The last time I heard a poem about the Osage, I cried. The last time I heard a story passed to me by an Osage grandmother, I marveled at the power of history and meaning. The last time I stood in the oldest tribally-owned museum in Pawhuska, I was full on Indian Tacos and humbled by the art and history.
This Saturday, you can learn about the Osage heritage and culture by attending something very special. Read about it here…and let us know if you go, okay? ~ RDK
Pawhuska, Okla. – The Osage Tribal Museum, Library & Archives, the oldest tribally-owned museum in the country, will commemorate the unveiling of the final Osage bust of THE OSAGE TEN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at the Constantine Theatre , 110 W. Main, in Pawhuska, Oklahoma.
Among the distinguished guests are former Osage Principal Chief George Tallchief; former Osage Principal Chief Charles Tillman; former Osage Principal Chief James Gray; renowned Osage poet, Carter Revard, Ph.D., who has created a poem, especially for this occasion; David Hunt, Ph.D., of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., as well as representatives from many American Indian tribes and nations.
The creation of The Osage Ten began over 100 years ago in Pawhuska when molds and pictures were made of ten live models from the Osage Tribe and cast into full-size plaster busts by Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Natural History. The Smithsonian created this collection to be displayed at the California-Panama Canal Exposition in 1915-16 as part of “The Evolution of Man” exhibit. Millions of people from around the world attended this historical event.
During the past seven years, the Osage Tribal Museum has been collaborating with the Smithsonian in obtaining replicas of The Osage Ten to be permanently displayed at the museum. This exhibit collection will bring to life again these Osage tribal members and, in a sense, bring them home to be honored and remembered of an era long ago.
Descendants of Albert Penn, the first replica bust to be unveiled in 2005, retrieved and donated their ancestors bust to the Osage Tribal Museum . The other busts that have been donated in the past six years are: Shun-kah-mo-lah, Charles McDougan, Wah-To-Ke-Ah (William Fletcher), Henry Pratt, Ah-Hu-Shin-Kah (Little Wing), Che-Sho-Wah-Ke-Pah (Fidelis Cole), Wa-Xthi-Zhi (Charles Wah-Hre-She), and Wah-Noh-She-Shin-Ki (Principal Chief Fred Lookout).
After the final bust of Wah-hrah-lum-pah (Margaret Goode) is unveiled on April 28, she will take her place with the other nine Osages on permanent exhibit at the Osage Tribal Museum , the only location in the world to view an exhibit of this kind. The guardians that will escort the busts out are Joseph Tillman (Wah-hrah-lum-pah); Tim Lookout (Fred Lookout); Rebekah HorseChief (Charles Wah-hre-she); Fidelis Davis (Fidelis Cole); John Tallchief Lemon (Little Wing); Bill Fletcher (William Fletcher); Cameron Pratt (Henry Pratt); Mike McDougan (Charles McDougan); Joseph Pratt (Shun-kah-mo-lah) and, Joe Don Brave (Albert Penn).
A lunch will follow the unveiling hosted by the Osage Tribal Museum and Spyglass Energy Group, L.L.C.
Everyone is welcome, and there is no charge to either event. For more information, please contact the Osage Tribal Museum at 918.287.5441.
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