The Osage tribe, two versions of the child-naming rite / (1928 N 43 / 1925-1926 (pages 23-164))

4

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

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

Ṭsi Ṭa´-p̣e (Approach to the House)

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

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

Footstep Song and Wi´-gi-e

WI´-GI-E

1

2

3

4

The words of the processional song:

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

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

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

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

The Wa-the´-the Ceremony

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭo^N Wi´-gi-e

The wi´-gi-e recited by the members of the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga gens at this time is called Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ Wi´-gi-e, freely translated, the Name Wi´-gi-e. It is in three parts. The first, which includes sections 1 to 8, is called Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ, the taking of names; the second, which includes sections 9 and 10, is called U´-noⁿ U-tha-ge, the telling of the means by which to reach old age; the third, which includes sections 11 and 12, is called U´-noⁿ-bthe U-gi-dse, the story of the search for the life-giving foods.

NAME-TAKING WI´-GI-E
(FREE TRANSLATION)
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

When Wa-xthi´-zhi made up his mind to give a description of the Child-naming Ritual of his own gens, the Puma, he did not hesitate to recite the wi´-gi-es and to tell of the ceremonial forms that accompany the entire ritual. But when asked to recite the wi´-gi-es of the 11 gentes who were summoned to take part in the ceremony of conferring a name upon a Puma child he declined to give them, although he knew all of them, for the reason that they were not his to give. He had not obtained from any of these gentes the right to transfer them to strangers or to members of other gentes.

It so happened that when Wa-xthi´-zhi was describing the Child-naming Ritual of his own gens, which he had a perfect right to do, Wa-sho´-she (pl. 4), a member of the Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ gens, was present. This man, when asked if he would be willing to give the U´-noⁿ Wi´-gi-e (Old-age Wi´-gi-e) of his gens for a fee, promptly replied that he would. He had obtained by purchase from his father the wi´-gi-e and so had acquired the right to transfer it to anybody, but the transfer must always be made for a fee. The fee was provided and Wa-sho´-she sat down and recorded the Old-age Wi´-gi-e of his own gens, the Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ. This name refers to the “Stainless Bird,” the mottled eagle, who conducted the Hoⁿ´-ga people to earth from mid-heaven. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 162, lines 177 to 199.)

The first seven lines of the wi´-gi-e refer back to the time when “the Hoⁿ´-ga who possess seven fireplaces” chose for one of their life symbols the “Stainless Bird,” the mottled eagle. The people who are here spoken of as the Hoⁿ´-ga having seven fireplaces are those who compose the seven gentile groups that represent the land portion of the earth in the two great tribal divisions symbolizing the cosmos. These seven gentile groups (seven fireplaces) are, as given by Black-dog. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 52-53.)

When the “Hoⁿ´-ga, a people who possess seven fireplaces” went to the “Stainless Bird” and said to him (lines 5, 6, and 7): “The little ones have nothing of which to make their bodies,” meaning that they have no symbol for the long life which they crave, he replied in the words as given in the wi´-gi-e, from line 10 to the end:

Old-Age Wi´-gi-e
FREE TRANSLATION

Wi´-gi-e of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Gens

At the close of the recital of the wi´-gi-es by all the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga, the Sho´-ḳa places before the head of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens a bowl of water into which had been put fronds of the red cedar. The red cedar and the water are the life symbols of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, the people who came to earth from the stars. The following is an epitome of their wi´-gi-e:

—(See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 95.)

Wi´-gi-e of the Bow People

The E-noⁿ´ Miⁿ-dse-ṭoⁿ, a people who belong to the same great tribal division as the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, use a similar wi´-gi-e, which is as follows:

A bowl of shelled corn, the life symbol of the Tho´-xe gens, was also placed before the head of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens. (For the Maize Wi´-gi-e of the Tho´-xe gens, see 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 135, lines 57 to 113; also p. 277, lines 83 to 110.)

