Book
The Osage and the invisible world: from the works of Francis La Flesche
University of Oklahoma Press • 217 • Published In 1995 • Pages: xiv, 323
By: La Flesche, Francis, Bailey, Garrick Alan.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This book is concerned with the nature of Osage religion. The focus is on change and continuity in the religious life of the Osage by contrasting ethnographic information from his own fieldwork in mid-1960 to 1970s with that of Francis La Flesche, a native Omaha scholar, from 1880s. In doing so, the author was puzzled by the absence of any readily definable continuity between the traditional Osage world described by La Flesche and the Osage world of later times. He noted that the peyote religion was introduced to the Osages at the beginning of the twentieth century. A majority of the full-bloodied Osage were converted to this religion in just fifteen to ten years time. This converted abandoned traditional Osage religious beliefs and practices including most of the sacred bundles which they sold, buried, or burned. The author observed that older Osages turned their backs to the old religion and refused to discuss the past even with their children. All the formal religious institutions of the past looked devoid of the past. When turning to Osage religious ideas, concepts and beliefs, however, the author started to note continuity with the past. Much of the book is devoted to religious rituals, songs and symbols which prove this continuity.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- General character of religion
- Organized ceremonial
- Ritual
- Priesthood
- Prophets and ascetics
- Revelation and divination
- Cultural identity and pride
- Cultural participation
- Acculturation and culture contact
- External relations
- Sacred objects and places
- Sorcery
- Techniques of socialization
- Transmission of beliefs
- Music
- Verbal arts
- Prayers and sacrifices
- Localized kin groups
- Status, role, and prestige
- Special garments
- Dance
- cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
- Osage
- HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
- 2010
- RegionThe area the document pertains to
- North America
- Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
- Plains and Plateau
- Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
- Teferi Abate Adem; 2010
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1960-1988
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1880-1988
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Osage Idians, USA
- NotesAdditional notes
- introduced and edited by Garrick A. Bailey
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 307-314) and index
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 95017999
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Osage Indians--Rites and ceremonies
- Osage Indians--Religion