with piping or outlining. Notice that the red, pink, and purple are on the same side and all of these colors have red in them.

HSS

Fig. 45. This design shows Thunder turned sideways and a rare form of the Four Winds. Such innovations in Osage ribbonwork show new influences. 76

Fig. 46. This example of innovative Osage ribbonwork shows repeats of the Thunder symbol. Repeats were not new in Osage ribbonwork but repeats of only one stacked symbol was innovative. 77]

Fig. 47. Our final example of Osage innovative ribbonwork combines Arrow Points and Thunder with inlets of the Upper Worlds. Inlets of this type were new in Osage ribbonwork. We

Fig. 48. The Upper Worlds and Other Shapes are shown here in our first example of complicated Osage ribbonwork. Notice that all of the colors belong to the red family. The other shapes show a departure from tradition.

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Fig. 49. This is an unusual complicated ribbonwork design. It not only shows the Four Winds but it also shows Six Winds. That is, it shows, up drafts and downdrafts with the Upper Worlds and conventional Four Winds.

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Fig. 50. In this complicated design we see the traditional Four Winds combined with new shapes and piping.

8 |

Fig. 51. The only traditional symbol in this complicated design is the Upper Worlds. Osage ladies say one should have five years experience in doing ribbonwork before attempting this type of design. 82

Fig. 52. With these Woodland Shapes the Osage ladies have returned to the woodlands. Our symbol examples in Chapter I started with woodland shapes and this completes the circle back to woodland designs.

83

Fig. 53. The blending of Woodland and Plains shapes are clearly evident in this butterfly ribbonwork design. Courtesy of Osage Tribal Museum

84

Leather and Hair Introduction

Rawhide is an untreated skin although it may be dehaired and slightly worked. Leather is a skin which has been treated with some form of tannic acid and oil. While some of the working techniques are the same, on the whole the methods of working rawhide and leather are very different. The Osages did mix rawhide and leather in some articles but generally this was an exception rather than the rule. Hair from the buffalo and vegetable fibers were used to a great extent,

especially cattail leaves. Each of these media provided unusual outlets for the Osage artist to express his or her “beauty within.” Both leather and hair were used in making clothing and utilitarian articles as well as ceremonial items. Braiding and Platting Leather thongs were platted and braided to make a variety of objects.26 Platting was used when the finished article was to be round like a rope. Braiding was used when the finished article was to be flat like a mat. In pre-Columbian times buffalo hair was often dyed and spun into yarn by rolling strands along the thigh. Much of this yarn was used in finger weaving which is actually a complicated braiding of the yarn. (see Figs. 54-57) Men’s belts were platted with six ply buffalo hair yarn. The round belts are usually made of wool yarn today and are still used as breech cloth and tail belts in dressing for the EF Lon schka dances. These belts are more practical than one might imagine. Both the platting and the wool yarn give the belt a large degree of elasticity. Thus, the belt tends to give when needed and to contract when needed. This avoids a cutting and binding feeling so common in a flat leather belt.

Some dancers do not use these old style belts at all and others may use only one but most use two. Finger weaving is a type of braiding which produces an incredible woven product. Approximately ten to twelve inches is a maximum width for finger woven artwork. This is very aptly named finger weaving for no loom is used. Moving the innumerable strands in and out without causing a snarl seems to be magic. Adding beads to the strands as they are woven adds to the difficulty but beads are quite 26We could find no dictionary distinction between platting and braiding.

However, as we use the two terms, braiding is usually done with an odd number of

strands and always results in a flat end product. On the other hand, platting is always done with an even number of strands and always results in a cylindrical product such as ropes and whips.

85

commonly added to men’s sashes and gart ers as well as women’s belts. It is a shame that both men’s and women’s E Lon schka clothing hide most of the beautiful finger weav ing they are wearing. This is an ancient art among the Osages who practiced it long before contact. In ancient times the yarns were made of buffalo hair. We would like to mention in connection with finger weaving which is done without a loom, that the Osages did weav e some items on a loom. Several ancient Osage looms are in the Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology. Wove n cattail mats had widespread use within the lodges as ground cover ing and as the sidewalls of the lodges. Two of the three coverings for the Wa ho pe Shin ka or Little Shrine were loomed. One was a diam ond patterned cattail mat and the other was made of woven buffa lo hair yarn. Up until the turn of the century (1900) Osage women made woven bags of great beauty. Only six of these are known to still exist. Clothing

