The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604)) — John Shaqi
The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))Bourke, John Gregory
Religion
The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))
Bourke, John Gregory
Apache Indians -- Medicine; Apache Indians -- Religion; Apache Indians -- Rites and ceremonies; Shamans -- New Mexico
Para saber si la muerte fue por su culpa, tomaban el çumo de
cierta Ierva, i cortaban las vñas del muerto, i los cabellos
de encima de la frente, i los hacian polvos, i mezclados con
el çumo, se lo daban à beber al muerto por la boca, i las
narices, i luego le preguntaban muchas veces, si el Medico
guardò dieta, hasta que hablando el demonio, respondia tan
claro, como si fuera vivo, i decia, que el Medico no hiço
dieta, i luego le bolvian à la sepultura.
Then the relatives attacked the medicine-man: "I le daban tantos
palos, que le quebraban los braços, i las piernas, i à otros sacaban
los ojos, i los cortaban sus miembros genitales."[62]
Alexander the Great expressed his sorrow at the death of his friend
Hephæstion by crucifying the poor physicians who had attended the
deceased.[63]
The medicine-men of the Natchez were put to death when they failed to
cure.[64]
The Apache attach as much importance to the necessity of "laying the
manes" of their dead as the Romans did. They have not localized the
site of the future world as the Mohave have, but believe that the dead
remain for a few days or nights in the neighborhood of the place where
they departed from this life, and that they try to communicate with
their living friends through the voice of the owl. If a relative hears
this sound by night, or, as often happens, he imagines that he has
seen the ghost itself, he hurries to the nearest medicine-man, relates
his story, and carries out to the smallest detail the prescription of
feast, singing, dancing, and other means of keeping the spirit in good
humor on the journey which it will now undertake to the "house of
spirits," the "chidin-bi-kungua." Nearly all medicine-men claim the
power of going there at will, and not a few who are not medicine-men
claim the same faculty.
The medicine-men of the Apache are paid by each patient or by his
friends at the time they are consulted. There is no such thing as a
maintenance fund, no system of tithes, nor any other burden for their
support, although I can recall having seen while among the Zuñi one of
the medicine-men who was making cane holders for the tobacco to be
smoked at a coming festival, and whose fields were attended and his
herds guarded by the other members of the tribe.
Among the Eskimo "the priest receives fees beforehand."[65]
"Tous ces sorciers ne réfusaient leurs secours à personne, pourvu
qu'on les payait."[66]
"Among other customs was that of those who came to be cured, giving
their bow and arrows, shoes, and beads to the Indians who accompanied
Vaca and his companions."[67] (But we must remember that Vaca and his
comrades traveled across the continent as medicine-men.)
"Las sementeras que hacen los Assenais son tambien de comunidad y
comienzan la primera en la casa de su Chemisi que es su sacerdote
principal y el que cuida de la Casa del Fuego."[68] The Asinai
extended as far east as the present city of Natchitoches
(Nacogdoches).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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