Seventh Annual Report Part 66

Rest.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Man-i-do-we ni-mi-nan ku-ni-ne man-to-ke ni-mi-ne.

I who acknowledge you to be a spirit, and am dying.

[The figure is an outline of the Midewign with the sacred Mide stone indicated within, as also another spot to signify the place occupied by a sick person. The waving lines above and beneath the oblong square are magic lines, and indicate magic or supernatural power. The singer compares the candidate to a sick man who is seeking life by having shot into his body the migis.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ga-kwe-in-nn tshi-ha-ge-n ma-kwa ni-go-tshi-ni.

I am trying you who are the bear.

[The Mide who is chanting is shown in the figure; his eyes are looking into the candidates heart. The lines from the mouth are also shown as denoting speech, directed to his hearer. The horns are a representation of the manner of indicating superior powers.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pi-ne-si ka-ka-gi-wai-yan wen-dzhi man-i-dowid.

The bird, the crow birds skin is the reason why I am a spirit.

[Although the crow is mentioned, the Thunder-bird (eagle) is delineated. The signification of the phrase is, that the speaker is equal in power to a manido, at the time of using the Mide sack--which is of such a skin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Tshin-gwe-wi-he-na ne, kan, tshi-w-ba-ku-net.

The sound of the Thunder is the white bear of fire.

[The head is, in this instance, symbolical of the white bear manido; the short lines below it denoting flame radiating from the body, the eyes also looking with penetrating gaze, as indicated by the double waving lines from each eye. The white bear manido is one of the most powerful manidos, and is so recognized.]

By the time this chant is completed the head of the procession reaches the point of departure, just within the eastern door, and all of the members return to their seats, only the four officiating Mide remaining with the candidate and his preceptor. To search further that no malevolent manidos may remain lurking within the Midewign, the chief priests lead the candidate in a zigzag manner to the western door, and back again to the east. In this way the path leads past the side of the Mide stone, then right oblique to the north of the heap of presents, thence left oblique to the south of the first-degree post, then pa.s.sing the second on the north, and so on until the last post is reached, around which the course continues, and back in a similar serpentine manner to the eastern door. The candidate is then led to the blankets, upon which he seats himself, the four officiating priests placing themselves before him, the preceptor standing back near the first of the four degree posts.

The Mide priest of the fourth rank or place in order of precedence approaches the kneeling candidate and in a manner similar to that which has already been described shoots into his breast the migis; the third, second and first Mide follow in like manner, the last named alone shooting his migis into the candidates forehead, upon which he falls forward, spits out a migis sh.e.l.l which he had previously secreted in his mouth, and upon the priests rubbing upon his back and limbs their Mide sacks he recovers and resumes his sitting posture.

The officiating priests retire to either side of the inclosure to find seats, when the newly received member arises and with the a.s.sistance of the preceptor distributes the remaining parcels of tobacco, and lastly the blankets, robes, and other gifts. He then begins at the southeastern angle of the inclosure to return thanks for admission, places both hands upon the first person, and as he moves them downward over his hair says: Mi-gwetsh ga-o-shi-to-in bi-m-di-si-win--Thanks, for giving to me life. The Mide addressed bows his head and responds, hau, en,--yes when the newly admitted member steps back one pace, clasps his hands and inclines his head to the front. This movement is continued until all present have been thanked, after which he takes a seat in the southeastern corner of the inclosure.

A curious ceremony then takes place in which all the Mide on one side of the inclosure arise and approach those upon the other, each grasping his Mide sack and selecting a victim pretends to shoot into his body the migis, whereupon the Mide so shot falls over, and after a brief attack of gagging and retching pretends to gain relief by spitting out of his mouth a migis sh.e.l.l. This is held upon the left palm, and as the opposing party retreat to their seats, the side which has just been subjected to the attack moves rapidly around among one another as if dancing, but simply giving rapid utterance to the word ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, and showing the migis to everybody present, after which they place the flat hands quickly to the mouth and pretend again to swallow their respective sh.e.l.ls. The members of this party then similarly attack their opponents, who submit to similar treatment and go through like movements in exhibiting the migis, which they again swallow. When quiet has been restored, and after a ceremonial smoke has been indulged in, the candidate sings, or chants, the production being either his own composition or that of some other person from whom it has been purchased. The chant presented herewith was obtained from Sika.s.sige, who had received it in turn from his father when the latter was chief priest of the Midewiwin at Mille Lacs, Minnesota. The pictographic characters are reproduced on Pl. XVII, A, and the musical notation, which is also presented, was obtained during the period of my preliminary instruction. The phraseology of the chant, of which each line and verse is repeated ad libitum as the singer may be inspired, is as follows:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Do-n-ga-ni, Na-wa-kwe in-do-shi-ton, do-n-ga-ni.