Clothing was made of leather, usually deerskin, altho ugh other skins were also used. Women wore wrap-around skirts of deerskin and another deerskin was wrapped around the upper body and suspended from the left shoulder. The right shoulder was bare. Skirts were held in place with a tie belt and sometimes a wide finger

woven belt. (see Figs. 54, 56, 57) A robe of tanned buffalo, puma, bear,

or antelope skin was worn in cold weather. Ladies moccasins were often high-topped, rising to at least mid—calf. Men’s wear consisted of a platted leather or hair belt which held a breech cloth of tanned deerskin in place. A pair of low cut moccasins with buffalo hide soles completed all that was usually worn in hot weather. In cooler weather, a pair of leggings was worn. One legging was made for each leg. They were slipped over the leg and were then tied to the breech cloth belt. A slip—over buckskin shirt completed the attire for cool weather but a tanned robe would be added in very cold weather. Like most things the Old Osages made, their clothing reflected their religious myths. Men’s leggings and shirts had fringes of short thongs along the outer leg seams and the back horizontal seam of the shirt as well as the arm seams. These fringes swayed and fluttered with movement. Thus, it was natural to make these symbolic of the people soaring to earth from the upper worlds. By the last quarter of the 1800s, most of the fur and leather materials had been replaced with fabrics from Western Civilization. Wool broadcloth which is often called strouding was used for lady’s skirts and men’s breech cloths, tails, and leggings. Calico and silk was made into shirts and/or scarves. Only the otter skin and moccasins follow the fur—skin tradition of the distant past.

86

Fig. 54. This Tie—belt was made by the author. It is six ply, one quarter inch silk ribbon laid over a four ply core of macramé cord.

87

Fig. 55. This whip was made in Mexico. However, it is like those

used by the Old Osages. It is an exceptionally fine example of the platting art. 88

Fig. 56. This finger woven ladies belt is an example of the popular chevron pattern.

89

Fig. 57. This intricate design is from a ten inch wide ladies’ belt. It is an example of the difficult feather pattern. Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Soctety’s White Hair Memorial

90

Osage styles have changed very little in the past one hundred years or more. One often hears that the Osages are the only Indians who have not changed their traditional dress styles in over one hundred years. This is certainly true of Indians east of the Rockies. Within our personal memory the Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and other desert tribes have also changed. However, there has been a revolution in materials since the old materials are either difficult to obtain or can no longer be found. Horse mane and tail hair have replaced turkey beards and porcupine hair as hair trim on whips. Whips were badges of office for the various classes of protectors (soldiers) who were Ah ke tah. (see Fig. 55) There were chief protectors, protectors of the land, and protectors of the hunt. Their whips varied with the office but each was a work of art. The last traces of the Ah ke tah are the two “whips” that police the EF Lon schka dances. Both the shirt and breech cloth were adorned with quill work and beads before 1500. After trade with the French was established late in the 17th century the Osages gradually abandoned most quill work. Thus, most Osage shirts and breech cloths one sees in museums have only beadwork and possibly a few elk teeth may appear on some shirts but this is all that remains of the ancient shirt adornment. Pipes, pouches and ax handles may still be seen with quill work on them. Osage moccasins are different from the moccasin familiar to most Americans of today. Instead of the two piece moccasin toe the Osages made the upper in one piece and the sole as a second piece. But the toe was one piece with the rest of the upper. The heel seam always had two “tails” at the bottom. Again quill work adorned dress moccasins before contact but trade beads and hemispherical studs totally replaced the quills. Body Adornment

Introduction

There are three basic types of Osage body adornment. These are paint, tattoos, and jewelry. Paint was applied to both the face and torso. Men were tattooed on the chest and back; women were tattooed on the chest, back, arms, and hands. Women were always tattooed with symbols of peace while men were tattooed with war symbols. Jewelry was mainly pendants, ear spools, and ear dangles but necklaces and bracelets were also worn. Feathers are a part of clothing but they could also be a special class of body ornamentation. At the danger of being repetitious, we are again reminding the reader that the Old Osages were deeply religious. Every act and every

a

action

had

religious

overtones.

