The Mide'wiwin or "Grand Medicine Society" of the Ojibwa Part 13

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ni-wi-we'-wai-a-de' hi'-me nai'-o-na'.

I take my sack and touch him.

[The Mide' will use his sacred Otter-skin sack to touch the candidate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Man'-i-do wi-kan-e', mi-de'-yo.

My medicine is the sacred spirit.

[The Mide' professes to have received the divine gift from Ki'tshi Man'ido; the gifts are seen descending to the hand held up to receive them.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ha-ni-ne' ku-me' ni'-kan-ne'?

How do you answer me, my Mide' friends?

[This is addressed to the Mide' priests (Nika'ni) present, and is an inquiry as to their willingness to proceed. The Mide'wigan is shown, the line running horizontally through it the path of the candidate (or one who has gone through), the two spots within the place of the sacred stone and the post, while the spot to the right of the outside of the inclosure denotes the beginning, or the sweat-lodge, symbolizing the circle of the earth upon the Mide' chart (Pl. III), those upon the left denoting the three possible degrees of advancement in the future.]

Upon the conclusion of the song there is a brief interval, during which all partake of a smoke in perfect silence, making the usual offerings to the four points of the compa.s.s, to Ki'tshi Man'ido', and toward the earth.

The preceptor then says:

Mis-sa'i'-a-shi-gwa, mis-sa'-a-shi-gwa- non'-do-nung; ka-ki-na Now is the time, now is the time he hears us; all of us

ka-kin'-na-gi-non'-do-da'g-u-nan' ga-o'-shi-dot mi-de'-wi'-win.

he hears us all the one who made the mide'wiwin.

After this monologue he continues, and addresses to the candidate the mide' gagi'kwewin', or Mide' sermon, in the following language, viz:

An-be'-bi-sin'-di-wi'-shin, wa'-i-ni'-nan; now listen to me what I am about to say to you;

kesh'-pin-pe'-sin-da'-nin-win da-ma'-dzhi shka'

If you take heed of that which I say to you shall continue

ke'-bi-ma'-di-si-win'. Un, nun'-gum, ke-za'-ki-gi-zi-ton mon always your life. Now, to-day I make known to you

ki'-tshi man'-i-do o'-dik-kid'-do-win'; o'-wi-dosh kid'-di-nin'

the great spirit That which he says; and now this I say to you.

ki-i'-kid-do'ki'-tshi man'-i-do gi'-sa-gi-ig'.

This is what says the great spirit that he loves you.

to-wa'-bish-ga' gi-shtig-wa a-pi-we- It shall be white the sacred object at the time

sa'-gi-sit'-to-wad o-sa'-in-di-kid'-do-win When they shall let it be known and this is what I say

e'-kid-dodt ki'-tshi man'-i-do o'-gi-din'-nin That which he says the great spirit now this I impart to you

mis-sa'-wa ke'-a-ked'-de-wo wa'-ba-ma-tshin'ni-budt even if they say That they saw him dead

mi'-a-ma' tshi'-o- nish-gad', ini-a-ma in this place he shall be Raised again in this place

a-pe'-ni-nut' nin-de' kid'-do-win min-nik'

he puts his trust In my heart in this "saying" the time

kid-da'- ki-o-wink'. Ka-wi'-ka-da-an'-na-we'-was-si-nan, of the duration Of the world. It shall never fail.

me-e'-kid-dodt' man'-i-do. Nin'-ne-dzha'-nis That is what he says, the spirit. My child,

ke-un'-dzhi be-ma'-dis si'-an.

this shall give you life.

The Mide' priests then leave the sweat-lodge and stand upon the outside, while the candidate gathers up in his arms a number of small presents, such as tobacco, handkerchiefs, etc., and goes out of the wig'iwam to join the Mide' priests. The order of marching to the main entrance of the Mide'wigan is then taken up in the following order: First the candidate, next the preceptor, who in turn is followed by the officiating priests, and such others, and members of his family and relatives as desire. At the door of the Mide'wigan all but one of the priests continue forward and take their stations within the inclosure, the preceptor remaining on one side of the candidate, the Mide' priest upon the other, then all march four times around the outside of the inclosure, toward the left or south, during which time drumming is continued within. Upon the completion of the fourth circuit the candidate is placed so as to face the main entrance of the Mide'wigan.

