The Mide'wiwin or "Grand Medicine Society" of the Ojibwa Part 20

Hwa'-ba-mi-de', hwa'-ba-mi-de', Na'-wa-kin-te'.

He who sees me, he who sees me, stands on the middle of the earth.

[The human figure symbolizes Ki'tshi Man'ido; the magic lines cross his body, while his legs rest upon the outline of the Mide'wigan.

His realm, the sky, reaches from the zenith to the earth, and he beholds the Mide' while chanting and conducting the Mide'wiwin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Man'-i-do' wi'-ka-ni' ni-mi-de'.

To the spirit be a friend, my Mide'.

[The speaker enjoins the candidate to be faithful to his charge, and thus a friend to Ki'tshi Man'ido, who in return will always a.s.sist him. The figure holds a mi'gis in its right hand, and the Mide' drum in its left.]

The greater number of words in the preceding text are of an archaic form, and are presented as they were chanted. The several lines may be repeated ad libitum to accord with the feeling of inspiration which the singer experiences, or the amount of interest manifested by his hearers.

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

Mnemonic Songs.]

All the members of the society not officially inducting the candidate have ere this entered the Mide'wigan and deposited their invitation sticks near the sacred stone, or, in the event of their inability to attend, have sent them with an explanation. The candidate, at the suggestion of the Mide' priest, then prepares to leave the sudatory, gathers up the tobacco, and as he slowly advances toward the Mide'

inclosure his attendants fall into the procession according to their office. The priests sing as they go forward, until they reach the entrance of the Mide'wigan, where the candidate and his preceptor halt, while the remainder enter and take their stations just within the door, facing the west.

The drummers, who are seated in the southwestern angle of the inclosure, begin to drum and sing, while the candidate is led slowly around the exterior, going by the south, thus following the course of the sun. Upon the completion of the fourth circuit he is halted directly opposite the main entrance, to which his attention is then directed. The drumming and singing cease; the candidate beholds two Mide' near the outer entrance and either side of it. These Mide' represent two malevolent man'ido and guard the door against the entrance of those not duly prepared. The one upon the northern side of the entrance then addresses his companion in the following words: I'-ku-tan ka'-wi-nad'-gi wa'-na-ma'-si e'-zhi-gi'-ni-ged--"Do you not see how he is formed?" To which the other responds: O-da'-pi-no' ke'-no-win-dung shkwan'-dim--"Take care of it, the door;" [i.e., guard the entrance.] The former then again speaks to his companion, and says: Ka-win'-ni-na-ga'

wa'-ba-ma'-si-ba'-shi-gi'-ne-get'--"Do you not see how he carries the goods?" The Mide' spoken to a.s.sents to this, when the preceptor takes several pieces of tobacco which he presents to the two guards, whereupon they permit the candidate to advance to the inner entrance, where he is again stopped by two other guardian man'ido, who turn upon him as if to inquire the reason of his intrusion. The candidate then holds out two parcels of tobacco and says to them: O-da'-pin a-se'-ma--"Take it, the tobacco," whereupon they receive the gift and stand aside, saying: Kun'-da-dan--"Go down;" [i.e., enter and follow the path.] As the candidate is taken a few steps forward and toward the sacred stone, four of the eight officiating priests receive him, one replacing the preceptor who goes to the extreme western end there to stand and face the east, where another joins him, while the remaining two place themselves side by side so as to face the west.

It is believed that there are five powerful man'idos who abide within the third-degree Mide'wigan, one of whom is the Mide' man'ido--Ki'tshi Man'ido--one being present at the sacred stone, the second at that part of the ground between the sacred stone and the first part where the gifts are deposited, the remaining three at the three degree posts.

As the candidate starts and continues upon his walk around the interior of the inclosure the musicians begin to sing and drum, while all those remaining are led toward the left, and when opposite the sacred stone he faces it and is turned round so that his back is not toward it in pa.s.sing; the same is done at the second place where one of the spirits is supposed to abide; again at first, second, and third posts. By this time the candidate is at the western extremity of the structure, and as the second Mide' receives him in charge, the other taking his station beside the preceptor, he continues his course toward the north and east to the point of departure, going through similar evolutions as before, as he pa.s.ses the three posts, the place of gifts and the sacred stone.

This is done as an act of reverence to the man'idos and to acknowledge his grat.i.tude for their presence and encouragement. When he again arrives at the eastern extremity of the inclosure he is placed between the two officiating Mide', who have been awaiting his return, while his companion goes farther back, even to the door, from which point he addresses the other officiating Mide' as follows:

Mis-sa'-a-shi'-gwa wi-kan'-da'-we-an', mis-sa'-a-shi'-gwa Now is the time [I am] telling [--advising,] now is the time

wi'-di-wa'-mok wi-un'-o-be-og.

to be observed [I am] ready to make him sit down.