Therefore,

all body

ador

nment involves a great deal of symbolism. This is prese nt in the color, design, and placement of the adornment. We must point out that body paint was used on many occasions other than war although it is frequently called “war paint.” (see Figs. 58-63) Paint

War paint was sometimes called death paint because if an Osage was killed in battle wearing war paint no new paint was added when he was buried. The two Grand Divisions used different colors in war paint. Hun ka or the Earth Division warriors always wore black paint which was usually obtained from redbud charcoal and rarely made from red willow charcoal. This was symbolic of the black tip on the panther’s (puma) tail tip, ear tips, feet, and muzzle. It was also symbolic of the swan’s feet and by Pet se Moie or Fire Walker. Fire Walker refers to the black bear circling a campfire at night. The fire light was reflected from his hair and seemed to be on fire. The Tsi shu or Sky Division used red as their symbol of the all consuming fire. Normally red is a symbol of life but in this case, red is the color of the flames. Hence, it is applied to the face as a “no quarter” war paint. The black of the Hun ka Division is symbolic of the total destruction of fire and so it is also applied to the face as a “no quarter” war paint. Such paint was rarely worn except in cases where others hunted in Osage territory without permission. In a hunting culture, hunting without permission is stealing food from

the mouths

of others

offense. Either

black

and, therefore,

or red, depending

it is a death

without

on the division, was

mercy

often worn

above the mouth line and yellow below the mouth line. (see Fig. 59) This was customarily called “bluff paint.” One must not be deceived by this name. Whenever Osage warriors wore any black or red war paint someone could easily turn up very dead. Bluff warfare was a harassment type of warfare. The intent was to encourage an enemy to move away in order to escape the harassment. In this way the Osages

could

avoid

killing

the

enemy.

However,

sometimes

the

insults became too much to bear and the enemy warriors decided to engage in combat.”’ Such incidents were fairly common in bluff war and the enemy was frequently captured in the process. If it was not possible to capture the enemy he would probably be killed. With few exceptions, the intent of bluff war was conquest without killing. After contact, the Southeastern nations and the Caribbean (West Indies) 27The Osage language contains no profane words or vulgar expressions. However, “finger talk” (sign language) which was used in bluff warfare facilitated vile and extremely insulting communication.

oe

had a great need for slaves. Thus, bluff war often resulted in captives who were traded into slavery since the Osages did not keep slaves. A variation of these two types of war paint (i.e. no quarter and One such use was when a bluff) was used on some occasions. funeral party went after a scalp to send the dead Osage on his journey back to O ke sa. This was the same as no quarter paint except a bar two fingers wide was placed under the left or right eye depending on the division. The 7si shu placed a black bar under the left eye and the Hun ka placed a red bar under the right eye. (See Fig. 59) It is interesting to note that the horses were also painted on the left or right depending on the division. The paint was put on the horses cheek, wither, and immediately below the hip. Charcoal used ceremonially and as war paint was obtained in a ceremony called the Rush for the Charcoal. Upon a signal from the ceremonial leader (Ho ka) those who wished to obtain the charcoal rushed to the ceremonial fire. Then they seized flaming brands from the fire amid some rough scuffling. After the brand had cooled, the charcoal was scraped off and stored in a pouch. In a ceremony called, Dropping Sticks on the Wa ho pe (Little Shrine) warriors who had won O don (War Honors) were recognized. Small red willow or sycamore branches were dropped on the shrine for each O don earned. The particular event in which the honor had been earned had to be related before one’s fellow warriors and the Ne ke A. This was done so the claim for the honor could be verified. Most Euro—American observers who recorded this ceremony thought the verification process was a boasting of achievements. While boasters are present in all cultures, the Osages made a practice of showing contempt for such persons. During the Dropping of the Sticks ceremony, the Ne ke A wore special face paint. (see Fig. 60) First, the upper face from the mouth line up was painted gray (white clay mixed with charcoal). Before this mixture dried, two figures and two lines were scraped out with the fingernail of the index fingers. These figures were slightly below the outer corners of the eyes. On the right cheek the figure was a single ovate leaf on a stem. The left cheek was the same except there were two ovate leaves on a single stem. From the inner corner of each eye a diagonal line was scraped out to the cheek crease above the

corner of the mouth. This represented the path of tears shed during the Rite of Vigil. One may speculate that these leaves had some significant purpose. However, the meaning of the leaves has been lost in the mists of time but it is said they belong to the Men of Mystery Clan.28 28The Men of Mystery Clan were Cahokian Indians who along with a clan of Kaskaskias (Buffalo Bull Clan) joined with the Osages about 1600. These two

clans make up a sub—division called T'si Ha She (Those Who Were Last To Come).

