Name/Title
Letter from Francis LaFlesche to Harry GeorgeEntry/Object ID
Q1430.635.7EDescription
Vol II pg. 7E
Letter from Francis LaFlesche to Harry George providing information on George's Osage and Winnebago bundles and Osage Life Stick.
214 First Street S.E.
Washington, D.C.
January 14, 1916
Mr. Harry L. George.
St. Joseph, Mo.
Dear Sir:
Referring to your letters, one dated Dec. 22, and the other Dec. 24. 1915, also to the photograph that you sent me of your “Osage war bundle” I will say that a comparison of the photograph with a print of one of my “Osage war bundles” shows considerable different in the weave and the material used in each. I may be mistaken but it looks as though your bag was made of some vegetable fibre, whereas all the outer bags of the seven bundles that I have collected, and those I have seen in other collections are made of buffalo hair. The three bags of each of the seve “war bundles” that I have collected, and of those I have examined at four different museums are: 1. The outer bag was made of buffalo hair; 2. A bag made of deer skin; 3. A case made of woven rush. Other material is not used in the bags and cases made for the war bundles because each has some symbolic significance. There are two or trhee questions I should like to ask about your bundle, if I may:
Did the “wooden portion of battle ax” come with the bundle, attached to it as shown in the photograph?
What is the shape of the bowl of the catlinite pipe that you mention in your description of the bundle? Does it belong to the bundle? Can you send me a rough drawing of it?
Is there any record as to who the Indian is from whom the bundle was originally purchased, what is him name?
As each article that make up the “Osage war bundle” has some sym– [bottom of page may be cut off] seem to me that the absence of the middle strap with its eagle leg might indicate that the bundle was made up of miscellaneous articles put together without any reference to the prescribed symbols. The wide strap and the eagle’s leg are very important and are necessary to make the bundle complete.
If you could find out the name of the Indian from whom your “Winnebago” bundle was originally purchased there would be a chance of finding out what each article represents. All this information would add much to the value of the specimen. It is not enough that an article is peculiar and curious, the meaning of it is its real value. Many collectors make the serious mistake of buying a thing because it looks curious and for no other reason. I very much doubt if there is any truth in the statement that the figure in your “Winnebago” bundle represents the “Christ child.” If there is, then I would say that the bundle is valueless as an old time Indian relic. I believe, however, that the bundle is one that belonged to a member of a certain society and that the figure is one that was used for incantation purposes. One such figure made of skin was found in an Omaha bundle and it was used for such purposes. (See 27th Annual Report, Bureau of American Ethnology, page 561). Winnebago Indians visit this city sometimes in the winter and if you will tell me the names of the persons from whom both the bundle and the “life stick” were originally purchased, I shall be glad to make inquiries as to their meaning.
Some time this winter or spring I expect to have a couple of Osages visit me here and if you can spare your Osage “life stick” I would like to borrow it so that I could make further inquiry of them concerning it. The lines do not show clearly in the photograph, it being very small, and I can also have it photographed here by itself so as to get a clearer view of it. I can tell you this much about it, the stick belonged to one of the Buffalo clans in the Osage tribe and it was usd in the ceremonies for counting. You can send me the stick by parcel post and I will retur it as soon as I have made my inquiry, with a detailed statement for you. I have one of these counting sticks myself but it belonged to another clan and the numbers of the groups of lines are different. Let me hear from you about this stick as soon as convenient.
Very truly yours,
Francis LaFlescheSubject
LaFlesche, Francis
Smithsonian Institution
Bureau of American Ethnology
Washington, D.C.
Bundle -- Osage
Bundle -- Winnebago
Life Stick -- Osage
Osage
WinnebagoSubject Person/Organization
Harry L. George Collection
