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demoralizing　additions　which　were　some　of　the　fruits　of　early

contact　with　the　white　man。



Perhaps　the　most　remarkable　organization　ever　known　among

American　Indians；　that　of　the　〃Grand　Medicine　Lodge；〃　was

apparently　an　indirect　result　of　the　labors　of　the　early　Jesuit

missionaries。　　In　it　Caucasian　ideas　are　easily　recognizable；　and

it　seems　reasonable　to　suppose　that　its　founders　desired　to

establish　an　order　that　would　successfully　resist　the　encroachments

of　the　〃Black　Robes。〃　　However　that　may　be；　it　is　an　unquestionable

fact　that　the　only　religious　leaders　of　any　note　who　have

arisen　among　the　native　tribes　since　the　advent　of　the　white　man；

the　〃Shawnee　Prophet〃　in　1762；　and　the　half…breed　prophet　of　the

〃Ghost　Dance〃　in　1890；　both　founded　their　claims　or　prophecies

upon　the　Gospel　story。　　Thus　in　each　case　an　Indian　religious

revival　or　craze；　though　more　or　less　threatening　to　the　invader；

was　of　distinctively　alien　origin。



The　Medicine　Lodge　originated　among　the　Algonquin　tribe；　and

extended　gradually　throughout　its　branches；　finally　affecting　the

Sioux　of　the　Mississippi　Valley；　and　forming　a　strong

bulwark　against　the　work　of　the　pioneer　missionaries；　who　secured；

indeed；　scarcely　any　converts　until　after　the　outbreak　of　1862；

when　subjection；　starvation；　and　imprisonment　turned　our

broken…hearted　people　to　accept　Christianity；　which　seemed　to　offer

them　the　only　gleam　of　kindness　or　hope。



The　order　was　a　secret　one；　and　in　some　respects　not　unlike

the　Free　Masons；　being　a　union　or　affiliation　of　a　number　of

lodges；　each　with　its　distinctive　songs　and　medicines。　　Leadership

was　in　order　of　seniority　in　degrees；　which　could　only　be　obtained

by　merit；　and　women　were　admitted　to　membership　upon　equal　terms；

with　the　possibility　of　attaining　to　the　highest　honors。

No　person　might　become　a　member　unless　his　moral　standing　was

excellent；　all　candidates　remained　on　probation　for　one　or　two

years；　and　murderers　and　adulterers　were　expelled。　　The

commandments　promulgated　by　this　order　were　essentially　the　same　as

the　Mosaic　Ten；　so　that　it　exerted　a　distinct　moral　influence；　in

addition　to　its　ostensible　object；　which　was　instruction　in　the

secrets　of　legitimate　medicine。



In　this　society　the　uses　of　all　curative　roots　and　herbs　known

to　us　were　taught　exhaustively　and　practiced　mainly　by　the

old；　the　younger　members　being　in　training　to　fill　the　places　of

those　who　passed　away。　　My　grandmother　was　a　well…known　and

successful　practitioner；　and　both　my　mother　and　father　were

members；　but　did　not　practice。



A　medicine　or　〃mystery　feast〃　was　not　a　public　affair；　as

members　only　were　eligible；　and　upon　these　occasions　all　the

〃medicine　bags〃　and　totems　of　the　various　lodges　were　displayed　and

their　peculiar　〃medicine　songs〃　were　sung。　　The　food　was　only

partaken　of　by　invited　guests；　and　not　by　the　hosts；　or　lodge

making　the　feast。　　The　〃Grand　Medicine　Dance〃　was　given　on

the　occasion　of　initiating　those　candidates　who　had　finished　their

probation；　a　sufficient　number　of　whom　were　designated　to　take　the

places　of　those　who　had　died　since　the　last　meeting。　　Invitations

were　sent　out　in　the　form　of　small　bundles　of　tobacco。　　Two　very

large　teepees　were　pitched　facing　one　another；　a　hundred　feet