Then one of the Mide' priests standing beside the candidate leads him to the spot between the sacred stone and the first-degree post where the blankets and other goods have been deposited, and here he is seated.

This priest then walks slowly around him singing in a tremulous manner wa', he', he', he', he', he', he', he', returning to a position so as to face him, when he addresses him as follows: Mis-sa'-a-shi'-gwa po'-gu-se-ni'mi-nan' au'-u-sa' za-a'-da-win' man'-i-do mi'-gis.

Na'-pish-gatsh di-ma'-gi-si e-ne'-ni-mi-an pi'-sha-ga-an-da-i'

na'-pish-gatsh tshi-skwa'-di-na-wad' dzhi-ma'-dzhi-a-ka'-ma-da-man bi-ma'-dis-si'-an.

The following is a free translation:

The time has arrived for you to ask of the Great Spirit this "reverence" i.e., the sanct.i.ty of this degree. I am interceding in your behalf, but you think my powers are feeble; I am asking him to confer upon you the sacred powers. He may cause many to die, but I shall henceforth watch your course of success in life, and learn if he will heed your prayers and recognize your magic power.

At the conclusion of these remarks three others of the officiating Mide'

advance and seat themselves, with their chief, before the candidate. The Mide' drum is handed to the chief priest, and after a short prelude of drumming he becomes more and more inspired, and sings the following Mide' song, represented pictorially, also on Pl. XIV, B.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Man'-i-do' we-da', man'-i-do' gi-do' we-do'-ning.

Let us be a spirit, let the spirit come from the mouth.

[The head is said to signify that of a Mide', who is about to sing.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Nin'-de-wen'-don zha'-bon-desh'-kan-man'.

I own this lodge, through which I pa.s.s.

[The speaker claims that he has been received into the degree of the Mide'wiwin to which he refers. The objects on the outer side of the oblong square character represent spirits, those of the bear.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

an'-dzhe-ho i'-a-ni' o-gen', hwe'-o-ke', hwe'-o-ke'.

Mother is having it over again.

[The reference is to the earth, as having the ceremony of the "grand medicine" again.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ni'-ka-nan ni'-go-san, ni'-go-san'

ni-ka'-ni-san', man'-i-do' wi-dzhig'

nin-go-san' an-i-wa'-bi-dzhig ni-ka'.

Friends I am afraid, I am afraid, friends, of the spirits sitting around me.

[The speaker reaches his hand toward the sky, i.e., places his faith in Ki'tshi Man'ido who abides above.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ya'-ki-no'-sha-me'-wa, ya'-ki-no'-sha-me'-wa, ya-ki-no-si-ka-ne, ya-ki-no-si-ka-ne, he', ki'-no-sha'-we-wa'.

I am going, with medicine bag, to the lodge.

[The object represents an otter skin Mide' sack, the property of the speaker.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ya'-be-kai'-a-bi, ya'-be-kai'-a-bi, he'-a', he'-a', ya'-be-kai'-a-bi, ya'-be-kai'-a-bi, he'-a', he'a', wa'-na-he'-ni'-o-ni', ya'-be-kai'-o-bik'.

We are still sitting in a circle.

[A Mide' sitting within the Mide'wigan; the circle is shown.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

A-ya'-a-bi-ta' pa'-ke-zhik', u', hu', a', Half the sky [The hand is shown reaching toward the sky, imploring the a.s.sistance of Ki'tshi Man'ido that the candidate may receive advancement in power. He has only two degrees, one-half of the number desired.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Ba'-be-ke' o'-gi-man nish'-a-we, he', ne'-me-ke-he', nish'-a-we'-ni-mik o'-gi-man.

The spirit has pity on me now, [The "Great Spirit" is descending upon the Mide'wigan, to be present during the ceremony.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Nin-dai'-a, nin-dai'-a, ha', we'-ki-ma', ha', wa-no-kwe'.

In my heart, in my heart, I have the spirit.

[The hand is holding the mi'gis, to which reference is made.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

I-ke'-u-ha'-ma man-ta-na'-ki-na ni-ka'-ni I take the earth, my Mide' friends.

[The earth furnishes the resources necessary to the maintenance of life, both food and medicines.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Wi'-a-ya'-din shin-da', han', man-da'-ha-ni', o-ho' ni-bi'.

Let us get him to take this water.

[The figure sees medicine in the earth, as the lines from the eyes to the horizontal strokes indicate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Hue'-shi-shi-kwa'-ni-an nin-ga'-ga-mun'.

I take this rattle.

[The rattle is used when administering medicine.]