D8

The area between the mouth line and the base of the neck was painted red. A round red spot was placed on the middl e of the forehead. Down feathers of the eagle sprinkled on the head completed the face adornment. The down feathers represent the sky and the red spot on the forehead the sun. We cannot give the symbolism of the red on the lower face. O don claimants had only the gray paint and scraped figures applied to their faces for this ceremony. Several other ceremonies use variants of this adornment. In the ceremony called, Smoke

Offering to the Sacred Animal Skins, black

earth was used instead of the gray paint. The ovate leaf—-stem figure and tear path were made only on one cheek. The Hun ka Division put these on the right cheek only. As usual, the Tsi shu Division warriors used the left side. Traditionally, old distinguished warrio rs used a white base with scraped out clan symbols in lieu of the ovate leaves. Everything else was the same. Captives were either traded to non—Osage people or adopted. The Osages kept no slaves and it was rare for them to kill a captive. During an adoption ceremony, body and face paint was worn by both the ceremonial leader and the captive. (see Fig. 61) Both the face and body were painted yellow. Two narrow parallel black lines were drawn diagonally across the face. These lines ran from one side of the forehead to the opposite lower jaw. If a Hun ka family was adopting the captive the lines ran from the left side of the forehead to the right jaw; the reverse was used for the Tsi shu family. The shoulders, breast, hands, and feet were painted black. In the Songs of the Wa ho pe (Shrine) a very symbolic painting of

the Ne ke A took place. (see Fig. 62)

“I adorn myself, adorn myself with the sacred sign, Upon my face I put the blue soil, the sacred sign. Upon the hair of my head I put the sacred sign. A waving line I put upon my face, a sacred sign. Upon my smoothed hair I put the sacred sign. A straight line I put upon my face, a sacred sign. Upon my hair, whitened with down, I put the sacred sign.”

The wavy line is symbolic of the parts of the earth that does not receive direct sun’s rays.2? This wavy line also symbolizes the

It is possible that the leaf design came through the Mississippian Mound Builders at Cahokia. 2°This would apply outside the area between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The Old Osages considered their domain to be within the sun’s direct rays. This would place the sun’s path of vertical ray’s approximately along thirty-seven degrees north latitude or between thirteen and one-half degrees north latitude and sixty and one-half degrees north latitude. The Tropic of Cancer is twenty-three and one-half degrees north latitude and the Tropic of Capricorn is twenty-three and one-half degrees south latitude. These two latitudes mark the limits of the sun’s path of vertical rays.

94

In the illustration above a Tsi shu Division warrior is

shown wearing Bluff Paint.

o>

Fig. 59 In this example, a Hun ka Division man is wearing Funeral Paint.

ois

Fig. 60. A Ne ke A painted for the Dropping Sticks on the Wa ho pe Ceremony is shown above.

eel

Fig. 61. This is an illustration of Hun ka Division Adoption Paint.

98

Fig. 62. The Ne ke A wore paint like the illustration above for the Songs of the Wa ho pe Ceremony.

oe

4

: fe 4| } q

i

y ) : i

Fig. 63. The lady in our illustration is wearing fourth day Sending the Will Paint.

100

benefits of the sun’s rays. On the other hand, the straight line symbolizes the sun’s path from east to west. This face painting is a variant (compare Figs. 62 and 66) and it means of Striking the Earth basically the same things. Part of a ceremony called, The Buffalo Songs involved the passing of a Little Shrine to a new keeper. (see Fig. 63 As a part of the ceremony the woman who was to be the new keeper of the shrine was instructed in its use. When she become aware that a war partly leader would ask her to loan him the shrine, she prepared for his coming. She dressed becomingly in her best clothing and seated herself on a black bear robe. Her legs were placed straight to the front and not curled to her division left or right side as was custom. A red line was painted in the part of her hair and the shrine lay in her lap. The red line had its usual meaning as the sun’s path but it was also symbolic of the path of life. In addition, it was a prayer for the continuity of life through one’s descendants. After the warrior entered the lodge and took the shrine from her lap, he left. She then removed the red line. The next morning after the war party left with his war party, the woman would again paint her hair parting red. She also placed a horizontal blue line on her forehead and a vertical blue line on each cheek All of these symbols had to be removed before the sun reached its zenith. At dawn the second day, she applied the same symbols but added to the blue lines a paralleling set of red lines. At the third dawn and additional blue set of lines were added and on the fourth dawn an additional red set of lines were added. On each of these days the symbols had to be removed by high noon. Before sun—up on the fifth, sixth, and seventh days the keeper placed a bit of soil on her head and fasted. All day her thoughts were concentrated on the war party leader; in her “mind’s eye” she pictured him at war. At sundown the soil was removed and the fast ended for that day. These acts by the keeper was called Wa shin Le Le Ke non or Sending of Sympathy and Courage (This ceremony is sometimes called Sending the Will.) Every Osage warrior knew he had the prayers of his people when he went to war because in this ceremony the people sent their prayers and spirits with the war party through the keeper. In concept Wa shin Le Le Ke non, was similar to the concept of the Catholic Mass. Tattoos

