The Mide'wiwin or "Grand Medicine Society" of the Ojibwa: Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1885-1886, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891, pages 143-300Hoffman, Walter James
Religion
The Mide'wiwin or "Grand Medicine Society" of the Ojibwa: Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1885-1886, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891, pages 143-300
Hoffman, Walter James
Midéwiwin; Ojibwa Indians -- Religion; Ojibwa Indians -- Rites and ceremonies; Ojibwa Indians -- Societies, etc.; Secret societies -- North America
The third degree of the Midē´wiwin (No. 72) is guarded during the day
by two Midē´ spirits (Nos. 73, 74) near the eastern entrance, and by
the Makwa´ Man´idō within the inclosure (Nos. 75 and 76), and at night
by eighteen Midē´ Man´idōs (Nos. 77 to 94), placed there by Ki´tshi
Man´idō. When the Otter approached the entrance (No. 95) he was again
arrested in his progress by two evil man´idōs (Nos. 96 and 97), who
opposed his admission, but Mi´nibō´zho overcame them and the Otter
entered. Just inside of the door, and on each side, the Otter saw a
post (Nos. 98 and 99), and at the western door or exit two
corresponding posts (Nos. 100 and 101). These symbolized the four legs
of the Makwa´ Man´idō, or Bear Spirit, who is the guardian by day and
the owner of the third degree. The Otter then observed the sacred
stone (No. 102) and the two heaps of sacred objects (Nos. 103 and 104)
which Mi´nabō´zho had deposited, and three degree posts (Nos. 105,
106, and 107), the first of which (No. 105) was a plain cedar post
with the bark upon it, but sharpened at the top; the second (No. 106),
a red post with a green band round the top and one about the middle,
as in the second degree; and the third a cross (No. 107) painted red,
each of the tips painted green. [The vertical line No. 108 was said to
have no relation to anything connected with the tradition.] After the
Otter had observed the interior of the Midē´wigân he again made four
circuits, after which he took his station in the west, where he seated
himself, facing the sacred degree posts. Then Mi´nabō´zho, for the
third time, shot into his body the mī´gis, thus adding to the powers
which he already possessed, after which he was to prepare for the
fourth degree of the Midē´wiwin.
Other objects appearing upon the chart were subsequently explained as
follows:
The four trees (Nos. 109, 110, 111, and 112), one of which is planted
at each of the four corners of the Midē´wigân, are usually cedar,
though pine may be taken as a substitute when the former can not be
had. The repetition of the circles Nos. 113, 114, and 115 and
connecting line No. 116, with the short lines at Nos. 117, 118, 119,
and 120, have the same signification as in the preceding two degrees.
After the Otter had received the third degree he prepared himself for
the fourth, and highest, by taking a steam bath once a day for four
successive days (Nos. 121, 122, 123, and 124). Then, as he proceeded
toward the Midē´wigân he came to a wig´iwam made of brush (No. 179),
which was the nest of Makwa´ Man´idō, the Bear Spirit, who guarded the
four doors of the sacred structure.
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