The Sunday globe., 1901-05-26
ELECTING A MEDICINE MAN.
Narrative of a Washington Man
who Saw the Ceremony.

A Government employe recently re-
turned from the Yakima Indian coun-
try thus described to a Globe reporter
the recent dance which installed a
new doctor" among the Yakimas, on
the reservation near Toppenish, Ariz.:
1T lasted for ten days." said he, "and
during which time the participants,
lapsing into a frenzied condition, re-
sorted to all the fantastic and heathen-
ish practices prevalent among the va.
kimas in former years. They chanted
tribal songs, drunk "frewater" and
feasted upon Indian delicacies, such a.
cooked prairie dog and snakes and
other edibles believed by them to pos.
sess peculiar charms over mind and
body. A rattle is always given the sue
cessful applicant for the Office of medi.
cine man, and when this is sounded
the evil spirits are supposed to depart
from the persons afflicted and to leave
the tepees in which they are kept.
AT the recent ceremonies which
witnessed, number Of Indians were
anxious to compete for the medicine
mans rattle at this annual feast, and
the chief decided that he would test
their powers of endurance IN submit
/ ting them to repeated torture while
| the dance progressed. The spectators
numbered probably 300 of the most
! ignorant Yakimas. The squaws, or
| kloochmen, built fires in different parts
of the ground-foored structure hastily
| erected for the occasion, and smoldere1
| sagebrush, barks and herbs over the
burning embers until the atmosphere
| was poisonous and sitting. When all
was in readiness those competing for
the rattle marched up and down the
center OF the long group Of spectators,
| swaying to and fro, and making hid
eous chants or cultural growls. The
spectators beat the ground with sticks
and chimed in with peculiar chanting
noise. The dance continued through
out the night, and the day was spent
In feasting, drinking and sleeping.
The dance of each succeeding even.
ing partook more and more Of the an
cient practices Of barbarity. The
squaws would become greatly excited
and jump up to assist their favorites
The brands would be placed in the
hands Of contestants and against thell
flesh The hair was singed, war bon
nets burned and the most eXcruciatint
pains undergone. Some would slasr
/ their nude forms with knives, whil'
others would run against posts in tn
, building and cut gashes in their fore
| heads At last on the tenth day
J superstitious frenzy seized the entir'
! ! group, and a wild war dance and pow
} WOW were held Many Indians wer
y bruised and even crippled in the med
T. ley, as women Joined the dance, tor
their hair and scratched their race
with their finger nails.
when daylight dawned only on
man was able to stand up and dance
d and he was given the rattle.
y but the medicine mans tenure Q
r Office IS uncertain. Should he fail
cure any member Of the tribe to whoi
e he is called he suffers the death pei
J. atty, and Is dishonorabily burie
among the common members. A fe'
e years ago Yakima Jim" and severi
Indian doctors we're being tried befor
q council Of their people, on a chars
Of failing 10 cure the smallpox, whic
II caused the death OF several hundre
men and women. Jim escaped N
" death sentence, while many Other
d were executed, by an ingenious stor
Of how the Great Spirit had appointe
e him a surgeon, or healer OF wound
e. and not a curer Of diseases"