Among the Osages there had always been the belief that a tattooed person would live a long life. This belief persisted long after tattoos had ceased to be the mark of a great warrior who possessed many resources. Often his wife and relatives were also tattooed under his right. Because of the belief, it is possible that in the early 1900s some may have been tattooed without deserving the honor. However, there 101

is reasonable doubt about this because of the old penalty in such cases. That is, the tattoo was flayed from the offen ders body. The themes of men’s and women’s tattoos differ ed. Men’s tattoos always reflected their roles in warfare. On the other hand, the theme in women’s tattoos was always about peace. Thus, the paired opposite of war and peace was depicted on the bodies of the paired opposite of man and woman. However, in both cases, the desig ns were highly conventionalized; no random tattoo designs were place d on the body. Black was the universal tattoo color and the only color used. (Black tattoos are always blue after the tattoo heals.) Charcoal of the redbud was the color source and swan or pelican wing bones were used as needles when the tattoo was ceremonially applied. In men’s tattoos there were three symbols always shown . These were: (1) the sacred ceremonial knife; (2) the sacred pipe; and (3) the thirteen sun’s rays which were symbolic of war honors . Other symbols were also added which either identified the clan or the Grand Division or both. (see Fig. 64) There were four sacred knives. These knives were called the Red Knife; the Round Handled Knife; the Black Knife; and the Sacred Knife. The Bear Clan and its closely related Panther or Puma Clan were the keepers of the four sacred knives. These two Hun ka clans were the two main war clans of the Osages. They had the exclusive use of the Red Knife. The other Hun ka clans shared the Round Handled Knife. However, the Hun ka Wa sha she clans and the Tsi shu Grand Division used the Black Knife and the Sacred Knife. After contact, a new trade knife symbolically stood for the appropriate sacred

knife.

That is, a new

steel knife used to win a war

honor

would permit the honor to be as acceptable as it would have been if one of the real sacred knives had been used. The sacred pipe is a second feature of a man’s tattoo. The right to wear this tattooed symbol indicated the wearer had led a successful war party. (This was one of the thirteen war honors.) A war party leader did no actual fighting; made no strategic plans; and made no tactical decisions. He exerted no leadership in the Western sense of leadership. Most of the time he was separate from the war party but he was always nearby. An Osage war party leader was a spiritual leader who accompanied the war party almost as a hermit. His function was to pray and fast in the interest of his war party’s success. In doing this he had to offer smoke to the Great Creator for the crime of disharmony which his war party was about to commit. The pipe used in his prayers became the symbol of his leadership. Another use of this same pipe was as a badge of office for the Wah see Pah or crier who announced that a war party was being formed. In this case it was called the Little Pipe. Once the war party leader was selected, the pipe was passed to him and thus, became the Sacred Pipe.

Or

These Little Pipes were made of black stone (massive shale). One source

of this material was

at the Village of the Pipe, about three

miles down the Neosho River from present-day Oswego, Kansas. The Great Pipe or the so-called Calumet Pipe is a peace and friendship pipe. As such, it must be red and never black. Customarily, the bowls of the Great Pipe were made of Catlinite. Both

