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Keeping Osage culture alive through our traditional ribbon work is special and unique, and many Osages view ribbon work as art.

ribbon | 𐒹𐒰𐒴𐒷𐒼𐒰

Gather your family together and enjoy the story of the buffalo bull as described by John Joseph Mathews in “The Osages Children of the Middle Waters.”

Henry Lookout was born April 23, 1906 to Chief Fred and Julia Pryor Lookout. He attended school at Haskell where he witnessed the exhibition between John Levi and Jim Thorpe. He was married for 48 years to Dora Andrews McCarthy. Their marriage was arranged, which at that time was considered the “right way.” Their children were Edward, Randolph, Richard, Armeda, Anita, Mongrain and Yvonne.

Henry was the last ordained Roadman of the Native American Church. He was Roadman for the Lookout Native American Church for around 25 years. He served as Head Committee Man for the Pawhuska District through five Drum Keepers. Henry was also a 32ND degree Mason and a member of the Demolays. Both Henry and Dora Lookout were fluent Osage speakers.

Harry Red Eagle, Sr. was the oldest child of Paul and Cecelia Red Eagle born on September 15, 1902 in Barnsdall, Okla. He attended school in Barnsdall and later attended the Osage Boarding School in Pawhuska, Okla. He married classmate Mary Pappin on December 3, 1918, in Hominy. He was a roadman in the Native American Church at the family church in Barnsdall. He served on the Osage Tribal Council and was a charter member of the National Congress of American Indians. He served as the head committee man for the Hominy InLonShkah Committee for many years.

Harry and Mary had three children: Cecelia Red Eagle Thornton, Harry Red Eagle Jr., and Joseph Harlin Red Eagle, who passed away at age three. They were blessed with ten grandchildren and were always an integral part of their lives. In the introduction Harry Red Eagle Sr. can be heard speaking as the head committee man from Hominy conveying his gratitude to the Grayhorse committee for their hospitality during their dance. Harry passed away on August 20, 1965. He was 62 years old.

Properly carrying forward Osage culture requires being meticulous and mindful of what is presented. No detail is too small to overlook. This video includes Osage men’s dressing for the Inlonshka, including differences between the districts.

Edward Red Eagle, Sr., a full blood Osage Wah Kon Dah Okia meaning “Talking to God,” was the sixth child born to Paul and Cecilia Red Eagle on May 24,1918 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. He attended Barnsdall Elementary followed by Pawhuska High School where he graduated in 1936. After high school, he attended Business School in Wichita where he studied agriculture. He married Virginia Logan and they had three sons: Edward Jr., Johnny and Myron. From 1943 to 1946, he served in the Army during WWII in the 25TH Infantry serving during the Battle of New Guinea, Battle of Midway in the occupation of Japan. After his discharge he returned to his home on his original Osage allotment in Barnsdall, Oklahoma where he worked as a rancher and farmer.

In 1958, Oscar Logan passed while on the Osage Tribal Council and they asked Edward Sr. to serve the duration of his term, which led to a lifetime in Osage politics. In 1962, he moved his family to Pawhuska Indian Camp where he lived the rest of his life while serving the Osage people. Over the course of 30 years, he served as Councilman, Assistant Chief, and Chief when Chief Pitts passed away during his term. Edward Sr. passed in May 1999 and was one of the only elected official to lie in state in the Osage Tribal Council Chambers.

The Pawhuska Indian Village named the park off of Hwy 99 ‘Ed Red Eagle Park’ where many people stop and visit. During his lifetime he served in many capacities in his Osage Culture; such as Head Committeeman for multiple Drumkeepers, NAC Roadman for the Red Eagle Chapter and ran many meetings in Osage Country. The State of Oklahoma Governor named a day Edward Red Eagle day and the Osage Nation, then Tribe, would honor him and have an Annual Dance called ‘Edward Red Eagle Day.’ He and his wife Virginia also started the first American Legion Post 198 and Auxiliary where he was the first Commander and Virginia was the first President, they revised the old Soldier Dance and made it the now Veterans’ Day Dance which continues to this day.

Dr. Andrea Hunter, Osage Nation Historic Preservation Officer, presents a brief history of the Wahzhazhe. The presentation includes our creation story, history, ancestral trails, sacred sites and our journey to current day Osage Reservation. All rights reserved.

Find out more about the Osage Nation Historic Preservation Office here. 

Osage (tribe, tribal member, or language) | 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷

Properly carrying forward Osage culture requires being meticulous and mindful of what is presented. No detail is too small to overlook. This video includes Osage women’s dressing for the InLonShkah, as well as an Osage wedding coat. Wedding coats were traditionally used for wedding ceremony, but are now utilized in paying for the drum ceremonies or given as a special gift. The original coats were actual military coats from the 1700s and are now replicated from that era.