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May 16, 2012
Learning the Osage slang

I thought to myself “what in the world is ‘Buh?’ Do these Osages (and Kiowa) not know how to speak proper English?”

Growing up, the type of slang words I heard and learned on my reservation were “cheap,” “ussssh,” “eeeee,” “anyways,” and “eee-yah.”

But when I came to the Osage Nation, the slang I heard was like a foreign language.

I heard words like “Buh,” “Keen,” “Rugged,” “Esha,” and “The O.”

May 16, 2012
Osage tribal identity

By making good decisions about whom we elect we can make it an even better government

Centuries ago our ancestors knew who they were and what was expected of them. There were groups of extended families that evolved into clans, and the clans made up a tribe.

Clans were there and accepted infants when infants were born. From the beginning of their lives those Old Timers knew who they were. Within their first year of life on this earth the clans gave each person a name with an identity. It was an identity born of Water, and Earth and of Sky.   

May 11, 2012
Osage elders experience something ‘special’ at Kansas mission

Osage activity recorded at St. Paul Catholic Mission in early 1820’s

When Delores Dailey walked into the St. Paul Catholic Mission, tears began to fill her eyes and no word could explain how she felt.

“The church was so beautiful and the feeling I had was just overwhelming,” Dailey said. “The pillars, glass work and knowing my ancestors had been there is what captured me.”

On April 12 the Wah Zha Zhi Cultural Center took 16 Osage elders to St. Paul, Kans., to visit the St. Paul Catholic Mission formally known as the Osage Catholic Mission.

May 10, 2012
Wah Zha Zhi Cultural Center: Men's Shirt Making Class

The class is one of several classes the cultural center provides in order to preserve the Osage culture

During April, the Wah Zha Zhi Cultural Center offered a Men's Shirt Making Class. The free class attracted seven participants who met three times a week for two weeks. The class is one of several classes the cultural center provides in order to preserve the Osage culture.

May 4, 2012
New Grayhorse roundhouse will have to wait until next year

Grayhorse Five Man Board still bidding for architect and other work for project

The Osages of the Grayhorse District will have to wait until next year for a new roundhouse.

According to Grayhorse Village Five Man Board member, George Pease, the board is looking for an architect as well as other estimates on electrical costs, design costs and any other costs that may arise. “We’re wanting to do a better job professionally,” he said.

May 4, 2012
Osage Nation Honors Day Celebration

Osage Nation Title VI Department held their Annual Senior Honors Day Celebration. The day started with releasing balloons, followed by awarding plaques to this year's honorees

On Friday, May 4 the Osage Nation Title VI Department held their Annual Senior Honors Day Celebration in Pawhuska, Okla. The day started off with releasing of balloons, followed by awarding plaques to this year's honorees and lunch.

April 30, 2012
The Osage Ten: Unveiling of Margaret Goode

On Saturday, April 28, the Osage Tribal Museum unveiled its final bust from The Osage Ten: Margaret Goode

On Saturday, April 28, the Osage Tribal Museum unveiled its final bust from The Osage Ten. The final bust was of Margaret Goode, her Osage name was Wah-hrah-lum-pah. The event took place at the Constantine Theatre in Pawhuska, Okla and included guest speakers Assistant Principle Chief Scott Bighorse, Dr. David Hunter, George Tallchief and Jim Gray.

April 26, 2012
Osage Book Club reaching Osages on a historical level

Osage Book Club currently discussing the works of Omaha researcher Francis LaFlesche

The Osage Book Club is giving Osages and Osage Nation employees the chance to learn about Osage history by simply opening a book. 

“We are providing an avenue for not only our staff but the community to read some of the original works from the late 1800s-early 1900s which are some of the early ethnographic work done on the Osages,” said Andrea Hunter, director of historic preservation for the Osage Nation.

The Osage Book Club began in 2009 and the meetings are held once a month at the First National Bank.

