Sauk Rapids frontierman. [volume] (Sauk Rapids, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1860, 1855-05-03

]. N 3 \ !. M
m MEDAyk e. GRAND 1lEDACllE
DAN Hin OJIBWAs.
a#as-45a yN# 4tS z N# 3saSE
4 1Ye Afed4e III. IL most irnportant ma tIs
NJ sacrsd ~. 16eir III gipus dances. 1s1fe titl
ann lprlnaiy are employed IA pfep.sation n, more
n lemnfy " e spesk, ia lhs performance ~ tfis
fsEfaaaFy thap ny sashef n med fer aasg s'ss
osrr, principally f the btnp l 1T he slck, and
sr intiaiop IL applicants nntO the sacred myseres
0f the MedaNai III Medicine Society The members III
which Al the time al the Rreat
Medicine al, and forms srt ~ nrdrrOf rrsshnod.
They bu. fepssepi a.nong the Indians, The Medical
Aad Theol8 orders Of the white man, and exer
else among their respective tribes the combined
indAegcs sef those hi
The great st.,ersftions nf The race. Tbete me DIN
lateut grades III Medicinss men, and AN rrat
enre I'M the, degree Of estimation apd f-
individuals ekists alnong Them arhong my 6flIef
people. Indeed this E.llows fxenlthe yiesxtensiys
of it, privileges for and ldren, and even
speechleas babes sdnitted intd Hill Ssiey,ali on
the same faot1g. Same beeIne unite celebrated al
great Medicine md on their visitation ~ lie
rich by adding 10 their usual cesenies axpert fears
ri lese.denain, they work upon The creduliy and
aalnng them. Such individuals ofts,,g demand and
receive large fces blankets guns, kettles, wam
pun, &c Be-, for their decptive parlices, and sf-
ten accumulate considerable ~ gang about om band
10 band attending II the sick. When iii Individual
wishes to become member ar the Mrdayai, Ia
makes known his desire 70 six more ii the princ-
pal Medicine Men, of his own choice, By sending ID
them red feather. 4s & #ss !. g5t4sS}s88
a time Tor the ceremony u appointed and male
known, -ssld pre- asat,as are com,nfnrsd by the
these medicine men meeting together, uak i'm AL
dresses u the Great Spirit, and drumming and aing.
ins during three en,ire nixhtr thr afeia-
81 wigw.is ~ II Hi IL lrsgsll II pu. ~,
differing from those they live Iii, only Near
each end fire il kindled, and IL The head ot
the L,dge pOle Ii errcied 1T ttecotated with d
flag, and hung with the articles, six nr twelve ii
number, which the cand'sas pays for bis admission.
quantity Of wanpam, SC. &c., and at the end Of
the ceremony are divided amoog the selected snedi-
cine men The ceremony lasts an entire day, aud
would require fund Of patience to be able 10 remain
from beginning 10 end Of these ridiculous forms. /,
however. Is extremely interesting, as a ceremony
toa, but. now rapidly growing into .disuse, and a.
characteristic Of the religion Of Peculiar people,
whose very existence, may years, will only afford
theme for strange and Misunderstanding tales Of the
nursery. II, however, SO ahDunds with ridiculous
FORMS and 10 full Of scnseess repetitions thai
will exercise well known virtue Of my readers. only
to degree, while give a general descriptions II
them. &s5s# &s.s4 sssssF85 fas4s ssssst#4 If
All are seated Presently one commences beating
"a drum, which consists Of dressed ekin drawn
tightly across the head Of wooden cylinder, made
Tor the purpose, while another rattles gonrd filed
with quantity of beans something of that kind,
each keeping time 10 a metrcal song adapted To i
rude tune, which is sung BY b1th. This il continued
for some time and is ended by three rapid taps upon
the drum, when address is made to the Great
Spirit. Anthem arising, the drumming is resumed and
continued while the six great medicine men march
n. b. A.
they go peculiar and indscrilh,ble sound from lhe
throat AZ il in great pain. This noise have often
endeavored to imitate but with their yeii ALWAYS
in vain. Something like it is sometimes heard in
,nenageries il resembles more the grrnt Of hog
thar any ordinary sound which know, to conf are i
with. As they pass their tyro in Medicine Mystery,
they stoop down and drop IN the order III which they
arrive, little seash II upon the banker before him
These are small species Of unio, which form one
OF their principal medicines and much virtue is su,-
posed 70 be attached 10 them. Reaching the head of
the lodge, another address is ,nate to the Great
Spirit--aiier which they resume their di~t,essfal
~gruntWg<, and again proceed In the same order III
There their noyitiate kneels. Each one now stops
and takes up with his mouth, without tos,ching II
with his hands, the shell which he had Few mo-
ments before dropped npon the blanket, and pretend
ing 70 swallow It, returns to the head oi the lodge,
where the same ceremony j. repeated as before, (a~
also every time they return there. The same pecu-
liar sound is uttered whenever they are in motion,
and the drumming, rafting and singing, kept w
without ntermissioD except when addresses are be-
ing made to the Great Spirit.
The next important part Of the ceremony, is the
dropping Of those shells again. When they were
swallowed just now. they entered and went through
the system Of the Medicine men, and now drop from
some part Of their person-irnm the eye, ear, or
snostril--and poor fellow had an agonizng time
q his she'll passed down his arm hut WIS finally re-
sicyed by its dropping from the end Of his finger
Another circuit Is perfrmed, and the shells are IN
ccremoniously picked up and retured 10 their medi
cine bags. The Medicine Bag consists OF The skin
OF some smal animal, taken Of entire with the ex-
ception II the head, which is left in the skin Ii is
then dressed and nrnatnented with ribbons and bead
work. small longitudinal opening IL left in the
bag for the introdsction Of the medicines. They
now perform the circuit again, and as they pass the
applicant, each points at him the head o his Medi-
cine Bag great virtue attaches 10 it's exhibition.
and it's power is such that il affects the patient with
great pain. This he eyinee< by deep means, painful
writings, and the quick application Of his hands Il.
the part affected, and If standing, falls As suddenly
as il shot /!
Al one Of the dances witnessed, one 81 the can
didates was stout, bury Indian, who endured the
presentation Of the Medicine Bags Of the who'll Cir
cut without any sensible effect. As The Indians
express i, = he hid eaten much .al,' H. & he had
been much with the pale facrs.) Determined not ID
pc fpcd IN this manner, "a stout. old Medicine mar.
On passing him the second time, seized his Medicine
Bag BY the extremities, and brought the dried head
81 the animal down the pate Of the stnbhsn cam
d'date with such force As 10 bring him sensess 70
the ground. ss ~ 41A .4
s, mrt;ne., however, horse !. paid /. u iui,ia
ton fee. 8Ss ss55
s. We received yesterday he pain