June brings much to Osage County. Three of its weekends are occupied by the Osage tribal dances, one by the Ben Johnson roping and the summer Ranch Rodeo. (We'll add pics of that after it happens next weekend.)
This year, with apologies for the side view mirror, it has also brought some nasties:
And when you couple that kind of weather with the Osage dances, it gives you a chill. So far this year, the dances have been windy, but no tornadoes have threatened.
First, to get to the dances in Grayhorse from Pawhuska, you must drive across the prairie. We tend to take the gravel road past Ted Turner's bison ranch and the Drummonds' wild horses (The Drummonds are to Osage County rather as the Kennedys are to Massachusetts. In more ways than one. I am going to leave it at that.) In any case: No bison out today, but plenty of horses.
Now, folks around here know this, but you cannot photograph the dances when they are taking place under the arbor, and if you do, you face the wrath of the whipman, The Enforcer at the dances. I've never hankered to get chewed on by the whipman or make myself persona non grata at the dances, which are wonderful. So here are a few scenes from outside the arbor.
These are what are called roaches, tied tight on the head. Think of them as a sort of wig that emulates the Mohawk 'do. Or whatever. Made of deer hair, porcupine and other ingredients. Those are brow feathers hanging off them.
It is almost always steamy hot during the dances – not a time when most of us would don heavy wool then get out and dance hard. losing 10 pounds or more by perspiring. But it's a tradition, and Osages stick to it. It is not surprising that some of them collapse on the ground between sessions. But we are somewhat mystified by the posture of this strapping young man, who did not dance because he left some of his regalia in his car, which he then loaned to a friend. He has no excuse.
Just as everywhere else, school's out in the Osage. And Tiger and Cub Scouts have been congregating at Camp McClintock east of Pawhuska. Pawhuska was the first town in the United States to have a Boy Scout troop. It was chartered by the Brits and Lord Baden Powell and all that rot. It was Troop No. 1, but when the US Boy Scouts formed, it became Troop 33. These pix are actually of Troop 6, which is based in Bartlesville, Okla.
So, that is it for now. Next week I will add some photos from the rodeo and the roping. And I promise to readjust the ISO on my camera. I had it a tad slow today and, woe is me, had a boatload of blurry photos.
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