When the bowls of water and cedar fronds and shelled corn are placed before the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge, the Sho´-ḳa puts in his arms the child to be blessed and named. The head of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens then passes the tips of the fingers of his right hand over the bowl of water and cedar fronds, and the bowl of the life-giving corn, then touches with the tips of his fingers the lips, head, arms and body of the child. The two bowls and the child are then passed on to the head of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Wa-shta-ge gens, who goes through the same motions with the child. The child and the two bowls are then passed on to the heads of each of the other gentes who make the same motions over the child as were made by the heads of the first two gentes.

These ceremonial acts performed by the heads of the gentes officiating, by which the child is brought into touch with the ever-flowing waters, the red cedar, an everlasting tree, and the life-giving corn, are supplicatory acts by which the aid of Wa-ḳoⁿ´-da is sought for the child who is to go forth to take part in the great life activities. Not only is the attainment of old age desired for the child but also the continuity of its life by a never-ending line of descendants.

At the close of these ceremonial acts a sacred gentile name is conferred upon the child without further ceremony. If, however, there are two or more names to choose from, as is the case in some of the gentes, the mother of the child has the privilege of making a choice from two or three names. This privilege is given by the Xo´-ḳa, who offers to the mother two small sticks prepared for this purpose, each of which represents a name mentioned in the origin ritual of the gens naming the child. The mother usually chooses the stick representing the name which to her has the greater religious significance and is the most euphonious.

Earth Names and Wi´-gi-es

It was stated (see p. 33) that earth names as well as sky names were used by both the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga and the Wa-ça´-be gentes as distinctive birth names for their children.

In the course of a conversation concerning the gentile names, classed as sky and earth names, Wa-xthi´-zhi, of the Puma gens, remarked that: When the Hoⁿ´-ga people were coming from the sky to the earth they chose two persons (gentes) to act as official messengers. One of these persons was called Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, The-sacred-one-from-the-stars, and the other Hoⁿ´-ga Wa-ṭse-ga-wa, The-sacred-radiant-star. These messengers were expected to find some way of dispersing the waters that submerged the earth and of exposing the ground beneath so as to make it habitable for all living creatures.

Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi and Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the two messengers, found on the still waters the water spider, the water beetle, the white leech, and the dark leech, of whom they asked for aid which they could not give, but promised to help the people to reach old age. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 163, lines 200 to 273.) The two messengers went on and they met O´-poⁿ-ṭoⁿ-ga, the Great Elk, and appealed to him for aid. The Great Elk threw himself upon the waters four times and splashed about until the ground was exposed and ready to receive men and animals. He then called to the four corners of the earth for the life-giving winds to come. Next he threw himself upon the ground and rolled about; then, as he arose, the hairs of his body clung to the soil and became the grasses of the earth. (See 36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 165-167, lines 274 to 354.)

The two messengers then led the people over the dry land of the earth, when suddenly Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi, The-one-from-the-stars, came upon Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga, the Puma. The messenger then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi to Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga. In like manner the Hoⁿ´-ga Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa, the Radiant Star, came upon Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear. The Radiant Star then changed his name from Wa´-ṭse-ga-wa to Wa-ça´-be, the Black Bear.

These were the first earth names of the two related gentes, the Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga and the Wa-ça´-be. Wa-xthi´-zhi mentioned several other personal earth names of these two gentes but he suggested that the parts of the rituals given by himself and Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ (pl. 5), in which are mentioned the earth names, be referred to as authoritative, and so the following paraphrases of those parts of the rituals are here given.

EARTH NAME WI´-GI-ES
(Wa-xthi´-zhi)

—(36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pp. 194-195, lines 1063 to 1115.)

Earth names mentioned in the origin wi´-gi-e given, by Wa-ṭse´-moⁿ-iⁿ.

Wi´-gi-e of the Wa´ṭse-gi-ṭsi
HE-WHO-CAME-FROM-THE-STARS