My dish, At noon I make it, my dish.

[The singer refers to the feast which he gives to the Mide for admitting him into the Midewiwin.]

[Music: 266_1]

Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni; Na-kwa-we, In-do-shi-ton Donagani, Donaga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni, Do-na-ga-ni.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate XVII.

Mnemonic Songs.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Man-i-do i-yan-ni, Esh-ko-te nin-do-we-yo-win, I am such a spirit, My body is made of fire.

[His power reaches to the sky, i.e., he has power to invoke the aid of Kitshi Manido. The four degrees which he has received are indicated by the four short lines at the tip of the hand.]

[Music: 267_1]

Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni; Eshko-te nin-do we-yo-win, Manidoiya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni, Mani-do-i-ya-ni.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ko-tshi-hai-o-ni, Esh-ko-te wa-ni-yo.

I have tried it, My body is of fire.

[He likens himself to the Bear Manido, and has like power by virtue of his migis, which is shown below the lines running downward from the mouth. He is represented as standing in the Midewign--where his feet rest.]

[Music: 267_2]

Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshihaioni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Kotshi-haio-ni, Eshkotewaniyo, Kotshihaioni. Kotshihaioni, Kotshihaioni, heo, heo.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pause. An offering of smoke is made to Kitshi Manido.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ni-mi-gi-sim man-i-do-we, hwe, he, Sha-go-dzhi-hi-na.

My migis spirit, I overpower death with.

[His body is covered with migis as shown by the short lines radiating from the sides, and by this power he is enabled to overcome death.]

[Music: 268_1]

Nimegasi mani do-we, hwe, he, Nimegasi mani do-we, hwe, he, s.h.a.g.o.dzhihinani-mega-si, Manido-we, hwe, he.

Ni-me-ga-si-ma-ni-do-we, hwe, he.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ni-ka-ni nin-man-e-do-we-ya.

Ya-ho-ya man-i-do-wa nin-da-ho-ha.

That is the way with me, spirit that I am.

[The hand shows how he casts the migis forward into the person requiring life. He has fourfold power, i.e., he has received the migis four times himself and is thus enabled to infuse into the person requiring it.]

[Music: 268_2]

Ni-ga-ne nin mani-dowe ya Ni-ga-ne nin mani-dowe ya, Yaho-ya manido-we, Nindohoha nigane, mani-do-we, ya, he.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

E-kotsh-i-na-ha, E-kotsh-ha man-i-do hwe-do-wi.

I hang it, I hang up the Spirit sack.

[After using his Mide sack he hangs it against the wall of the Midewign, as is usually done during the ceremonial of initiation.]

[Music: 269_1]

E-kotshi-na-ha, E-kotshi-na-ha, E-kotshi-na-ha, E-ko-tshi-na-ha, E-ko-tshi-na-ha, E-ki-tshi-ma-ni-do hwe-do-wi, E-kotshi-na-ha, E-kotshi-na-ha, E-kotshi-na-ha, hea.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

He-a-wi-non-dam-a-ni, Man-i-do mi-de-wi-he ne-ma-da-wi-dzig.

Let them hear, Mide spirit, those who are sitting around.

[He invokes Kitshi Manido to make his auditors understand his power.]

[Music: 269_2]

He-a-wi-non-da-ma-ni he, He-a-wi-nonda-ma-ni he; He-a-wi-non-da-ma-ni he, He-a-wi-non-da-ma-ni he; Manidomidewi he, Nemadawi dzhig, Heawinondamani he, he, he.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

He-a-we-na ni-we-do, Man-i-do we-a-ni Ni-ka-na ni-na-na.

He who is sleeping, The Spirit, I bring him, a kinsman.

[In the employment of his powers he resorts to the help of Kitshi Manido--his kinsman or Mide colleague.]

[Music: 270_1]

He-a-we-na-ne-we-do, ho, He-a-we-na-ne-we-do, ho, He-a-we-na-ne-we-do, ho, He-a-we-na-ne-we-do, ho; Ma-ni-do-we-a-ni ni-ka-na ni-ka-na, ho, ho.