389) tattooed on their
throats and chests. This chart is a fac simile of one that was drawn for
the author by Ha*d*a-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}ue{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}se. At the top we see a tree near a river. The
tree is a cedar, called the tree of life. It has six roots, three on each
side. Nothing is said about this tree till the speaker nearly reaches the
end of the tradition. Then follows the "ceremony of the cedar." The tree
is described very minutely. Then follows a similar account of the river
and its branches.
[Illustration: FIG. 389. Symbolic chart of the Osage.]
FIG. 389. Symbolic chart of the Osage.
Just under the river, at the left, we see a large star, the Red or Morning
Star. Next are six stars, Taca*d*cin. The Omaha know a similar group,
which they call "Minxa si {~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED T~}anga," or "Large foot of a goose." Next is the
Evening Star; and last comes the small star, "Mikak'e-{~LATIN SMALL LETTER OPEN O~}in{~LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED K~}a.
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