Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
All these Indians believe in a Great Power, the First Cause of
Creation, though they do not attempt to embody this idea, and call it
by name Wah-con-tun´-ga or Great Medicine.[19] The word “medicine”
in this case has no reference to the use of drugs, but the sense of
it is all that is incomprehensible, supernatural, all-powerful, etc.
Everything that can not be explained, accounted for by ordinary means,
or all that is above the comprehension and power of man (Indians)
is called Wah-con or medicine. Thus their own priests or jugglers
are named Wah-con. A steamboat, clock, machine, or even toys, of
the movements of which or the principle of motion they could not
account for, would likewise be termed Wah-con. Now, Wa-coñda refers
to something greater than is within the power of man to accomplish,
and its effects are manifested in the elements, natural phenomena,
sickness, death, great distress, or loss from enemies, famine,
lightning, and any other thing to them unaccountable by any visible
means. They think Wakoñda pervades all air, earth, and sky; that it is
in fact omnipresent and omnipotent, though subject to be changed and
enlisted on their part in any undertaking if the proper ceremonies,
sacrifices, and fasts are resorted to. They consider its power to be
made applicable to either good or evil according to their observance
of these ceremonies. They admit the existence of its good in years
of great abundance of game, seasons of general health, triumphs over
enemies, etc.; and its evil or danger is felt in every loss, infectious
disease, or distress, the cause of which they are ignorant. These are
the attributes of Wakoñda, and his residence is supposed by some to be
in the sun, but his power everywhere.
[19] Denig here defines the sense In which he uses the term “medicine”
as applied to the objects and things to which the native Indians
apply their words, _wakoñ_ and _wakoñda_, meaning, “spiritual, sacred,
consecrated, wonderful, incomprehensible, divine; a spirit, a diviner,
etc.”
They do not acknowledge any separate existing evil spirit or influence,
though they have a name for this in their language, but the idea
has been implanted by whites in later years, and can not by them be
realized. All unaccountable evil is a dispensation of the anger of
Wakoñda, which it is in their power to avoid by the proper fasts,
sacrifices, etc., and which they all do.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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