apart；　half　open；　and　connected　by　a　roofless　hall　or　colonnade　of

fresh…cut　boughs。　　One　of　these　lodges　was　for　the　society　giving

the　dance　and　the　novices；　the　other　was　occupied　by　the

〃soldiers；〃　whose　duty　it　was　to　distribute　the　refreshments；　and

to　keep　order　among　the　spectators。　　They　were　selected　from

among　the　best　and　bravest　warriors　of　the　tribe。



The　preparations　being　complete；　and　the　members　of　each　lodge

garbed　and　painted　according　to　their　rituals；　they　entered　the

hall　separately；　in　single　file；　led　by　their　oldest　man　or　〃Great

Chief。〃　　Standing　before　the　〃Soldiers'　Lodge；〃　facing　the　setting

sun；　their　chief　addressed　the　〃Great　Mystery〃　directly　in　a　few

words；　after　which　all　extending　the　right　arm　horizontally　from

the　shoulder　with　open　palm；　sang　a　short　invocation　in　unison；

ending　with　a　deep：　〃E…ho…ho…ho！〃　　This　performance；　which　was

really　impressive；　was　repeated　in　front　of　the　headquarters

lodge；　facing　the　rising　sun；　after　which　each　lodge　took　its

assigned　place；　and　the　songs　and　dances　followed　in　regular　order。



The　closing　ceremony；　which　was　intensely　dramatic　in　its

character；　was　the　initiation　of　the　novices；　who　had　received

their　final　preparation　on　the　night　before。　　They　were　now　led　out

in　front　of　the　headquarters　lodge　and　placed　in　a　kneeling

position　upon　a　carpet　of　rich　robes　and　furs；　the　men　upon　the

right　hand；　stripped　and　painted　black；　with　a　round　spot　of　red

just　over　the　heart；　while　the　women；　dressed　in　their　best；　were

arranged　upon　the　left。　　Both　sexes　wore　the　hair　loose；　as

if　in　mourning　or　expectation　of　death。　　An　equal　number　of　grand

medicine…men；　each　of　whom　was　especially　appointed　to　one　of　the

novices；　faced　them　at　a　distance　of　half　the　length　of　the　hall；

or　perhaps　fifty　feet。



After　silent　prayer；　each　medicine…man　in　turn　addressed

himself　to　his　charge；　exhorting　him　to　observe　all　the　rules　of

the　order　under　the　eye　of　the　Mysterious　One；　and　instructing　him

in　his　duty　toward　his　fellow…man　and　toward　the　Ruler　of　Life。　

All　then　assumed　an　attitude　of　superb　power　and　dignity；　crouching

slightly　as　if　about　to　spring　forward　in　a　foot…race；　and　grasping

their　medicine　bags　firmly　in　both　hands。　　Swinging　their

arms　forward　at　the　same　moment；　they　uttered　their　guttural

〃Yo…ho…ho…ho！〃　in　perfect　unison　and　with　startling　effect。　　In　the

midst　of　a　breathless　silence；　they　took　a　step　forward；　then

another　and　another；　ending　a　rod　or　so　from　the　row　of　kneeling

victims；　with　a　mighty　swing　of　the　sacred　bags　that　would　seem　to

project　all　their　mystic　power　into　the　bodies　of　the　initiates。　

Instantly　they　all　fell　forward；　apparently　lifeless。



With　this　thrilling　climax；　the　drums　were　vigorously　pounded

and　the　dance　began　again　with　energy。　　After　a　few　turns　had　been

taken　about　the　prostrate　bodies　of　the　new　members；

covering　them　with　fine　robes　and　other　garments　which　were　later

to　be　distributed　as　gifts；　they　were　permitted　to　come　to　life　and

to　join　in　the　final　dance。　　The　whole　performance　was　clearly

symbolic　of　death　and　resurrection。



While　I　cannot　suppose　that　this　elaborate　ritual；　with　its

use　of　public　and　audible　prayer；　of　public　exhortation　or　sermon；

