Ruby Hansen Murray


Where We’ve Always Been

1. Osage, Americana Encyclopedia, 1919

𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 a French corruption proper name now occupying

reservation in northeast Oklahoma east bank of 𐓁𐓣 𐓻𐓶𐓲𐓟

in 17th century an extensive region
between Arkansas and Missouri rivers

Marquette places them on the 𐓁𐓣 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 they remained
until their removal they were removed
they were forced to leave

in 1714 allied with French against the Foxes

the 𐓻𐓘͘𐓺𐓪𐓧𐓣͘ migrated to 𐓁𐓣 𐓻𐓶𐓲𐓟 area

in 1804 the 𐓷𐓘𐓸𐓘𐓪𐓧𐓣͘ numbered
and the 𐓬𐓘𐓮𐓶𐓪𐓧𐓣͘ a little less

under the care of the Indian Office

treaty

the former conceded all their lands

comprising the state of Missouri northern Arkansas

again in 1825 1839 1865

greatly reduced confined

judicious sale

superfluous [excess, running over, not needed]

lands
[exceeding what is sufficient, unnecessary]


II. Oklahoma, American Encyclopedia, 1954

known as Louisiana Purchase possession of which
was assumed
adventurous traders the heart that fabulous region
the 𐓁𐓣 𐓻𐓶𐓲𐓟 the 𐓩𐓣 𐓪𐓯𐓶 the Grand
rude habitations traded with the 𐓩𐓣𐓤𐓘𐓯𐓣
exchange
received 𐓲𐓟, 𐓰𐓘 and 𐓻𐓘͘𐓬𐓟 for 𐓡𐓘𐓜𐓟𐓤𐓘 and 𐓷𐓘𐓬𐓪𐓤𐓘

the 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 and Ogahpa [U-ga'-xpa ga-x]
the former 𐓩𐓣𐓤𐓘𐓯𐓣 was induced cede
[to yield or grant] [typically by treaty] to the 𐓣𐓯𐓰𐓘𐓡𐓣

all of eastern Oklahoma, Missouri,
Arkansas and Kansas

a hunters paradise including among Indian hunters
depredations
implements toward pacification

for reception of eastern tribes

under

Jefferson, Monroe, Jackson.

Ruby Hansen Murray is a MacDowell fellow and winner of the Iowa Review and Montana Prizes, whose work has been nominated for Pushcart prizes and Best of the Net. Her work is forthcoming in Cascadia: A Field Guide (Tupelo Press). Find her in Ecotone, River Mouth Review, Under the Sun, the Massachusetts Review, Pleiades, High Desert Journal, South Florida Poetry Journal, and Moss. She’s a citizen of the Osage Nation with West Indian roots living in the lower Columbia River estuary.

ISSN 2472-338X
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