The Osage people are a Midwestern American Indian tribe with roots in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys.
The Osage (wazhazhe or ni u konshka) are descendants of indigenous peoples who have been on the North American continent for thousands of years. According to tradition, they were part of a Dhegihan-Siouan people who inhabited the Ohio River valley area, extending into what is now Kentucky. Conflict with the Iroquois led them to migrate west, eventually reaching their historic lands, splitting and forming individual tribes during the migration to the Great Plains.
By the 17th century, the larger part of the Osage had settled near the Osage River in what is now western Missouri. By the late 17th century, they had acquired horses, probably in raids on other tribes, and were able to get more horses by trading with the French.
With horses, they were able to defeat the indigenous Caddo tribes, establishing dominance over the Plains region, including large parts or all of what is now Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Allied with the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache, they dominated western Oklahoma.
From their villages in Missouri and Arkansas, the Osage hunted buffalo in the Great Plains to the west, and also hunted deer, rabbit, and other wild game, while Osage women cultivated corn, squash, and other vegetables, and harvested berries, nuts, and other edible plants.
Traditional Osage religious beliefs were pantheistic, with a view of the universe as an interconnected organic whole, structured around a dualism of reciprocity. This was manifest in the pairing of the above and below, or the sky and the earth. This understanding was reflected in the Osage social structure, in which they demarcated individuals and clans into tsízhu (sky) and hónga (earth).
The central figure in Osage religious beliefs was Wah-kon-tah, a supreme mystery spirit or great power. All living organisms and changes in the universe were seen as manifestations of Wah-kon-tah. Human beings, animals, and other living things were manifestations of Mah-kon-tah.
Ceremonies and rituals were performed for various purposes, including agricultural activities, buffalo hunts, and war, and a sacred pipe (nonníonba wakondagi) played a role in many Osage ceremonies.
The first documented encounter of the Osage people with Europeans were the expeditions of Jacques (Père) Marquette and Louis Jolliet, French explorers and missionaries who traveled south along the Mississippi River from what is now Canada. A 1673 map created by Marquette noted the locations of Kanza, Osage, and Pawnee villages in what is now Kansas.
The Osage frequently allied themselves with the French, from whom they acquired horses and weapons. An Osage delegation visited Paris and other locations in France, hunting with King Louis XV in the royal forest, and attending an opera.
When France was defeated by the English in the French and Indian War, in which the Osage were largely neutral, France lost control over the lands east of the Mississippi River to England, and Spain took partial control over much of the Illinois Country west of the Mississippi, although this area continued to be dominated by French colonists, with whom the Osage traded.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition reported that the Osage were the dominant tribe on the Osage River, the Little Osage, and the Arkansas band of the Verdigris River.
After the Louisiana Purchase, the United States government appointed Jean-Pierre Chouteau, a wealthy French fur trader, as the Indian agent assigned to the Osage. He lived with the Osage for many years and learned their language. On the completion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Meriwether Lewis was appointed Indian Agent for the Territory of Missouri. At that time, there were increasing tensions between European-Americans and the Osage. As the new country lacked the military strength to go to war with the Osage, they opted to supply other tribes with weapons and ammunition, persuading the Potawatomi, Sac, and Fox to attack an Osage village in 1807, killing three Osage warriors. Chouteau dissuaded the Osage from a retaliatory strike.
In 1808, the Osage were coerced into signing a treaty with the U.S. government, ceding 52,480,000 acres to the federal government. Of course, the government took the land but did not live up to its obligations under the terms of the treaty.
Weakened, the Osage soon found themselves involved in conflicts with a series of other American Indian tribes, including the Choctaw, Cherokee, Kiowa, Comanche, and Kickapoo. During this period, the federal government compelled the Osage to cede additional lands.
By 1825, they were assigned to reservation lands, first in Kansas, and then to Oklahoma.
In 1872, the Osage were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation.
Recommended Resources
Born in Claremore, Oklahoma, as Hominy District Osage, Duane BigEagle has been painting, writing, and publishing poetry since the early 1970s and has taught creative writing to young people with the California Poets in the Schools Program since 1976. His artwork is highlighted here, sorted into themed collections, and each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, or other formats, such as on stationery, tee shirts, or mobile phone cases.
https://duane-bigeagle.pixels.com/
Gayle Dowell, The Prairie Jeweler
Offering artisan jewelry textured with the prairie plants in fine silver, sterling silver, and 22k gold, Gayle Dowell creates jewelry textured with the prairie to maintain a connection with the land. Residing on the traditional lands of the Kaw, Osage, and Kickapoo, Gayle's jewelry pieces are rugged, rustic, and designed to enhance the natural beauty of the women who wear them, using recycled metals whenever possible. Special requests may be available; contacts are posted.
https://gayledowell.com/
Born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, of Osage and mixed European heritage, Jarica Walsh is the Director of Art in Public Places for the Oklahoma Arts Council and maintains a studio in the Paseo Arts District. Her art bridges two artistic realms: sculptural ceramics and cyanotype prints. The website provides an introduction to the artist, and her work is highlighted in multiple categories. An online contact form is available for questions, commission requests, press inquiries, or to discuss exhibitions.
http://www.jaricawalsh.com/
An enrolled member of the Osage Nation, Joe Don Brave has dual Osage/Cherokee heritage. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he moved with his parents to Osage County, Oklahoma, at the age of nine, where he became immersed in the Osage traditions and customs. The artist is known for his use of color and texture as he paints images of Native and Prairie life, expressing his heritage, emotions, and environment. His work is featured and priced on his website, and purchases may be made online.
https://joedonbraveart.com/
Nanette Kelley, Cultural Arts Advocate
With dual Osage and Cherokee enrollment, Nanette Kelley divides her time between her Osage and Cherokee homelands in Oklahoma and unceded Wiyot territory on the Redwood Coast. She is a professional artist and journalist, a member of the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA), and a contributing writer to various indigenous publications. Biographical information, a resume, and contacts are posted, and current projects, events, and a blog are included.
https://www.nanettekelley.com/
The ONF is a non-profit organization charged with promoting the continued development of the Osage Reservation and the communities influenced by the Osage Nation. The organization's mission is outlined here, and its board of directors is acknowledged. Regular and upcoming events are announced on the site, which includes information about its grant and scholarship programs, a list of Osage artists, an online store (descriptions, photos, and prices), and an online contact form.
https://www.osagefoundation.org/
The tribal government, headquartered in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, has three branches: executive, judicial, and legislative. The tribe also operates a monthly newspaper, Osage News, and the Osage Nation Museum. Its organizational structure, strategic plan, constitution and codes, and an introduction to the tribe's boards and commissions are set forth. The tribe also offers tribal programs and services, a visitors center, a museum, and information about its history, culture, and language.
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/
The official news organization of the Osage Nation is an independent news organization with the stated goal of basing its news judgment on its loyalties to its readers and Osage citizens and not being beholden to the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the Osage Nation government. Its policies, editorial board, advertising opportunities, and reporting standards are set forth, and its news articles are sorted into various headings, including editorials and events.
https://osagenews.org/