the red catlinite and red or black shale are soft and easily worked when first removed from the earth. The last universal symbol used in men’s tattoos were the rays of the rising sun. These are, in turn, symbolic of the thirteen war honors. Yellow was used as the color of the sun’s rays although in tattoos they were rendered in tattoo black. Some kind of benefit is always indicated by yellow in Osage symbolism. In this case, the yellow indicated a benefit to the Osage people—specifically. Each clan had symbols that appeared in the old tattoos. The Bear and Panther Clans tell of their symbols which they got from the puma, black bear, and swan. The puma and bear fangs showed on the lower part of the knife. Around the neck were the swans feet, which were black, black is shown throughout the design because of the black of the swans feet, the bear, and parts of the panther. Each creature gave to the people their special types of courage. For example, the courage that knows no exhaustion came from the swan. The Old Osages felt the swan had exceptional endurance and made the longest non-stop flights. They called the swan, He Who Grows Old As He Flies. We would like to mention that the Wa ho pe Tun ka or Great Shrine was made with the swan in the center. The Wa ho pe Shin ka or Little Shrine was made around the hawk. The former is much older than the latter. From the Osage view, a woman was as important as a warrior, for upon both rested the continued existence of the people. The warriors contribution to this immortality through descendants was depicted by tattoos upon his body. Women had this same honor bestowed upon them. The path of life as it descended from the Upper Worlds was depicted on her arms. The earth was symbolized by a black widow spider tattooed on the back of the hands. (see Fig. 65) Like the men, women’s tattoos were always rendered in tattoo black.

The black widow spider was symbolic not simply of the earth alone but the earth as a snare

or trap.°° In this sense,

the black widow

spider became a symbol of a Ho e ka or snare. The Old Osages believed life came to the earth without bodies and life could not leave the earth and go back to the Upper Worlds (O ke sa) with bodies.

3°For many years the crosshairs in surveying instruments were made of black widow web filament. This was far superior to any metals known to Western Civilization. The Osages were aware of the great strength of this spider’s web at least 1,000 years before Western Civilization discovered its great strength.

103

Therefore, the earth became

a Snare or trap. One’s body had to die

before the soul could escape and return to O ke sa. Pendants

and Ear Ornaments

Pendants were always worn adornment. By far the most mother of pearl disc about two the shell of fresh water mussel. creature that could travel the

ceremonial and less often as every day predominate Osage pendant was a inches across. These were made from Osage myths tell us this was the only Seven Bends in the River of Life and return. Thus, the shell became a symbol of an unequaled term of life and the courage to live more than one lifetime. Iride scence of the shell made the pendant a representation of the Male Star (Morning Star) and a symbol of great courage. Therefore, the musse l pendant carried a dual symbolism of both an exceptionally long life and great courage. Most E Lon schka dancers wear a five pointed star inside a ring as a scarf slide. This is also a symbol of the Morning Star. Yet, the old mussel shell disc is still worn in the center of the choker. It is a source of great pleasure to see these ancient symbols still honored by the people. The Spanish followed the French practice of issuing silver medallions of at least two sizes which were worn as pendants. These were minted with the arms of Aragon and Castile. Large medallions were nearly five inches across and the small ones were about three inches across. By awarding these pendants to Osage leaders who cooperated with them, the Spanish hoped to bend the Osages to their will. However, they were apparently not aware of the Ne ke A who held the real leadership power. When the Americans came, they continued the medallion practice with the Jefferson and other presidential medallions. The last medallions issued by the United States Government were called peace medals. Some of the fur companies, such as the American Fur Company issued medallions; one of these was the Astor medal. However, the United States Government stopped this practice on the grounds that it infringed on the Constitutional right of Congress to coin money. One still sees some of the medallions but they are seldom worn. Ear ornamentation was almost a mania among the Old Osages. Every conceivable part of the outer ear from the pinna to the lobe was subject to heavy ornamentation. The pinna was frequently adorned with a whole series of small ear spools. The lobe was often pierced and the hole enlarged with a series of ear spools of increasing sizes. Thus, the lobe hole may have been made up to five inches or more across. Sometimes the lobe hole was elongated by the weight of ear ornaments hanging from it. For this reason ear ornaments often

hung down to the chest.

Such ornaments 104

were made of shells, bone,

Fig. 64. The two leading Osage war clans were the Bear and Panther (Puma) Clans. A tattoo for these clans is illustrated above in color but it would normally be in tattoo black.