and　other　Caucasian　features；　was　practiced　before　comparatively

modern　times；　there　is　no　doubt　that　it　was　conscientiously

believed　in　by　its　members；　and　for　a　time　regarded　with　reverence

by　the　people。　　But　at　a　later　period　it　became　still

further　demoralized　and　fell　under　suspicion　of　witchcraft。



There　is　no　doubt　that　the　Indian　held　medicine　close　to

spiritual　things；　but　in　this　also　he　has　been　much　misunderstood；

in　fact　everything　that　he　held　sacred　is　indiscriminately　called

〃medicine；〃　in　the　sense　of　mystery　or　magic。　　As　a　doctor　he　was

originally　very　adroit　and　often　successful。　　He　employed　only

healing　bark；　roots；　and　leaves　with　whose　properties　he　was

familiar；　using　them　in　the　form　of　a　distillation　or　tea　and

always　singly。　　The　stomach　or　internal　bath　was　a　valuable

discovery　of　his；　and　the　vapor　or　Turkish　bath　was　in　general　use。

He　could　set　a　broken　bone　with　fair　success；　but　never

practiced　surgery　in　any　form。　　In　addition　to　all　this；　the

medicine…man　possessed　much　personal　magnetism　and　authority；　and

in　his　treatment　often　sought　to　reestablish　the　equilibrium　of　the

patient　through　mental　or　spiritual　influencesa　sort　of　primitive

psychotherapy。



The　Sioux　word　for　the　healing　art　is　〃wah…pee…yah；〃　which

literally　means　readjusting　or　making　anew。　　〃Pay…jee…hoo…tah；〃

literally　root；　means　medicine；　and　〃wakan〃　signifies　spirit　or

mystery。　　Thus　the　three　ideas；　while　sometimes　associated；　were

carefully　distinguished。　



It　is　important　to　remember　that　in　the　old　days　the

〃medicine…man〃　received　no　payment　for　his　services；　which　were　of

the　nature　of　an　honorable　function　or　office。　　When　the　idea　of

payment　and　barter　was　introduced　among　us；　and　valuable　presents

or　fees　began　to　be　demanded　for　treating　the　sick；　the　ensuing

greed　and　rivalry　led　to　many　demoralizing　practices；　and　in　time

to　the　rise　of　the　modern　〃conjurer；〃　who　is　generally　a　fraud　and

trickster　of　the　grossest　kind。　　It　is　fortunate　that　his　day　is

practically　over。



Ever　seeking　to　establish　spiritual　comradeship　with　the

animal　creation；　the　Indian　adopted　this　or　that　animal　as

his　〃totem；〃　the　emblematic　device　of　his　society；　family；　or　clan。　

It　is　probable　that　the　creature　chosen　was　the　traditional

ancestress；　as　we　are　told　that　the　First　Man　had　many　wives　among

the　animal　people。　　The　sacred　beast；　bird；　or　reptile；　represented

by　its　stuffed　skin；　or　by　a　rude　painting；　was　treated　with

reverence　and　carried　into　battle　to　insure　the　guardianship　of　the

spirits。　　The　symbolic　attribute　of　beaver；　bear；　or　tortoise；　such

as　wisdom；　cunning；　courage；　and　the　like；　was　supposed　to　be

mysteriously　conferred　upon　the　wearer　of　the　badge。　　The　totem　or

charm　used　in　medicine　was　ordinarily　that　of　the　medicine

lodge　to　which　the　practitioner　belonged；　though　there　were　some

great　men　who　boasted　a　special　revelation。



There　are　two　ceremonial　usages　which；　so　far　as　I　have　been

able　to　ascertain；　were　universal　among　American　Indians；　and

apparently　fundamental。　　These　have　already　been　referred　to　as　the

〃eneepee；〃　or　vapor…bath；　and　the　〃chan…du…hu…pah…yu…za…pee；〃　or

ceremonial　of　the　pipe。　　In　our　Siouan　legends　and　traditions　these

two　are　preeminent；　as　handed　down　from　the　most　ancient　time　and

persisting　to　the　last。　



In