It is customary for the period of one year to elapse before a
second-degree Midē´ can be promoted, even if he be provided with enough
presents for such advancement. As the exacted fee consists of goods and
tobacco thrice the value of the fee for the first degree, few present
themselves. This degree is not held in as high estimation, relatively,
as the preceding one; but it is alleged that a Midē´’s powers are
intensified by again subjecting himself to the ceremony of being “shot
with the sacred mī´gis,” and he is also elevated to that rank by means
of which he may be enabled the better to invoke the assistance of the
tutelary guardian of this degree.
A Midē´ who has in all respects complied with the preliminaries of
announcing to the chief Midē´ his purpose, gaining satisfactory evidence
of his resources and ability to present the necessary presents, and of
his proficiency in the practice of medical magic, etc., selects a
preceptor of at least the third degree and one who is held in high
repute and influence in the Midē´wiwin. After procuring the services of
such a person and making a satisfactory agreement with him, he may be
enabled to purchase from him some special formulæ for which he is
distinguished. The instruction embraces a résumé of the traditions
previously given, the various uses and properties of magic plants and
compounds with which the preceptor is familiar, and conversations
relative to exploits performed in medication, incantation, and exorcism.
Sometimes the candidate is enabled to acquire new “medicines” to add to
his list, and the following is a translation of the tradition relating
to the origin of ginseng (Aralia quinquefolia, Gr.), the so-called “man
root,” held in high estimation as of divine origin. In Fig. 3 is
presented a pictorial representation of the story, made by Ojibwa,
a Midē´ priest of White Earth, Minnesota. The tradition purports
to be an account of a visit of the spirit of a boy to the abode of
Dzhibai´Man´idō, “the chief spirit of the place of souls,” called
Ne´-ba-gi´-zis, “the land of the sleeping sun.”
There appears to be some similarity between this tradition and that
given in connection with Pl. V, in which the Sun Spirit restored to
life a boy, by which act he exemplified a portion of the ritual of the
Midē´wiwin. It is probable therefore that the following tradition is a
corruption of the former and made to account for the origin of “man
root,” as ginseng is designated, this root, or certain portions of it,
being so extensively employed in various painful complaints.
Once an old Midē´, with his wife and son, started out on a hunting
trip, and, as the autumn was changing into winter, the three erected a
substantial wig´iwam. The snow began to fall and the cold increased,
so they decided to remain and eat of their stores, game having been
abundant and a good supply having been procured. The son died;
whereupon his mother immediately set out for the village to obtain
help to restore him to life, as she believed her father, the chief
priest of the Midē´-wiwin, able to accomplish this.
When the woman informed her father of the death of her son, her
brother, who was present, immediately set out in advance to render
assistance. The chief priest then summoned three assistant Midē´, and
they accompanied his daughter to the place where the body of his dead
grandson lay upon the floor of the wig´iwam, covered with robes.
The chief Midē´ placed himself at the left shoulder of the dead boy,
the next in rank at the right, while the two other assistants
stationed themselves at the feet. Then the youngest Midē´--he at the
right foot of the deceased--began to chant a midē´ song, which he
repeated a second, a third, and a fourth time.
When he had finished, the Midē´ at the left foot sang a midē´ song
four times; then the Midē´ at the right shoulder of the body did the
same, after which the chief Midē´ priest sang his song four times,
whereupon there was a perceptible movement under the blanket, and as
the limbs began to move the blanket was taken off, when the boy sat
up. Being unable to speak, he made signs that he desired water, which
was given to him.
The four Midē´ priests then chanted medicine songs, each preparing
charmed remedies which were given to the boy to complete his recovery.
The youngest Midē´, standing at the foot of the patient, gave him four
pinches of powder, which he was made to swallow; the Midē´ at the left
foot did the same; then the Midē´ at the right shoulder did likewise,
and he, in turn, was followed by the chief priest standing at the left
shoulder of the boy; whereupon the convalescent immediately recovered
his speech and said that during the time that his body had been in a
trance his spirit had been in the “spirit land,” and had learned of
the “grand medicine.”
The boy then narrated what his spirit had experienced during the
trance, as follows: “Gi´-gi-min´-ĕ-go´-min mi-dē´-wi-wĭn mi-dē´
man´-i-dō´ ’n-gi-gĭn´-o-a-mâk ban-dzhi´-ge´-o-we´-ân
ta´-zi-ne´-zho-wak´ ni-zha´-nĕ-zak, kĭ-wi´-de-gĕt´
mi´-o-pi´-ke´-ne-bŭi´-yan ka-ki´-nĕ ka-we´-dĕ-ge´ mi´-o-wŏk-pi´
i-kan´-o-a-mag´-ĭ-na mi-dē´ man´i-dō wi-we´-ni-tshi mi-dē´-wi-wĭn,
ki´-mi-mâ´-dĭ-si-win´-in-ân´ ki-mi´-nĭ-go-nan´ ge-on´-dĕ-na-mŏngk
ki´-mi-mâ´-di-si´-wa-in-an´; ki´-ki-no´-a-mag´-wi-nan´ mash´-kĭ-ki
o-gi´-mi-ni´-go-wan´ o-dzhi-bi´-gân gi-me´-ni-na-gŭk´
mash´-kĭ-ki-wa´-boⁿ shtĭk-wan´-a-ko-se´-an o-ma´-mâsh´-kĭ-ki
ma´-gi-ga´-to ki´-ka-ya-tōn.”
The following is a translation:
“He, the chief spirit of the Midē´ Society, gave us the “grand
medicine,” and he has taught us how to use it. I have come back from
the spirit land. There will be twelve, all of whom will take wives;
when the last of these is no longer without a wife, then will I die.
That is the time. The Midē´ spirit taught us to do right. He gave us
life and told us how to prolong it. These things he taught us, and
gave us roots for medicine. I give to you medicine; if your head is
sick, this medicine put upon it, you will put it on.”
The revelation received by the boy was in the above manner imparted
to the Indians. The reference to twelve--three times the sacred number
four--signifies that twelve chief priests shall succeed each other
before death will come to the narrator. It is observed, also, that a
number of the words are archaic, which fact appears to be an indication
of some antiquity, at least, of the tradition.
The following are the principal forms in which a Midē´ will utilize
Aralia quinquefolia, Gr., ginseng--Shtĕ´-na-bi-o´-dzhi-bik:
1. Small quantities of powdered root are swallowed to relieve
stomachic pains.
2. A person complaining with acute pains in any specific part of
the body is given that part of the root corresponding to the part
affected; e.g., for pleurisy, the side of the root is cut out, and
an infusion given to relieve such pains; if one has pains in the
lower extremities, the bifurcations of the root are employed;
should the pains be in the thorax, the upper part of the root--
corresponding to the chest--is used in a similar manner.