Regarding white ways, one of my heroes
Big Soldier in
1820 said:
"I see and admire your manner of living, your good warm
houses, your extensive fields of corn, your gardens, your cows, oxen,
workhorses, wagons and a thousand machines that I know not the use of. I see
that you are able to clothe yourselves, even from weeds and grass. ... you
can do almost what you choose. You whites possess the power of subduing
almost every animal to your use. You are surrounded by slaves. Everything
about you is in chains and you are slaves yourselves. I fear if I should
exchange my pursuits for yours, I too should become a slave. Talk to my
sons, perhaps they may be persuaded to adopt your fashions, or at least to
recommend them to their sons; but for myself, I was born free, was raised
free and wish to die free."
Heads Up Wa-zha-zhe! Be thinking about your Osage History, because Osage Nation is listening for the "Will of the People" and this means YOU. This also means NOW!
You will begin with writing when you first realized you were Osage? (It took me a while because the last time I was here to remember, we were still called Wa-zha-zhe.) One Osage wrote the infinity symbol, but seems it's not acceptable in this format to have known forever, even though it's Osage to know this. (Grayhorse update: "Many used the infinity symbols, such as the ∞, to indicate when they first realized that they were Osage and that it is Osage to remember and know ourselves infinitely." Thankfully once again, "infinity" remains an acceptable way to know and understand ourselves.)
Seems, this first meeting requires you to think in a linear timeline, you know "white" people have tried to teach us think this way for a long time now and not spatially, like our Ancestors and other tribes think of their own inner-connection of being in history.
Chief Gray, informs us, on the first page of the "Will of the People" meeting packet, that "it's time to evolve" although I'm not sure what he means. I wonder, are we to evolve from "assimilated Osages" into "Civilized Osages" or what? Don't look to me to understand this, as I don't even believe in evolution, although, I am educated in science and like it.
Perhaps we should just ask the Chief what does he mean because I really thought that the Osage Ancestors were actually an advanced People before we were forced to assimilate into white thinking one's --- and that assimilation actually meant to our Ancestors, a sort of de-evolution. Perhaps I was also wrong in thinking that going forward as a People meant preserving the traditions of our Ancestors. So think about it and be prepared for some tough questions. (Grayhorse update: The Chief was asked and said this was a good question that might require rather large discussion.)
Then think about what you know about Osage History. Unfortunately, the format does not allow much time for our traditional ways of remembering, gently pausing, thinking, listening to others, to Elders and pondering before you speak. Seems instead, there's is a lot to cover in a short amount of time. So you will be provided 1/2 sheets of blank paper and bold markers to write what you remember. These will be put up on a board in the front of the room and read aloud. (Update: At our Grayhorse meeting, full sheets were provided! Yeah, thanks.)
Well I must admit, I was intimidated right away. I'm old with failing eyesight and I don't even write small enough to put a complete thought on a piece of paper that small with such a big marker. It was like grade school all over where we were required to color within the lines. I still am a problem when it comes to lines. Of course Louie who is never intimidated by anything, went right to work, wasting not a second. Like a maniac he wrote, efficiently sending our son to post the results.
So in the very least you might want to spend some time before the next meetings thinking about Osage History because these meetings are here and it's a good thing to think about being Osage and what this means to you.
More importantly, it's a better thing to be with other Osages who are doing this too. We don't do much of doing anything good for the Osage as a People anymore and it's sad were losing this tradition. So participate, think, and write your thoughts down first, if you need. Just go and be Wah-zha-zhe, because that's who you are! Evidently, this will somehow affect our Osage Future.
Remodeling Project (undergoing major updates this weekend - be patient please.)
Soon, we will be back with a whole new look. In the meantime stay current with all Osage news and events by visiting these Osage Indian Sites.
- RezDoc Radio - Buffalo Breath Thundercast (UPDATE! now ON AIR in 2nd Beta Testing phase: Live most weekday afternoons and early evenings with sounds from my office. You'll be hearing what I am hearing - mostly music and an occasional visitor or phone call.)
-
Osage Co. Ok. Child Watch
Known Sex Offenders in Osage Co. Listings (Who's Who, need
help, need information, or just want to see who's in jail) This link is
now works!
