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
Dreams are revelations of Great Mystery and have considerable influence
over them, either in war expeditions or the chase. A bad dream on the
part of the leader of a war party would be sufficient cause for their
return, even if they were within a short distance of their enemies. It
would also prevent an Indian from his customary hunting and have other
effects of the like nature for a short time. Good dreams are therefore
always desired and courted, particularly on the eve of war excursions.
Faith in amulets and charms is general among the whole of these tribes.
The material of these charms is of every possible variety, as also the
different degrees of influence they exercise over different minds. The
idea though thoroughly realized by ourselves is difficult to explain,
but may be thus stated: Although the Great Spirit is all powerful, yet
His will is uncertain; He is invisible and only manifests His power in
extraordinary circumstances. The want of a tangible medium is felt,
therefore, through which they can offer their prayers to all ghosts,
lesser influences of evil, which overrule their ordinary occupations.
Each Indian selects some object for this purpose and calls it his
medicine, which is invested with a sacred character by the care with
which it is guarded and the prayers, invocations, etc., made through it
as a medium.
This charm or fetish is chosen in consequence of some dream or incident
or idea presented on some important occasion, and consists of the skin
of a weasel, otter, or beaver; heads and bodies of different kinds of
birds, stuffed; images of wood, stone, and beads wrought upon skin;
drawings of bulls, bears, wolves, owls, serpents, monsters, who have
never existed; even a bullet worn round the neck; in fact anything
resembling animate, inanimate, or imaginative creation, is selected
according to the superstitious fancy of the individual. This charm,
whatever it is, is inclosed in several envelopes of skin, and placed
in a rawhide sack which is painted and fringed in various ways. This
sack is never opened in the presence of anyone unless the Indian falls
sick, when he has it taken out and placed at his head. Ordinarily this
object is taken out in secret, and prayers and invocations made through
it as a medium to the spirits he wishes to propitiate. They are aware
that the object has no intrinsic power, but its virtue lies in their
faith of their ceremonies, as exhibited through this charm as a visible
medium to the supernatural. It is in fact the same operation of mind
(though differently exhibited) as is displayed in the charms believed
in by most of the lower order of whites. Although many ignorant white
persons have faith in the charms, spells, etc., of quack doctors and
old women, yet this does not destroy their belief in the Supreme Being,
neither does it that of the Indian. As long as he has success in his
different ordinary undertakings and is not troubled with the evils he
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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