Customer Reviews

A History of the Osage People

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Burns has written an interesting and thorough history of the Osage Indians from their origins up until about 1950. To those who aren't familiar with them the Osage were one of the most powerful American tribes. They ruled over a shadowy empire in the 18th century that included most of the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and held the French and Spanish at bay. Their downfall came with the tidal wave of Anglo and Indian emigrants from the east, disease, and the destruction of the buffalo herds in the mid to late 19th century. Today, the Osages live in Oklahoma and are among the richest and best educated of Indians. (Truth in advertising: I have a smidgin of Osage blood, as well as that of three other Indian tribes.)

I have a few complaints about this book. The author probably over-estimates the influence of the Osages on American culture. Similarly, I thought his statement that the survival of tribe was due to the Jesuits was a statement unsupported by any facts he presented. As the Jesuits were missionaries to the tribe during its period of decline in the late 19th century one might legitimately ask what benefits they brought. The author's connection of the Osage with the early explorations of DeSoto is probably off the mark -- in the opinion of most scholars. I also wish his footnotes were more ample. For example, he tells me the name -- which I hadn't known -- of my g-g-g-g grandmother but doesn't tell us where he discovered this bit of genealogical treasure.

However, points of disagreement aside, this book delves deeply into the society and history of the Osage. It covers just about every aspect of the tribe -- war, religion, agriculture, hunting, character, folklore, and population. Perhaps the most interesting section of all is about the early 20th century when the newly-tamed and "civilized" Osage became rich with oil money which led to both amusing and tragic consequences. The author relates a number of ancedotes from the period.

"A History of the Osage" is written with grace and conviction. Many maps supplement the text which is dotted with a great number of interesting tidbits of information.

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