- HEADS UP, FAIRFAX, this site says that an unregistered but convicted sex offender is currently living very near a school in our town.
-
UPDATE: This site has provided all
Osage Indians dot com users a pre-approved username and password so
that we need NOT register individually. Please use the following to
logon to enter this site.
- USERNAME: osagewatch
- PASSWORD: oklahoma
- This logon will provide you with anonymous access. However, should you want to get more involved and participate in the forums, groups and events, then you must register. Due to the overwhelming need for "name withheld" regarding personal information the site owner asks only for an accurate email address. You can check your email address to remain private. All other information can be made-up. Thanks Osage!
-
Northern California Osage
Association Does anybody know what happened to this site? or where
we can find them now?
- Please let me know.
- OTC Reports
If your an Osage and know of an informative Osage website not listed above then please email me a link. Submit an Osage Site Link
Will of the People update:
GrayHorse Remembers: A peek into our Grayhorse meeting
Our recollection of Osage History was awesome. I hope we will have more opportunities to remember together again , like our grandparents so often remembered. Seems many of my fears were put to rest since Grayhorse remembers that "We came from the stars!" & "Not too long ago, when Cahokia was a diverse population hub, second only to Cairo, it was the Osage, along side the Omaha, who organized our mound building society." & "Many used the infinity symbols, such as the ∞, to indicate when they first realized that they were Osage and that it is Osage to remember and know ourselves infinitely." It's a relief knowing that these memories and understandings remain alive, in the Big Hills People - even outside of Grayhorse Indian Village.
After all, who are we, if not the sum total of our actual Osage History? or how will we fill the vacancies of poor self-esteem in our young Osage, if not with Osage meaning that comes to us, only with the hearing of our Oral History? It is only in teaching and learning of the sacred nature of our relationship with Wa-gkon´-da, are these holes in Osage souls repaired; at least according our Buffalo Bull Clan traditions of the Big Hills People.
Our future goals, well, that part was an "old way" Winter Story" blast! Seems that too many of us - The Big Hills People - remember and know not to take Winter Stories seriously but instead just to have fun in the hearing and telling of them. Osage traditions considers futurism as a "really bad" activity for the Osage but also it would have been "just plain rude" to leave after the History part of the meeting.
Just enough of our Grayhorse Elders, know and understand the nature of young Osages and winter and stories and winter story telling; one provided a serious traditional holistic view of future Osage needs. This model of our future was brought forward by remembering Traditional Osage History, when in 1541 we were at our peak strength, not only in health but in well-being, as the two must go hand in hand. What other model would we really want to discuss than our Osage one?
So quick enough a few Elders began gently instructing the young with their own examples as to the nature of winter story telling. It was an all out free-for-all! And perhaps, quite puzzling to those Osage less experienced in our "old ways" belonging to the Big Hills People.
"It was good to just be Osage, instead of just acting like Osage." "We came together without all that upidity snootiness that's gotten a hold on us as of late" 'besides after enjoying Bad Brad's barbeque, Grayhorse People were in a good mood. So most just let the winter story spirit roll out with all sorts of outrageous wants for our future."
I will not even begin to provide more of a view into these stories, as I would never want to spoil the richness that comes with the nature of hearing stories that are alive with experience. But I will tell you that "if" you should have an opportunity to talk to anyone attending (some non-Osage were there too), casually ask them about the meeting. I expect the interpretations will be a true adventure in perspectives. However please remember to be gentle as I also expect they will remain a little bit off balance and somewhat puzzled as the fuller Osage meaning of "winter stories" sets in.
The joys of getting old is incredible because that's when all the hard work in life begins to pay off, allowing the real joys of Osage Life to begin.
Resources
Need some help refreshing your Osage History? Here's our notes for the Grayhorse meeting Click here
What to discuss or report, your meeting own meeting experience. Perhaps you just want to know what to expect. WILL OF THE PEOPLE Discussion Forum is up and running. Join us and Click here. Update: Sorry, I'm working on some unexpected problems with the discussion forum. I'll finish it asap.
Breaking News & Alerts
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