April 26, 2012
Osage elders visit St. Paul, Kansas

The Wa-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center took 16 Osage elders to St. Paul, Kansas to visit the St. Paul Catholic Mission formally known as the Osage Catholic Mission.

The Wa-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center took 16 Osage elders to St. Paul, Kansas to visit the St. Paul Catholic Mission formally known as the Osage Catholic Mission.

April 25, 2012
Osages Remembered

The last of the “Osage Ten” works of art and history will be presented on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the Constantine Theatre, Pawhuska. Lunch will follow.

We know it to be true, listening to the generations before us will help us to endure as a People. We also know there are many ways of listening.

Probably the best way of listening would be to sit on a blanket on the ground in a half-circle and listen while an elder retells stories of the People, retelling those stories in the Osage Language. While that method of relaying that knowledge is not available to our generation, those teachings remain valuable.

April 20, 2012
Osage Nation Language Department: Lunch with Language

Lunch with Language is held every Tuesday from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. at the Osage Nation Language Department's main office in Pawhuska.

Lunch with Language is held every Tuesday from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. at the Osage Nation Language Department's main office in Pawhuska.

The class is held for Osage Nation employees but is also open to the public. Lunch with Language is geared toward those who don't have time outside of work or free time during regular night classes to learn the Osage Language.

April 9, 2012
Osage Book Club Meeting

The book club meets monthly in the Mezzanine within the Pawhuska First National Bank building. For more information contact Welana Fields at 918-287-5307

Join other Osages as they discuss the works of Osage authors at the Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office's monthly Osage Book Club.

The current book being discussed is War Ceremony and Peace Ceremony of the Osage Indians by Francis La Flesche. Frito Chili Pies will be served at the meeting.

The book club meets monthly in the Mezzanine within the Pawhuska First National Bank building. For more information contact Welana Fields at 918-287-5307.

April 5, 2012
Osage youth show off their skills at annual Language Fair

Students from Pawhuska and Grayhorse take home prizes from Native American Youth Language Fair

Osage language students from Pawhuska and Grayhorse participated in the 10th Annual Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair April 2-3.

The language fair, hosted in Norman at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, featured the Osage students performing different games, a gospel song, number counting and the Osage words for body parts. They also submitted books and posters in Osage.

March 22, 2012
Gray Horse War Mothers Annual Soldier Dance

Flag Raising at 1:30 p.m. in the Grayhorse Indian Village

Gray Horse War Mothers

Annual Soldier Dance

Saturday, May 12, 2012 1:30 pm Flag Raising

Gray Horse Indian Village

East of Fairfax, OK, turn E on Harrison off St Hwy 18

March 12, 2012
A Diverse People

A Poem by Charles Red Corn

 A Diverse People

We were of the
Sun and Sky
the Thunder and Stars
the Streams and the Earth

Ancient Osages
People of the Buffalo, the Deer,
Eagle and Hawk
finding Order in diversity of Clans

from that Order the People learned
a way of
a system of
living together

on Earth

March 9, 2012
Osage Nation observes Sovereignty Day 2012

Holiday recognizes anniversary of the 2006 tribal government; Celebratory dance to be held Friday night at Osage County Fairgrounds

The Osage Nation is celebrating Osage Sovereignty Day today (March 9).

The day pays homage to the reformed tribal government now entering its sixth year. The 2006 Osage Constitution was signed on March 11 that year.

A celebratory dance starts this afternoon at the Osage County Fairgrounds Ag Building (south of Pawhuska off State Highway 99).

All tribal government offices will be closed today and will reopen Monday March 12.

March 8, 2012
Nation seeks to fill positions on the Osage War Memorial Commission

Commission is responsible for overseeing War Memorial construction: War Memorial’s goal is ‘to provide a physical reminder to the present and future generations of the contributions and sacrifices of the Osage veterans’

The Osage Nation is seeking Osages to fill five positions on the Osage War Memorial Commission.

