St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-29


amount of heat than other persons.
Another society named ''MedaOwin"
had several sections, each of which con-
sisted of eight members. They had
secret signs and passwords which en-
abled them easily to
GET RID OF THEIR ENEMIES,
and to exercise a commanding influence
in the tribes, and nothing was positively
known Of their private meetings, but
their public meetings were held in
large wigwam or in the open air, where
the people assembled in large numbers
to witness the ceremonies. Within the
incloSure the members sat, each hold
ing a stuffed bird or animal in his
hand, which seemed to revive from the
sounds uttered as some of the members
danced i'll the open space, or ran about
holding bird or animal in front of
them. Placing small bones in the
mouths OF the animals. they were
thrown in the mouths of the persons
standing near, and caused in them su-
perstitious fears, believing that the
members used some powerful medicine
for accomplishing their purpose. 1t was
believed that when an enemy was dis
posed of, one of the members disguised
as wolf OF bear went on the eighth
night, dug up the body, cut off one of
the little toes, the little fingers, and cut
out the heart and tongue. These were
taken to the next meeting, where
the tongue, being
DIVIDED INTO EIGHT SHARES,
was eaten, and the other parts of the
body used in the preparation of their
medicines. Wherever the secret fra
ternities of medicine men existed there
were initiatOry rites which the candi-
of hn tn
to fit them for their duties. In some
tribes this consisted merely in passing
successfully through period of fast
ing until the guardian spirit had been
found. Some held that from birth
supernatural influence rested upon a
person designated for the office, and in
due course he entered upon the career
marked out for him by the gods. The
Eskimo, among whom the cannibal
lived for some time, taught that death
and resurrection were necessary in
every candidate for the sacred office. A
keen intellect and dignified bearing, or
a tinge of manners betokening the pro-
phetic vision, were held by others to
constitute the necessary qualifications
of candidate. Among the Chinook
Indians, near the Rockies, the aspirant
for medical honOrS prepares feast,
which is free to all, ana beStoWs gifts
upon the medicine men. A lodge is
prepared for him, wherein he fastS three
days and nights, while the initiated
dance and sing around it during the
whole period. The fast ended, he is
taken up apparently lifeless, and the
ceremony of washing the dead is per-
formed, which implies plunging the
candidate into the nearest cold water
and rubbing him briskly until he recov
ers from the effects of his fast. He
now
RUSHES INTO THE WOODS
and returns dressed as a medicine man,
and then, relying upon the dignity of
his profession and the influence at
tending it for his support, with his
medicine rattle in his hand, he collects
his friends. The singing and dancing
are kept up during the distribution,
after which the ceremony of initiation
ends with a general feast. Among the
Crees, who live in Manitoba principally,
there are four grades leading to the
highest position. The first grade is
"Wapunoo," conjuror of the morning,
the members of which have the power
of eXtinguishing fire; the second is
"NutaO," the man who uses the bone
or shell in killing, and the ''birdSkins,"
who has an extensive knowledge of
healing remedies and possessing mes
meric powers; the third is "Kesiko-
wejinew, the man of the day." who is
the revealer of secrets, and the fourth
is called "Tipiskoweyinew," who has
the power to muitify the evil influence
of the Mitav, and even to heal those
who have been affected by him.
THE INITIATORY RITES
amOOU th q Crnh Indians consist in nhVc-
ical torture to test the power of endur-
ance, this being necessity in the pro-
fession, ,as the novitiate will be prepared
for StOlidly witnessing SutferingS in
others, and fast of ten days duration.
The candidates first degree is obtained
by undergoing this period of fasting, in
accordance with the custom of the medi-
cal brotherhood The candidate goes to
a lonely spot and takes up his residence
in the branches of tree, where he faStS
and meditates, holding converse with
the spirits who visit him now and again
and become his guardians and friends
through life. The great Evil Spirit visits
him and takes him under his care, and
the lesser spirits that abound in the ami
mails and in all the wonderful things of
nature become his servants. The dress
of these medicine men is generally the
most hideous and grotesque that can be
conceived. The skin of bear, or other
wild animal, is wrapped around the
body, encircling the limbs, the claws
reaching to the tips of the fingers and
the head being so closely fastened that
part only of the hideously-painted face
is seen. 1t is expected that the medi-
cine men who are said to have injured
the woman's reason will be arrested and
prosecuted by the British authorities"
HnndpadS of Seals