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# The Osage tribe, two versions of the child-naming rite: (1928 N 43 / 1925-1926 (pages 23-164)) ### By La Flesche, Francis

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THE OSAGE TRIBE

TWO VERSIONS OF THE CHILD-NAMING RITE

FRANCIS LA FLESCHE

Forty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1925-1926, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1928, pages 23-164.

CONTENTS

Page

Introduction 29

Child-naming Rituals 31

Birth Names of the Puma Gens 31 The First Three Sons 31 The First Three Daughters 32 Sky Names 32

Child-naming ritual of the Puma gens 33 Ḳi´-noⁿ—ceremony of Decorating the Xo´-ḳa 33 Ḳi´-noⁿ Wi´-gi-e 34 Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi and the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge Gentes 35 Ṭsi Ṭa´-p̣e (Approach to the House) 36 The Wa-the´-the Ceremony 38 Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ Wi´-gi-e 40 Old-age Wi´-gi-e 45 Wi´-gi-e of the Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi Gens 47 Wi´-gi-e of the Bow People 47 Earth Names and Wi´-gi-es 48 Wi´-gi-e of the Wa´-ṭse-gi-ṭsi 51 Special Instructions to the Mother 54 Origin Wi´-gi-e of the Tho´-xe Gens 56

Child-naming Ritual of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge Gens 59 Certain Gentes Called to Take Part in the Ceremony 59 Wa-zho´-i-ga-the (Life symbol) Wi´-gi-e 60 The Xo´-ḳa Ceremonially Conducted to the Child’s House 67 A Life Symbol Sent to Each of the Officiating Gentes 68 Gentes Recite Their Wi´-gi-es Simultaneously 68 The Child Is Passed from Gens to Gens to Be Blessed 71 First Child-naming Wi´-gi-e of the 0si´-zhu Wa-noⁿ Gens 75 The Gentile Hair Cut of Children 87 Hair Cut of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge Gens 89 Paraphrase of the wi´-gi-e of the Red Eagle gens 90 Wi´-gi-e of the Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi and the Tho´-xe gentes 93 Fondness of personal adornment 95 Ear Perforating 95

Ḳi´-noⁿ Wi´-gi-e 96

Ṭsi Ṭa´-p̣e Wa-thoⁿ and Wi´-gi-e 97

Zha´-zhe Ḳi-toⁿ Wi´-gi-e 97

U´-noⁿ Wi-gi-e 101

Wa-zho´-i-ga-the Wi´-gi-e 103

Zha´-zhe Ḳi-ṭoⁿ Wi´-gi-e 110

Wa-zho´-i-ga-the Wi´-gi-e 113

Native Names of Osage Full Bloods 122

Names of the Gentes and Subgentes 122 Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi or P̣oⁿ´-ḳa Wa-shta-ge 124 Ṭa´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga 128 Ho´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga 130 Hoⁿ´-ga U-ṭa-noⁿ-dsi 132 Wa-ça´-be 133 Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga 135 Hoⁿ´-ga Gthe-zhe 136 Hoⁿ´-ga U-thu-ha-ge 139 O´-poⁿ 141 I´-ba-ṭse 142 Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ 144 Çiⁿ´-dse-a-gthe 146 Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge 146 Ṭse-do´-ga Iⁿ-dse 152 Ṭse Thoⁿ´-ḳa 153 Mi-ḳ’iⁿ´ 153 Hoⁿ´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga 155 Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi 157 Tho´-xe 160

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATES

Page

1. Wa-xthi´-zhi (Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga (Puma) gens) 30

2. Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ (Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens) 30

3. Shell gorget and downy plume (Life symbols) 44

4. Wa-sho´-she (Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ (Eagle) gens) 44

5. Wa-ṭse’-moⁿ-iⁿ (Wa-ça´-be (Black Bear) gens) 54

6. a, War standard (Symbolizes the white swan). b, Ṭse´-wa-the root (Nelumbo lutea) used for food 54

7. Xu-tha´-wa-ṭoⁿ-iⁿ (Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ gens) 84

8. Straps for tying captives 84

9. Four Osage children 92

10. Child’s hair cut of the Tho-xe and Ni´-ḳa Wa-ḳoⁿ-da-gi gentes 92

11. Men, showing hair cut of adult Osages 92

12. Bone ear perforators and expanders 92

TEXT FIGURES

1. Diagram showing places of gentes in the lodge 36

2. Symbolic robe prepared for children 54

3. Chart of constellation Wa´-ba-ha (Ursa Major) 74

4. Chart of Ṭa Tha´-bthiⁿ, Three Deer (in Orion) 74

5. Totemic cut of the Omaha boys’ hair 87

6. Symbolic hair cut of the Hoⁿ´-ga gens 89

7. Symbolic hair cut of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens 89

8. Hair cut of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ and the Wa-ça´-be (Black Bear) gentes 92

THE OSAGE TRIBE: TWO VERSIONS OF THE CHILD-NAMING RITE

By FRANCIS LA FLESCHE

INTRODUCTION

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

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

It was in those days that a group of men fell into the habit of gathering together, from time to time, to exchange ideas concerning the

