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NOTES FROM "THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN" BY ES CURTIS

VOLUME-19 OTO



LANGUAGE: Siouan



LOCATION: Oklahoma



DRESS: Clothing made primarily from hides.



DWELLINGS: The earth lodge of heavy wooden timbers, covered with sod. The
dwelling was the tipi during hunting season.



RELIGION /CEREMONIES: Few religious ceremonies now exist, but those that do
exist are strikingly similar to those of the Lakotas (noted by Curtis)

[Image] [Image]

The above gravures are LITTLE OTO and OTO PUBERTY LODGE



QUOTE FROM "THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN:" "In life and manners the Oto
compare closely with the other tribes of the western prairies, with all of
whom the buffalo was the determining factor. Material existence was
regulated by the buffalo, and as they lived so they worshiped."

"The Oto have several societies for both men and women. Of these but two
are of first importance: "Che" or "Aluqa" (Buffalo) and "Dostanye" or
"Mankanys" (Otter). These two societies are of such importance that they
should rightly be considered as part of the political organization. The
main object of each society is to promote men of worth."

[Image] [Image]

The above gravures are STANDING ON THE EARTH and WHITE ELK-OTO

"The naming of children is attended with considerable form and ceremony.
The child is usually named within four days after birth. A lodge is erected
and a naming ceremony conducted, in which the immediate family and other
relatives participate. Some one of the old men of the tribe give the family
four names from which to select. It may be a family name, or the name of a
plant or an animal, but it must have some association with the clan in
which the child is born... Following the family ceremony, others are
invited, a feast is held, and gifts are offered. The old man who who has
given the name in behalf of the parents of the child is so highly esteemed
that he is made the recipient of many gifts. He offers long prayers to the
spirits, and afterwards forecasts the child's future. After singing songs
of a sacred nature which contain words used in his prophesy, he relates the
story of the name. Gifts are exchanged, and food which is considered
sacramental is eaten. A name may be changed later in life... It is also
customary for a man to adopt a new name after the performance of some
noteworthy deed, or by fasting and dreaming, when he assumes the name of
whatever appeared or was suggested by a dream."

It is starting to reveal itself! The streets and the timing of the lights are just right.