Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-17
MAKING AMEDICIxE MAN

Wisconsin furnishes the following d.
scription of the Indian ceremony Of mak
ing Medicine Man.
Some three hundred Winnebagoes ha
q great medicine dance day or two sine
near Tunnel City. 1t was the larges
gathering they have had for years. Tn
dance commenced at shutdown on Mon
day evening, and lasted until the evenin,
following. Desiring to be din" at thi
most wonderful and mysterious Indian
gathering, l reached the Tunnel abou
ten O clock. With the friendly aid of &
lantern and a hand-car, some boys Of US
took the back track for mile west. We
then struck the Indian trail a mile orsssC
through the woods to the north, where
we found the grand encampment. The
night was dark, but the camp-fres of
sixty wigwams lit up the forest far and
wide. Near the center of the encamp.
ment was the great medicine wigwam
1t was brilliantly Eliminated, and the
orgies were in full blast AS | ap
preached the wigwam the sentinel met
me at the closed entrance. "Inkah-do-
quatch-a, said he: mo 60 in This was
a stumperand disappointment; but was
prepared for emergencies. recognised
the sentinel in his blue military coat. 1t
was NauShesgah, one of the six Winnie
bagO braves who were in SheTman's
great march. had small flask and
few. stamps in my pocket In q briefspace
was snugly cornered inside. The medi~
cine dance among the Indians Is purely
religious in its origin. None but those
who have been initiated are allowed to
Join it. To be medicine man or medis
cine-wOman is the great thing among the
WinnebagOes Only the better class can
afford it 1t costs from S. to 500 to be
initiated, that is to make the presents and
provide for the dinner and feast All the
Indians fast during the day preceding.
The great wigwam is open only to medis
cine-men and women. Sentinels are
posted outside At dark the light are
struck inside and the unearthly pow WOW
Of rattles, drums, chants and creeches
commences. From the corner by the
the doorway could be seen the whole
splendor of the great wigwam. The
structure was over hundred feet long.
The ground had been shaved clear of
grass and was smooth as a floor The
sides were thickly bedded with fresh fern
leaves. A bright row of lights set On
poles cleaned down the center, while a
blazing wood fire shone up from the
father end The Indians, about half and
half as 10 sexes, were closely squatted
along the whole length on either side.
Halfa dozen were beating drums, shaking
rlttles andi singing in low gutturals
around the wood fire The dress Of the
medicine squaws would put M&dam De-
mcrest to shame. Many were rig uut
ike princeSses. No two were aIke.
Every one had on q new calico skirt,
petticoat, fancy blanket, sash, leggins and
mOcassins, set off with every possible
trick offnery and ribbons Beads, rings,
trinkets, wristlets, bracelets and earbOlts
glistened in profusion. Little bells jingled
from their leggins. Months had been
spent in trimming off their petticoats with
bitsEof silk and bead-work. Every cheek
was painted with the brightest vermilion
and yellow, and crossed or circled with
line of blue.
The men we're less got up" Many
had snowy head-gear, and some had elab'
crate breech-clouts stitched with beads
A dozen or more had borrowed coats
from white folks for the occasion Ola
"Four Deer5," from Portage, who got up
the dance, had on yellow scarf and
thick black silk shirt His head was
girdled with long, red deer's hair, hung
with ribbons, feathers, eagle quilts and
snake rattles Little Fish had the lower
half Of his face painted blue Nearly ali
had stripes of red across their face, dot
ted with yellow and blue. All the young
bucks were lavish with paint and feathers,
while the two old chiefs, Dandy" and
"CarimoOnc, preserved their every day
plainness. But the most noticeable fca~
ture Of all was their marvellous medicine
bags These were generally of otter
skins, made up whole. Most Of them
were large and of the finest fur, lined
with silk ana bead-work The mouths Of
each skin were hung with scarlet feathers.
They were carried in front like muifs,
with the tails reaching to the ground.
No prOfane hands are allowed to touch
them. They contain the wonderful med,
icine, andare held and guarded as sacred,
The ceremonies during the night were as
solemn as q Quaker prayer meeting
Speeches, marches, songs and all kinds
of mystical and musical ding dOng5 were
kept up until sunrise. The different
songs had different ceremonies attending.
Indians, by ones and by twos, filed up
and down the long lines, swinging their
hands to each Indian as they passed
\ low grunt was heard with each motion
of the hand Presently the old medicine
man arose, and for ten minutes followed
o rapid, Jerking tall" with the Great
Spirit could gather only the drift of
their talk They mention the names of
Indians who have died since their last
medicine dance, they recount the every
day events of their life, which can never
happen TO them again on earth. They
then picture their occupations in the
Spirit Land, killing their foes or chasing
the game over the happy hunting grounds,
These ghostly recitals are listened to with
the stiffness Of death. Following their
Gable comes a chant or song, attended
by rattle or drum. The old men lead off
for a strain or two, when the squaws join
in the refrain No words can describe
these wild harmonies of the forest maid.
ems" They seem to have learned their
music from the muskrats in their cabins
and the blackbirds in their fields. The
tobacco song Is one of the most impress
| sive. As the leading medicine man
walks around the wood fire, dropping
handfuls Of tobacco into the flames, the
whole camPjoin the chorus
Tan-ne-nah-ho! Tame -nah-hol
Can-nc-nah hahl Tan-ue.nah-h
| Meanwhile drums and rattIes keep up a
din loud enough to brighten the Great
! Shirt out Of his wits. The whiskey, or
Padganehah song takes the more seduc-
tive turn and a sip from the passing bot
! tie makes all right with thospirits alOFe
and below. After the tobacco song i
finished the peace pipe is lighted and
passes the rounds, each one taking a whit
or two, and giving a grunt OF satisfaction
in return The dancing proper set II
about daylight, and was alternated with
chants, speeches and marches as before
| When the dancing commenced the sides
# the great wlCwams were thrown out
wards, thus afording open views to al!
Sometimes fifty, sometimes Il hundred
Joined in the dance up and down tn
wigwam The squaws have a sort @
siIelong hop motion, with both feet to
getner while the men Jerk up one leg a
a time, reminding one OF the turkey in tn
picture dancing on not ashes The mo,
exciting ceremony commenced uboU
noon and lasted an hour. / shall not a,
tempt to describe it Suffice it to say III
"victim" of the occasion was the son @