Tricks of the Medicine Men

1910

Secrets Are Revealed to Them In Dreams

A young Indian, who is ambitious to become a doctor, and finally a prophet, learns from his father or other members of his tribe, the name and medicinal properties of some herb, says a writer in the Denver Field and Farm. He can also, by presenting a sufficient number of ponies to a medicine man, prevail upon the doctor to impart the secret of the herbs to him. Frequently Indians allege that the secret is revealed to them in a dream, or by a bird or an animal. After procuring it, the novice is prepared to begin the practice of medicine. Success in their opinion is only possible with the aid of the Great Spirit, and in order to invoke the help of the supernatural they resort to various sacrifices.

For instance, there is the practice of ascending a butte or other elevation and lying with the face to the ground for several days without food or until they are completely exhausted. During this period they profess to have been taught some song or the Great Spirit conversed with them through a bird, wild animal or reptile. They frequently allege that wolves come to them and howl and that they understand what the animals say. While treating a patient they place tobacco in little pouches which they tie with sinew. These are painted brilliant colors and fastened to willow sticks about the size of the shaft of an arrow, but somewhat longer.


The Earliest Religion

Religion was at first purely dogmatic, an affair of the family, pure and simple. The gods were the dead ancestors, and the worship consisted of the perpetual care of the hearth fire and the graves of the departed relatives. It was the ancient belief (the most ancient, so far as we know) that the departed ancestors continued to live in or about the tomb, and that their peace and happiness depended absolutely upon the care with which their posterity looked after their worship. If the hearth fire was allowed to die down, or the tomb was neglected, or the food and drink were not faithfully taken to the tomb, their existence became a wretched one; whereas, if these things were carefully attended to, all was serene with them. There is much to show that this domestic belief obtained for a long time before the belief in God and a future life came in. — Chicago American.