## actions of the sun, moon, and stars which they observed move within

the sky with marvelous precision, each in its own given path. They also noticed, in the course of their observations, that the travelers in the upper world move from one side of the sky to the other without making any disturbances in their relative positions, and that with these great movements four changes take place in the vegetal life of the earth which they agreed was effected by the actions of some of the heavenly travelers. These seasonal changes they named Be, Do-ge´, Ṭoⁿ, and Ba´-the (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter).

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Illustration:

BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY

FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 1

WA-XTHI´-ZHI (I^N-GTHO^N´-GA (PUMA) GENS)]

[Illustration:

BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY

FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT PLATE 2

SHO^N´-GE-MO^N-I^N (ṬSI´-ZHU WA-SHTA-GE GENS)]

CHILD-NAMING RITUALS

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

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

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

Sons Daughters

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

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

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

BIRTH NAMES OF THE PUMA GENS

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

THE FIRST THREE SONS

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

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

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

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

THE FIRST THREE DAUGHTERS

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

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

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

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

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

SKY NAMES

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

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

CHILD-NAMING RITUAL OF THE PUMA GENS

(WA-XTHI´-ZHI)

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

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

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

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

ḲI´-NOⁿ—CEREMONY OF DECORATING THE XO´-ḲA

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

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

ḲI´-NO^N WI´-GI-E

(FREE TRANSLATION)

1. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 2. The people spake to one another, saying: With what shall the little ones decorate their faces, as they travel the path of life? 3. With the symbol of the god who never fails to appear at the beginning of day, 4. The little ones shall decorate their faces, as they travel the path of life. 5. When they decorate their faces with this symbol, 6. They shall be difficult to overcome by death, as they travel the path of life, O, younger brothers.

7. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 8. They spake to one another, saying: What shall they use as a plume? 9. There is a god who never fails to appear at the beginning of day (the sun), 10. At whose right side 11. There stands a plume-like shaft, 12. Which the little ones shall use as a plume, 13. And they shall become difficult to overcome by death. 14. When the little ones use this plume, 15. They shall have a plume that will forever stand, as they travel the path of life.

16. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 17. They spake to one another, saying: With what shall the little ones anoint their hair? 18. The young male buffalo 19. Has fat adhering to the muscle on the right side of his spine. 20. The little ones shall use the oil of this fat to anoint their hair. 21. When they use this fat 22. They shall always live to see old age, as they travel the path of life, O, younger brothers.

23. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house, 24. They spake to one another, saying: What neck ornament shall they put upon him? (the Xo´-ḳa). 25. The mussel who sitteth upon the earth 26. They shall always put upon him, O, younger brothers. 27. The God of Day who sitteth in the heavens, 28. He shall bring to us, 29. They shall put upon him the sun as a neck ornament, O, younger brothers. 30. When they make of him (the sun) the means by which to reach old age, 31. They shall always live to see old age, as they travel the path of life.

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.

[Illustration:

FIG. 1.—Diagram showing places of gentes in the lodge. 1. Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge; 2. Wa-ṭse-tsi Wa-shta-ge; 3. Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-noⁿ; 4. Hoⁿ´-ga A-hiu-ṭoⁿ; 5. Mi-k’iⁿ´ Wa-noⁿ; 6. Wa-ça´-be; 7. Tho´-xe; 8. O´poⁿ; 9. Ho´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga; 10. Wa-zha´-zhe çka; 11. Ṭa´ I-ni-ḳa-shi-ga; 12. Iⁿ-gthoⁿ´-ga; 13. Sho´-ḳa]

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

Wa-ṭse wiⁿ u-tha-ḳi-oⁿ stse, Wa-ṭse wiⁿ u-tha-ḳi-oⁿ stse he Wa-ṭse wiⁿ u-tha-ḳ-oⁿ stse, E the he wi-ṭa doⁿ u-tha-ḳi-oⁿ stse he, Wa-ṭse wiⁿ u-tha-ḳi-oⁿ stse.

WI´-GI-E