Page:Siouan Sociology.djvu/51

THE OSAGE the Tsiɔu utse pe¢ŭⁿda, the Seven Tsiɔu fireplaces, Hañʞa utsse pe¢ŭda, the Seven Hañʞa fireplaces, and Waɔaɔe utse pe¢ŭda, the Seven Osage fireplaces. Each "fireplace" is a gens, so that there are twenty-one gentes in the Osage nation. The Seven Hañʞa fireplaces were the last to join the nation, according to the tradition of the Tsiɔu wactaʞe people. When this occurred, the seven Hañʞa gentes were reckoned as five, and the seven Osage gentes as two, in order to have not more than seven gentes on the right side of the tribal circle.

At first the Hañʞa uta¢antse gens had seven pipes, and the Waɔaɔe had as many. The Waɔaɔe gave their seventh pipe to the Tsiɔu, with the right to make seven pipes from it, so now the Waɔaɔe people have but six pipes, though they retain the ceremonies pertaining to the seventh.

When there is sickness among the children on the Waɔaɔe or right (war) side of the circle, their parents apply to the Tsiɔu (Tsiɔu wactaʞe?) for food for them. In like manner, when the children on the left or Tsiɔu side are ill, their parents apply to the Paⁿhka (wactaqe?), on the other side, in order to get food for them.