It sometimes happens that a sick person can not be successfully treated
by the Midē´, especially in the wig´iwam of the patient, when it becomes
necessary for the latter to be carried to the Midē´wigân and the
services of the society to be held. This course is particularly followed
when the sick person or the family can furnish a fee equivalent to the
gift required for initiation under ordinary circumstances.
It is believed, under such conditions, that the evil man´idōs can be
expelled from the body only in the sacred structure, at which place
alone the presence of Ki´tshi Man´idō may be felt, after invocation, and
in return for his aid in prolonging the life of the patient the latter
promises his future existence to be devoted to the practice and
teachings of the Midē´wiwin. Before proceeding further, however, it is
necessary to describe the method pursued by the Midē´ priest.
The first administrations may consist of mashki´kiwabūⁿ´, or medicine
broth, this being the prescription of the Midē´ in the capacity of
mashki´kike´winĭ´nĭ, or herbalist, during which medication he resorts to
incantation and exorcism, accompanying his song by liberal use of the
rattle. As an illustration of the songs used at this period of the
illness, the following is presented, the mnemonic characters being
reproduced on Pl. XVI, C. The singing is monotonous and doleful, though
at times it becomes animated and discordant.
[Illustration]
In´-do-nâ-gât in-da´-kwo-nan
That which I live upon has been put on this dish by the spirit.
[Ki´tshi Man´idō provides the speaker with the necessary food for
the maintenance of life. The dish, or feast, is shown by the
concentric rings, the spirit’s arm is just below it.]
[Illustration]
Mo´-ki-yan tshik´-ko-min´.
I bring life to the people.
[The speaker, as the impersonator of the sacred Otter, brings life.
The Otter is just emerging from the surface of the water, as he
emerged from the great salt sea before the Âni´shi-nâ´beg, after
having been instructed by Mi´nabō´zho to carry life to them.]
[Illustration]
Ni´-no-mūn´ mash-ki´-ki
I can also take medicine from the lodge, or the earth
[The Midē´’s arm is reaching down to extract magic remedies from the
earth. The four spots indicate the remedies, while the square figure
denotes a hole in the ground.]
[Illustration]
Rest. During this interval the Midē´’s thoughts dwell upon the sacred
character of the work in which he is engaged.
[Illustration]
Ni´-nin-dē´ in´-dai-yo´.
It is all in my heart, the life.
[The concentric circles indicates the mī´gis, life, within the
heart, the former showing radiating lines to denote its magic
power.]
[Illustration]
M´bi-mo´-se-an-kĭnk´.
The spirit saw me and sent me medicine from above.
[The figure is that of Ki´tshi Man´idō, who granted power to the
speaker.]
[Illustration]
Dōn´-de-na mi-tĭz´-kŭnk.
It is also on the trees, that from which I take life.
[The tree bears “medicine” which the speaker has at his command,
and is enabled to use.]
When the ordinary course of treatment fails to relieve the patient the
fact is made known to the Midē´ priests and he is consequently taken
to the Midē´wigân and laid upon blankets so that part of his body may
rest against the sacred midē´ stone. Associate Midē´ then attend,
in consultation, with the Midē´-in-chief, the other members present
occupying seats around the walls of the structure.
The accompanying lecture is then addressed to the sick person, viz:
Mi-shosh´-yâ-gwa´ ga´-a-nin-nan´ gi´-de-wēn´-du-nŭn
ne´-tun-ga´-da-da-we´-in man´-i-dōmī´-gis. Kit´-ti-mâ´-gĭ-si
ē´-ni-dau´-â-ya-we´-yĭn o-ma´-e-nâ´-sa-ba-bĭt bī-ĭ-sha´-gaban´-dĕ-a
gi-bi´-sha-ban-da´-ĕt na-pĭsh-kâ-tshi-dŏsh ke´-a-yū´-ĭn-ki-go
gŏt-tâ-sō-nĕn´, mi´-a-shi´-gwa-gō-dĭn´-na-wât
dzhi-ma´-di-a-kad´-dŏ-yōn bi-mâ-di-si-wĭn´.
The following is a free translation of the above:
The time of which I spoke to you has now arrived, and you may deem it
necessary to first borrow the sacred mī´gis. Who are you that comes
here as a supplicant? Sit down opposite to me, where I can see you and
speak to you, and fix your attention upon me, while you receive life
you must not permit your thoughts to dwell upon your present
condition, but to support yourself against falling into despondency.
Now we are ready to try him; now we are ready to initiate him.
The reference to borrowing a mī´gis signifies that the patient may have
this mysterious power “shot into his body” where he lies upon the ground
and before he has arrived at the place where candidates are properly
initiated; this, because of his inability to walk round the inclosure.
The last sentence is spoken to the assisting Midē´. The following song
is sung, the mnemonic characters pertaining thereto being reproduced on
Pl. XVI, D.
[Illustration]
O-da´-pi-nŭng´-mung oâ´-ki-wen´-dzhi man´-i-dō
we´-an-ĭ-win´-zhi-gu-sân´.
We are going to take the sacred medicine out of the ground.
[The speaker refers to himself and the assistants as resorting
to remedies adopted after consultation, the efficiency thereof
depending upon their combined prayers. The arm is represented as
reaching for a remedy which is surrounded by lines denoting soil.]
[Illustration]
We-a´-ki man´-i-dō we-an-gwĭs´.
The ground is why I am a spirit, my son.
[The lower horizontal line is the earth, while the magic power which
he possesses is designated by short vertical wavy lines which reach
his body.]
[Illustration]
Rest.
[Illustration]
Nish´-u-we-ni-mi´-qu nish´-u-we-ni-mi´-qu we´-gi ma´-ŏ-dzhig´.