This commission will be responsible for making construction and administration of an Osage War Memorial a reality.

March 7, 2012
2012 'Lunch with Language' participants recognized

Weekly Osage language course targets students unable to attend regular night classes; class offering now in its second year

The Osage Nation Language Department is recognizing participants who attend the weekly “Lunch with Language” course offered to the public this year.

The Lunch with Language course targets students, especially government employees, who may not be able to attend weeknight language courses when they are typically held during fall and spring sessions. This session’s courses were held Tuesdays during the noon lunch hour.

February 28, 2012
New cars abound after settlement payout

Osages in Osage County bought more than 200 cars in January

It’s pretty apparent on the streets of Pawhuska that a lot of people have bought new cars. When parking at the gas station, grocery store, retail stores, there are new car tags.

According to the Osage Nation Tax Commission, from the period of Nov. 30 to Jan. 5, 224 new cars were registered, including a Bentley. Yes, a Bentley, the luxury car hand manufactured in Crewe, England with a price tag starting at $200,000.

February 16, 2012
Osage artist gives elixir of youth to U.S. Veterans

C.R. Redcorn, 77, draws veterans’ portraits for free at his local veterans hospital in Louisville, Ky.

With 15 minutes, a carbon pencil and the perfect lighting C.R. Redcorn can turn a longtime military veteran into the young warrior he or she once was.

With the stroke of his pencil and a little bit of conversation Redcorn, Osage, spends one day a week at a local veterans hospital in Louisville, Ky., drawing portraits of veterans for free.

February 10, 2012
Osage artist to draw military veterans’ portraits for free

C.R. Red Corn will be drawing eight free portraits of military veterans at the Osage Tribal Museum at 1 p.m. on Feb. 11

Osage artist C.R. Red Corn will be drawing eight free portraits of military veterans at the Osage Tribal Museum at 1 p.m. on Feb. 11, 2012.

The event will be first-come first-serve beginning Saturday afternoon.

Red Corn, who lives in Louisville, Ky., makes weekly visits to a local veteran’s hospital in Kentucky where he draws portraits of veterans for free.

February 3, 2012
Osage artists take Paris with their creations

Osage artists Joe Don Brave, Anita Fields and Yatika Fields show their artworks in the City of Lights

Joe Don Brave walked the streets of Paris, ate some of the finest cheese in the land and sipped some of the richest wines.

He strolled the streets of France taking in the breathtaking architecture. He thought of all the hard work that got him there and what his Osage ancestors thought of Paris centuries ago.

January 30, 2012
The Osage Language

In my memory there are Old Men speaking to The People in our unique and ancient language of Osage

My childhood memory retains many images of Old Men and Women, dressed Osage. In my memory there are Old Men speaking to The People in our unique and ancient language of Osage.  I remember how sometimes those Old Men would move their Eagle Fans in order to bring life to a thought they were expressing. There were times when they did not hold a fan. During those times they were simply wearing a blanket, it did not matter, they were something to see and to hear.

January 25, 2012
Leonard Maker: An Appreciation for a servant of the Osage people

Long-time Osage employee and Chief appointee dies at age 64

Leonard Morrell Maker didn’t say much. He was reserved, quiet, a “traditional Osage.” He chose his words carefully, unveiling his thoughts when they would make the most impact. He was strategic that way.

My uncle “Lindo” died on Jan. 23, after a massive heart attack took his life in his office. Surrounded by grieving employees and his grieving wife and youngest daughter, Lindo made his last exit from the building he had worked in for the past 10 years. He was 64 years old.

January 20, 2012
Chiefs and sovereignty

Their education came from the teachings of the Clans that evolved after centuries of the study of how mankind is a part of the Earth and the Sky

Osages are fortunate for the solid Tribal structure that was formed centuries ago. That foundation of leadership became the organizational structure of Osage Nation providing ownership and protection of the Mineral Estate. Those things are the result of Osage elders of the past having an understanding of the concept of sovereignty.