The Opelousas courier., 1889-09-21
WIIE NH
LIE lf'p IN MEDICINE MEN.
ARMY l
RGEoNs ARE OFTEN AS
hED AT THEIR CURES
aTr NJ .eir Influence Over
aCo AZ ntattors-scenes at

afr NJ .eir Influence Over
AGO Al ntations-scenes at
The habit
Western tribe. customs of some OF the
the general reader so little known to
scription of some of tit, perhaps, a de-
may be of some ~intereir curious practices
with has published st: Mr.. Paul Beck
on the Dakotahs inn interesting paper
Smithsonian Institt the last report of the ).
things he remark iution,e &c among other
or high priest ia M t themedielne man
although he ma otainANI e CHEF, and
use of mysteries l. NsSYay by the
theless at times she Is a pod.a'1hs, never
not understood by hose OF when IS
cult Or brotherhood, and through, p the
ledge of the medicir al properties of foW-
often performs cures that lead one to TRs
lieve he is not altogether the charlata
he is represented. His cures are often
the wonder of of the army surgeons.
An incident in point is cited in the case
of an Indian who one day came stagger-
ing into camp with his leg horribly swol-
len from a bite of a snake.
The camp surgeon could do nothing for
the sufferer, but he was completely cured
by the medicine man. Another case is
quoted in which a cataract of the eve was
cured by inserting brass filings into the
affected organ. TO impress upon the
mind of the patient the divine nature of
! of his medicine, the medicine man adds
to the efficacy of his remedy mysterious
pantomimes, c%ontortions of the body and
features, always to a drum accompani-
ment. II the patient is affected with a
serious ailment, he places a paper or bark
figure on the ground, and, while the pa
tient is held over it, he fires a gun, by
which act the sickness passes into the i'm
age in fl grou"d and is killed by the
discharge of the gun. They claim that
all this power is received from the Great
Spirit, who confers upon them aspiritual
medicine so powerful that they can kill
at will, resuscitate the dead, and cuT the
! sick. This spiritual medicine is repre-
sented by anything that strikes the fancy,
as a bunch Of feathers, d claw, a bird, or
the head of an animal.
When a council is held, a barricade is
erected in the form of an ellipse, and q
tent is raised at each end of the inclosurc,
one for the high priests or medicine men
and the other for ten men who have been
selected to keep order and conduct the
ceremony, acting as a sort of police. The
high priest, from his seat in the medicine
tent, appoints four assistants, n bearing
a drum, one a pillow and stick, one a rat
tie, and the last assisting by granting. A
big drum in the center of the circle il be-
ing constantly beaten by several dl I'M
mers. The high priest then speaks to
them of the holy dance which was founded
centuries ago, and tells them Of the power
of the medicine of their ancestors, and
warning skeptics not to scott at them or
their craft, as they have the power of
thrusting a claw or stone through the
| body of any one at will, causing instant
death. In proof Of this assertion, he calls
one of his assistants to him and points to-
ward him with the medicine bag, at the
same instant putting at him with his lips,
whereupon the assistant falls to the ground
dppiECHtly SCLlSCltSS. 1lCI bllC piICSC
salaams to the four points of the compass,
and invokes the Great Spirit to aid him
and the other members present in bring.
ing the dead brother to life. The drums
are then beatel and o frantic dance
is begun, VIII n the ~lifeless form
gradually returns to consciousness and
spits into his Lid a mass of froth
and blood, in which is found a
claw Or a stone. The high priest now
dances around the circle, and waving his
medicine bag, blows upon some II else,
who, in the anne manner, falls to the
ground senseless. The chief continue
and the 'dead men," reViving, assist in
shooting others, until the Enclosure is full
Of bowling sayages dancing, yelling, and
shooting each other. The dancing is
kept up in the most frantic manner. At
ter a certain length of time the four as
s~istants, who have been tr. ting around
the ring faster and faster, form u line,
and after advancing and retreating sew
eral times, thrust the instruments into
the hands of others who become their
successors and her take seats, and now
represent the Gods of the North, South,
| East and West, the high priest represent
ing the Great Spirit, or Wan-kan-tan-
ka. When O new member is initiated,
he is taken into the councit tent for m
structions, which are secre He y then
stripped of his clothihg, excepting an
apron md moccasins on his feet. He is
the, painted entirely black except q small
| ri spot between his shoulders, The
| candidate is exhorted to be good, and is
told that his medicine will be correspond
lngly powerful, and he must also give a
feast once a year. If he does not, he
will meet with misfortunes, sickness,
or death. The candidate now receives
the holy claw or stone. The Medicine
man, approaching him from the east, de-
seribes the course of the SUI with the
-eaieiae bag, and bowling to the four
points of the compass, mutters an incan-
%tation, and thrusting the bag toward him
saws: "There goes the spirit" The
candidate then falls prostrate, and
blankets, skin, ornaments, etc., are
thrown as offerings over the candidate.
At command of the high priest the novice
r9covers and is presented with the medi-
cine bag, becoming a recognized member
of the order. After these ceremonies the
feast begins, and the food which has been
cooking before the tents of the assistants
is distributed among the people: The
dance lasts from daybreqkte daybreak OF
the day following, and as these dances
are frequently given in winter with the
Lhermometar often far below zero. it may