10s

Fig. 65. Women wore an earth symbol tattooed on the back of their hands. The illustration above shows the symbol in full color rather than tattoo black. The symbol is a black widow spider. 106

Fig. 66. Striking the Earth is our final illustration. It is fitting that this is last for it is symbolic of the unity of the Osages and their will to survive as a people. EOF

antler, bear claws, or assorted teeth. Almost anyth ing that could be

used was used. If there was any special symbolism attached to wearing ear ornaments, it has been lost. Since piercing any part of the ear was done ceremonially we assume wearing such ornamentat ion did have some symbolic meaning. All parts of the ear were pierced with a splintered wing bone by pressing the ear between the sharp point of splintered wing bone and a block of wood. Temporary Media Two unusual temporary media were used in expressing Osage belief in a Supreme Being and in life after death. Trees, especially the red oak and red cedar, were one media used and the earth was the other media. There are many types of temporary media but we cannot cover them all here. For example, much has been writte n about the Indian dance as an art form in temporary media but we feel this drifts outside our present topic. When an Osage warrior was killed in battle his comrades made every effort to recover his body. The slain warriors body was buried in a cairn of rock if possible or on a scaffold as an alternate choice. When the war party found a young beautiful red oak on their way home, they peeled away the bark as high as they could reach. The peeled area was then painted red. After the warriors had danced a funeral prayer around the tree and each had struck it with his war club, they continued their homeward journey.?! A similar rite was called Striking the Post. In this rite a post was set in the ground and painted red. Before a war party left their village they danced around this post striking it with their war clubs. This was their vow to stay united as a war party until they returned to their village. Striking the Post is also related to a ceremony called Striking the Earth which takes place while the Little Rain Songs are sung. In the Big House of Mystery, the Ne ke A gather. (see Fig. 66) As the singing

starts, the assistant goes to the center and strikes the earthen floor with a ceremonial war club. He then uses the club to draw a straight line on the east side of the dent and then another on the west side of the dent. A wavy line to the north and another to the south is then drawn. The symbol created upon the earth graphically shows the midday sun in the center and its path from east to west. Wavy lines to the north and south represent the benefits of the sun’s rays which makes life on earth possible. In a full sense, the symbol represents the unity 31In the Osage language, the word for war club and tomahawk are the same. Striking the painted tree was symbolic of striking a blow against the enemy who had killed their comrade.

108

of sky and earth and in a parallel sense, the unity of the Osage People—the tribal bond.

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INDEX A adaptive people 67 Adena 52 adoption ceremony 93 Ah ke tah 90 alien beads 59 alumina oxide 52 Anasazi 63 appliqué 60 applying the design 53 Aragon and Castile 103 Archaic Culture 53 arrow fletching 52 Astor medal 103

B baby board 48 background 53 badge of office 102 bandolier 59 Bear Clan 101 bear claws 107

beauty within 84 Bends in the River of Life 55 Bent’s Fort 48

Big Osage 54 Bird Without Stain 54 Black 50 Black Knife 101 black stone 102 black walnut 52

black widow spider 103 Blue 50

bluff paint 92 bluff warfare 51

body and a soul 49

body paint 91 Bois d’Arc 49 bone brush 54

Braiding and Platting 84 breath of death 56 breath of life 56 breech cloth 86

diagonal beadwork 60 Directions 52 disharmony 102 division of days 50 Down River People

Buffalo Songs 100

48 dress styles 90 Dropping Sticks 92

buffalo hide 54 buffalo rawhide 55

E

C Cahokia 57

Calumet Pipe 102 cannibalism 55 Catholic nuns 61 cattail mats 85 Cedar Tree 51

cedar gum 52 ceremonial knife 101

Chaneers 54 Charcoal 52 Color 49 Colors 52 common beads 58

complicated 66 conventionalized 101 cottonwood 49

crayfish 49 crier 102 crinoid stems 58

D dandelion 52 death paint 91 decorative art 48 Desert Cultures 73

Dhegiha 48 1

E Lon schka dances 85

ear spools 91 edging 60 effigy mounds 55 elements of

pictorial art 48 evening star 50, ole Gs

explore with the mind 54

F fascinators 48 Female Star 52 Finger weaving 85 Fire Walker 91 Fleshing 54 Folsom 53 Form 51 Four Corners 63

Four Quarters of the Upper World oo Four Upper Worlds BL Four Winds 55 French appliqué 61 fresh water mussel OS fringes 86