The spirits have pity; the spirits have pity on me.
[The Midē´ is supplicating the Midē´ spirits for aid in his wishes
to cure the sick.]
[Illustration]
Kish´-u-we-ni-mi´-qu ki´-shi´-gŭng don´-dzhi-wa´-wa-mĭk.
The spirits have pity on me; from on high I see you.
[The sky is shown by the upper curved lines, beneath which the Midē´
is raising his arm in supplication.]
[Illustration]
Man´-i-dō´-â ni´-o.
My body is a spirit.
[The Midē´ likens himself to the Bear Man´idō, the magic powers of
which are shown by the lines across the body and short strokes upon
the back.]
[Illustration]
Pi-ne´-si-wi-ân´ ke-ke´-u-wi-an´.
A little bird I am: I am the hawk.
[Like the thunderer, he penetrates the sky in search of power and
influence.]
[Illustration]
Man´-i-dō´ nu´-tu wa´-kan.
Let us hear the spirit.
[The Ki´tshi Man´idō is believed to make known his presence, and all
are enjoined to listen for such intimation.]
[Illustration]
Ka´-nun-ta´-wa man´-i-dō´ wi´-da-ku-ē´, hē´, ki´-a-ha-mī´.
You might hear that he is a spirit.
[The line on the top of the head signifies the person to be a
superior being.]
[Illustration]
Ka´-ke-na gus-sâ´ o´-mi-si´-nī´ na´-ēn.
I am afraid of all, that is why I am in trouble.
[The Midē´ fears that life can not be prolonged because the evil
man´idōs do not appear to leave the body of the sick person. The
arm is shown reaching for mī´gis, or life, the strength of the
speaker’s, having himself received it four times, does not appear
to be of any avail.]
Should the patient continue to show decided symptoms of increased
illness, the singing or the use of the rattle is continued until life is
extinct, and no other ceremony is attempted; but if he is no worse after
the preliminary course of treatment, or shows any improvement, the first
attendant Midē´ changes his songs to those of a more boastful character.
The first of these is as follows, chanted repeatedly and in a monotonous
manner, viz:
A´-si-na´-bi-hu´-ya, a-si´-na´-b-hu´-ya.
I have changed my looks, I have changed my looks.
[This refers to the appearance of the Midē´ stone which it is
believed absorbs some of the disease and assumes a change of color.]
Nish´-a-we´nī´, hū´, gū´, mi-dē´, wug, a-ne´-ma-bī´-tshig.
The Midē´ have pity on me, those who are sitting around,
and those who are sitting from us.
[The last line refers to those Midē´ who are sitting, though absent
from the Midē´wigân.]
The following illustrates the musical rendering:
[Music: 285_1]
A-si-na-bi-hŭ-i-ya, A-si-na-bi-hŭ-i-ya, A-si-na-bi-hŭ-i-ya hĭa,
A-si-na-bi-hŭ-i-ya, A-si-na-bi-hŭ-i-ya hĭa.
[Music: 285_2]
Nish-a-wi-in-hu gū, O-ko-mi-dē-wog hē,
A-ne-ma-bi-tshig hē, Nishawiinhu gū,
O-ko-mi-dē-wog hē, Nish-a-wi-ni-hu gŭ O-ko-mi-dē-wog hē.
As the patient continues to improve the song of the Midē´ becomes more
expressive of his confidence in his own abilities and importance.
The following is an example in illustration, viz:
Ni-ne´-ta-we-hē´ wa-wâ´-bâ-ma´ man´-i-dō, wa-wâ´-bâ-ma´.
[I am the only one who sees the spirit, who sees the spirit.]
Nin´-da-nī-wĭ-a, nin´-da-nī´-wĭ-a.
I surpass him, I surpass him.
[The speaker overcomes the malevolent man´idō and causes him to take
flight.]
Na´-sa-ni-nēn´-di-yaⁿ a-we´-si-yŏk´ no-gwe´-no´-wŏk.
See how I act, beasts I shoot on the wing.
[The signification of this is, that he “shoots at them as they fly,”
referring to the man´idōs as they escape from the body.]
The following is the musical notation of the above, viz:
[Music: 285_3]
Ni-ne-ta-we-hē wa-wâ´bâ-ma man-i-dō wa-wâ´-bâ-ma man-i-dō,
Ni-ne-ta-we-hē wa-wâ´-bâ-ma man-i-dō, wa-wâ´-bâ-ma man-i-dō.
[Music: 286_1]
Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a,
Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a,
Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, Hen-ta-ne-we-a, hō.
[Music: 286_2]
Na-sa-ni-nen-di-ya, Na-sa-ni-nen-di-ya, Na-sa-ni-nen-di-ya,
Awasiyōk, Nogwenowōk.
If the patient becomes strong enough to walk round the inclosure he is
led to the western end and seated upon a blanket, where he is initiated.
If not, the mī´gis is “shot into his body” as he reclines against the
sacred stone, after which a substitute is selected from among the Midē´
present, who takes his place and goes through the remainder of the
initiation for him. Before proceeding upon either course, however,
the chief attendant Midē´ announces his readiness in the following
manner: Mi´-o-shi´-gwa, wi-kwod´-gi-o-wŏg´ ga-mâ´-dzhi-a-ka´-dŭng
bi-mâ-di-si-wĭn´--“Now we are ready to escape from this and to begin
to watch life.” This signifies his desire to escape from his present
procedure and to advance to another course of action, to the exercise
of the power of giving life by transferring the sacred mī´gis.
The remainder of the ceremony is then conducted as in the manner
described as pertains to the first degree of the Midē´wiwin.