CHILD-NAMING RITUAL OF THE ṬSI´-ZHU WA-SHTA-GE GENS (ShoN´-ge-moN-iN)

The Child-naming ritual of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens of the Osage tribe, here recorded, was given by Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ, a member of the Ba´-po subgens of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens. The name Ba´-po (Popper in English), Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ explained, is the name of the elder tree, the trunk of which boys, from time reaching beyond memory, used for making poppers. The name refers to a mythical story and to a ceremonial office. The mythical story is as follows: When the people of the Ṭsi´-zhu great division descended from the sky to make the earth their home they came down as eagles, and they alighted on a great red oak tree. The shock of their alighting caused the acorns to drop from the tree in great profusion, which was taken as a prophecy that the Ṭsi´-zhu would become a numerous people. One eagle was crowded off the tree, but as he dropped down he alighted upon a blossoming elder tree. This eagle was a peace bird and his alighting on the ba´-po tree made it to become a peace symbol. The Ba´-po subgens was given the office of furnishing a pipestem for the peace pipe in the keeping of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens, and the Ba´-po made the stem of an elder sapling a symbol of peace.

When Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ is called by a member of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens to act as Xo´-ḳa (instructor) in the ceremonial naming of his child he goes to the house of the father without any formality. Usually the call is made when the sun is traveling downward (afternoon); when he receives the message he promptly responds to the call. On his arrival at the house the father, in a formal speech, informs him that his summons was for the purpose of asking him to conduct the ceremonies to be performed at the naming of his child. When Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ gives his consent to officiate at the ceremony the fees for the men who are to take part are placed before him. These he examines to make sure that there are enough articles to go around, and to see if the man had also provided a pipe for the Sho´-ḳa or Official Messenger.