INDEX funeral prayer 107

G genesis myths 53 geometric forms 48 Gila River 63 Governor James Miller 51 Grandfather 52 Grandmother 52 Great Creator 49 Great Elk 55 Great House of Mystery 52 Great Mystery 49 Great Pipe 102 Great Shrine 102 Green 50 green hide 54

iron oxide 52

Iroquois 48 Iroquois Confederation 48

measuring sticks 54 medallions 60 media 48

midway 54 Isaac McCoy 51 Isolated Earth 53 Isolated Earth

People 55 Isolated Earth

mind’s eye 51 Mississippian 53 Mogollon 63 monarch butterfly

symbol 57

J jewelry 91 John Upton Terrell 53 K Kansas 48

H

monetary wealth mordant 54 Morning Star 50, Silly, SPs, 10} Mottled Eagle 54 mussel shell 52 Mysterious Power 49 Myths and Legends 53

10;

He Who Grows Old As He Flies 102 hemispherical studs 91

hereditary class of leaders 53 hickory 49 Hoekal103 Hohokam 63 Hopewell 52 Hopi 64 horses 92 Hun ka 50 Hun ka 53 Hun ka Division 51

N latigo belt 59 Lazy stitch 59 Leather 84 leggings 86 Little House of Mystery 52 Little Old Men 49 Little Osage 54 Little Pipe 102 Little Rain Songs 107 Little Shrine 85 loomed bead 59 M

I Indian Knoll

People 53 innovations 66

Male Star 52 manifestations of Wa kon ta 51 marsh elder 53

112

Natchitoches, Louisiana 48 Ne ke A 48, 92 Ne ke A Shin ka 49

Night and Day 52 no quarter 91

O O don 92

O ke sa 54, 92 O pon Tun ka 55 obsidian 64 Omaha 48 Oneota Culture 54 one—one—one 52 one—two—one 52 Orr focus 54

Osage 48

INDEX Osage blockade 48 Osage Orange 49 Osage pocket 66 Osage symbols 53 Oswego, Kansas 102 otter skin 86 ovate leaves 93

i paired opposites. ye pale dock 53 Papago 64

parfleche design 53 Parfleches 49, 51 patience dock 53 peace medals 103 peace rites 51 People of the Middle Waters 48 Pet se Moie 91 peyote stitch 60 pictographic language 51 picture words 51 Pima 64 pinna 103 pokeweed 52 Ponca 48 prairie—plains period 67 protectors 90 Pueblo 64 Puma Clan 101

R Rain Cloud 64

rapid cultural change 66 Rawhide 49 Red 50 Red Oak 51 red bird 54 red willow 49 redbud 49, 52

Ribbonwork 60 rising sun 102 rites 51

romantic period 58 Rosettes 60 Round Handled

Knife 101

Quapaw 48 quill work 90

Subject or Symbolism 51 Sundown Star 52, 63 sunflowers 52 Swamp dock 52 sycamore 49

S)

syllogism 50 symbolic art 48

Sacred Knife 101 sacred pipe 101 sawtooth 56

Sending of Sympathy and Courage 100 Sending the Will 100 Seven Bends in the River of Life 103

shade strips 48 shales 49 silk ribbon 61 silver medallions 103

Smoke Offering 93 snare 103

Q

spiritual and temporal 49 spiritual leader 102 Spiro Mound 57 Striking the Earth 100, 107 Striking the Post 107 string of beads 59 strouding 61 stylization 51

south wind 56 Southern Herd 49 Southern Plains 49

Sovereign Being of the Universe 49

He)

ft tails 91 tattoos 91

Thunder symbol 64 Town Creek Mound 56 trade knife 101 Travelers in the Mists 55 tribal bond 108 Tsi Ha She 54 Tershiwos Tsi shu Division 51 Tucson Basin 63 two dimensional 55 two—one—two 52 two—two—two 51

types of courage 102

INDEX U Up River People 48 Upper Worlds 102

V viewing habits 55 Village of the Pipe 102

W Wa ho pe Shin ka 85

Wa ho pe Tun ka 102 Wa kon ta 49 Wa shin Le Le Ke non 100 Wah see Pah 102 War Honors 49, 92, 101 war paint 91 war rites 51 We Kea 50 West Indies 92 White 50 White Hair 53 wood nettle 52

Woodland designs 67 wool broadcloth 61 woven bags 85

ny Yellow 50 Yucatan Peninsula 48

Zuni 64

oePIPer | theMi

33710 000813407

ISBN

0-942574-1 0-9