The History of O-Mok-See
The sport of O-Mok-See originates with the Blackfoot Indian Tribe where they described
a particular style of riding as " oh-mak-see pass-kan" meaning "riding big dance." The
second syllable of the first word is pronounced like our English word mock. The last
syllable of the second word is sounded like our can. The Blackfeet had no written
language, all we can do is render the sounds. There is no incorrect spelling, so long as
the sound is correctly presented. One might even desire to leave the second work (
meaning dance) off entirely, and simply make it oh-mak-see — riding big.
The Blackfeet's riding big dance was not celebrated for some fifty years. All the old
people remember it as a very striking performance. It was principally a war ceremony.
Before setting out on a mounted expedition against the enemy, the warriors of the camp
performed this dance as a part of the prelude of stirring up courage and enthusiasm for
battle. The warriors put on their finest dress costumes, decorated and painted their best
horses, carrying their war bundles, shields, lances and bonnets. They mounted and
gathered at some distance out of sight of the camp. They turned and rode together at full
speed into the great camp circle, circled around it once and then rode to the center of the
camp. In the center were a number of old men and women who sang special songs and
beat drums for the horsemen. The horsemen then rode their trained horses to the
rhythm of the singers and drummers. from time to time the riders dismounted and
danced about on foot beside their horses, shooting in the air and shouting to one another
to be brave when the battle came. If anyone fell from his horse during the ceremony it
was considered an omen of bad luck.
O-Mok-See is more descriptive and more Western American than other names used for
the sport of pattern horse racing. O-Mok-See found its way into our western riding
vocabulary in the same manner as the Spanish-American word rodeo. O-Mok-See,
historically speaking, was coined by people who were living here long before the
Spaniards arrived with rodeo.
a particular style of riding as " oh-mak-see pass-kan" meaning "riding big dance." The
second syllable of the first word is pronounced like our English word mock. The last
syllable of the second word is sounded like our can. The Blackfeet had no written
language, all we can do is render the sounds. There is no incorrect spelling, so long as
the sound is correctly presented. One might even desire to leave the second work (
meaning dance) off entirely, and simply make it oh-mak-see — riding big.
The Blackfeet's riding big dance was not celebrated for some fifty years. All the old
people remember it as a very striking performance. It was principally a war ceremony.
Before setting out on a mounted expedition against the enemy, the warriors of the camp
performed this dance as a part of the prelude of stirring up courage and enthusiasm for
battle. The warriors put on their finest dress costumes, decorated and painted their best
horses, carrying their war bundles, shields, lances and bonnets. They mounted and
gathered at some distance out of sight of the camp. They turned and rode together at full
speed into the great camp circle, circled around it once and then rode to the center of the
camp. In the center were a number of old men and women who sang special songs and
beat drums for the horsemen. The horsemen then rode their trained horses to the
rhythm of the singers and drummers. from time to time the riders dismounted and
danced about on foot beside their horses, shooting in the air and shouting to one another
to be brave when the battle came. If anyone fell from his horse during the ceremony it
was considered an omen of bad luck.
O-Mok-See is more descriptive and more Western American than other names used for
the sport of pattern horse racing. O-Mok-See found its way into our western riding
vocabulary in the same manner as the Spanish-American word rodeo. O-Mok-See,
historically speaking, was coined by people who were living here long before the
Spaniards arrived with rodeo.
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