When he is prompted to say:

"Man- un'-ga-bin'-di-ge o-bog'-ga-di-nan', o-dai'-ye-din'."

Let me come in and these I put down my things [gifts].

The presents are then laid upon the ground. The preceptor goes inside, taking with him the gifts deposited by the candidate, and remains standing just within the door and faces the degree post toward the west.

Then the chief officiating priest, who has remained at the side of the candidate, turns toward the latter and in a clear, distinct, and exceedingly impressive manner sings the following chant, addressed to Ki'tshi Man'ido whose invisible form is supposed to abide within the Mide'wigan during such ceremonies, stating that the candidate is presented to receive life (the mi'gis) for which he is suffering, and invoking the divine favor.

Hai ya ha man'-i-do, ho', ti-bish'-ko-gish'-i-gung, he', There is a spirit ho, just as the one above, he,

we-za-ba-mid'-mi nin-dzha-nis, esh-i-gan'-do-we, he', hwe', now sits with me my child and now I proclaim, he, hwe,

me-a-tshi-bin'-de-gan'-ni-nan, nos, dzhi-man'-i-do, ho', hwo', that I enter you here my father good spirit, ho, hwo,

sha-we-ni-mi-shin', he', hwe', a-shig'-wa-bin'-de-gan-nok have pity on me, he, hwe now that I enter him here,

ge-gwa-da-gi-sid wi-bi-ma'-di-sid, de-bwe-dau-wi-shin he that is suffering for life, believe me

dzhi-bi-ma'-di-sid', nos, we'-o-sim'-in-nan', he', he'.

that he shall live, my father, whose child I am, he, he.

The following is the musical notation:

[Music: 213_1]

he-he-he-he yo.

The candidate is then led within the inclosure when all the members of the society arise while he is slowly led around toward the southern side to the extreme end in the west, thence toward the right and back along the western side to the point of beginning. This is done four times. As he starts upon his march, the member nearest the door falls in the line of procession, each member continuing to drop in, at the rear, until the entire a.s.sembly is in motion. During this movement there is a monotonous drumming upon the Mide' drums and the chief officiating priest sings:

Ni'-sha-bon'-da shkan wig'-i-wam ke-non'-deg, I go through [the] "house" the long, i.e., through the Mide'wigan.

At the fourth circuit, members begin to stop at the places previously occupied by them, the candidate going and remaining with his preceptor to a point just inside the eastern entrance, while the four officiating priests continue around toward the opposite end of the inclosure and station themselves in a semicircle just beyond the degree post, and facing the western door. Upon the ground before them are spread blankets and similar goods, which have been removed from the beams above, and upon which the candidate is to kneel. He is then led to the western extremity of the inclosure where he stands upon the blankets spread upon the ground and faces the four Mide' priests. The preceptor takes his position behind and a little to one side of the candidate, another a.s.sistant being called upon by the preceptor to occupy a corresponding position upon the other side. During this procedure there is gentle drumming which ceases after all have been properly stationed, when the preceptor steps to a point to the side and front of the candidate and nearer the officiating priests, and says:

Mi-i'-shi-gwa' bo'-gi-ta-mon'-nan, The time has arrived that I yield it to you.

mi'-na-nan'-ke-an-dzhi bi-ma'-di-si'-an.

[the mide'migis] that will give you life.

The preceptor then returns to his position back of and a little to one side of the candidate, when the chief officiating priest sings the following song, accompanying himself upon a small cylindrical mide'drum.

The words are: Kit'-ta-non'-do-we man'-i-do'-wid--you shall hear me, spirit that you are--, and the music is rendered as follows: