Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-19
How to Cure the Sick.

From Neills History Of Minnesota.
A Dakotah, when he is sick. believes that
he is possessed by the spirit Of some animal,
or inject, or enemy. The medicine men, are
supposed to have great power Of suction in
their jaws, by which they can draw out tho
spirit that afi ctr the patient, aud thus restore
him to health. They are much feared by all
the tribe. The doctor is called to SEQ sick
person by sending some one with present of
horse or blankets, or something a. valuable.
The messenger sometimes carries bell, and
rings around the lodge until the conjurer
makes his appearance; at other times he bears
to the doctors lodge a lighted pipe, and pre-
senting it to him, places his hands on his
head and means.
"The person sent to call on tho doctor,
strips himself for running, retaining only his
breech cloth, and carrying bell. He enters
the lodge, and without further ceremony,
strikes the doctor with his foot, jingles his
bell, and suddenly issuing from the lodge,
runs with oil his might for the sick man s
lodge, with the doctor at his heeIs:- 1.-THE
latter overtakes and kicks him before he reach
es the lodge, he does not proceed any further,
but returns home. Another person is then
dispatched, and it is not until one is sent who
is too swift for him, that the doctors services
can be secured"
The doctor having entered the tent, without
touching The patient, begins to strip himself
leaving nothing upon his body but the Lreech
cloth, and moccasins. Having obtained o
sacred rattle, which is nothing more than a
| dried gourd, filled with few kernels of corn,
or beads, he begins to shake and sing in un-
| earthly monotones. He now gets upon bis
knees, and, to use vulgarism, "crawls on all
fours," up to his patient. After few mo-
ments we sec him rise again retching violent
ly,and picking up bowl of water tbrusts his
taee therein, and begins to make gurglng
noise. Into this bowl he processes to expecto-
rate the spirit which has excited tie disease.
The doctor having decided what animal has
possessed his patient, be has an image of the
animal made out Of bark, and placed outside
near the tent door in a vessel Of water. Mr..
Prescott, United States Interpreter of the
Dakotahs, in a communication upon this sub
ject says: "The animal MADE of bark is to ha
| shot. Two or three Indians are in waiting,
standing near the bowl, with loaded guns,
ready to snoot when the conjurer gives the
signal. To he sure that the conjuring shall
have the desired effect, q woman must stand
astride the bowl, when the men fire into it,
| with her dress raised as high as the knees.
The men are instructed hov to act by the COD
| jurer; and as soon as be makes his appear
ance out of doors, they all fire into the bowl,
| and blow the little bark animal to pieces. The
woman steps aside, the juggIer makes a jump
at the bowl on his hands and knees, and com
mences blubbering in the water. While this
is going on, the woman has to jump on the
juggler's back, and stand there moment
then she gets off, and as soon as he has fin
ished his incantations, the woman takes him
by the hair of his head, and pulls him back
into tae lodge. If there are any fragments
found of the animal that has been shot. they
are buried. II this does not cure, simila,
ceremony is performed, but some other kind Of
animal is shaped out"