Research Catalog

Title

The Osage and the invisible world : from the works of Francis La Flesche / introduced and edited by Garrick A. Bailey.

Author

La Flesche, Francis, 1857-1932

Publication

Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, c1995.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

Bailey, Garrick Alan.

Description

xiv, 323 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

Francis La Flesche (1857-1932), Omaha Indian and anthropologist with the Bureau of American Ethnology, published an enormous body of work on the religion of the Osage Indians. His informants were among the most knowledgeable Osage religious leaders of their day, and La Flesche could speak fluently with them in their own language. His goal in writing was remarkably different from that of most of his Anglo-American colleagues: rather than simply describe Osage religion, he wanted to explain it in order to demonstrate to the academic world the true intellectual achievements of the American Indian. Consequently he left a unique record of the once-secret initiation rituals of the last functioning Mississippian priesthood. In this book, Garrick Bailey brings together in a clear, understandable way La Flesche's data for two important Osage religious ceremonies - the "Songs of Wa-xo'-be," an initiation into a clan priesthood, and the Rite of the Chiefs, an initiation into a tribal priesthood. To put La Flesche's work into perspective, Bailey offers a short biography of this prolific Native American scholar and an overview of traditional Osage religious beliefs and practices - in effect, a synthesis of La Flesche's work.

Series Statement

Civilization of the American Indian series ; v. 217

Uniform Title

Civilization of the American Indian series ; v. 217.

Subject

• Osage Indians > Rites and ceremonies
• Osage Indians > Religion

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Introduction -- Francis La Flesche -- Osage cosmology and tribal organization -- The purpose and meaning of ritual -- Songs of the Wa-xo'-be -- Rite of the chiefs -- Conclusion.

ISBN

0806127430 (alk. paper)

LCCN

^^^95017999^

OCLC

32430344

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library