The ritual and significance of the Winnebago medicine danceRadin, Paul
Religion
The ritual and significance of the Winnebago medicine dance
Radin, Paul
Thesis (Ph. D.); Winnebago Indians -- Rites and ceremonies
4. To receive the leaders and assistants of the other four bands before
the sweat-lodge ritual, and to begin the same.
5. To begin the ceremony proper.
6. To take part in the following portion of the ceremony proper.
(_a_) To welcome the four bands.
(_b_) To lead the candidate to the secret brush and instruct him in
certain precepts.
(_c_) To act as preceptor of the candidate before he is shot with the
sacred shell.
(_d_) To turn the candidate over to the charge of the leaders of the
East and North Bands.
(_e_) To relate certain of the myths.
(_f_) To deliver certain speeches and to perform certain actions that
constitute the basic ritual of the ceremony proper. This will be
discussed later.
The East Band is known as Tconi mina′ñgera (Those-who-sit-first),
Hanⁿp‘ogu homina′ñgere (Where-the-day-comes-from), Wiayephuregi
(Where-the-sun-rises). All these terms are used frequently. The duties
of the leader are—
1. To assist the ancestor-host in passing upon the eligibility of a
candidate.
2. To take part in the following portions of the ceremony proper.
(_a_) Accompanied by his two assistants, to take part in the brush
ritual.
(_b_) To take charge of the candidate after he has been handed over to
him by the ancestor-host.
(_c_) To shoot the sacred shell into the candidate’s body.
(_d_) To relate certain of the myths.
(_e_) To perform the basic ritual.
The North Band is known as Siniwagu mina′ñgera
(Where-the-cold-comes-from). The leader has the same duties as those of
the East leader. The myths recited are of course different.
The West Band is known as Wioi′rê mina′ñgera (Where-the-sun-goes-down).
The leader has the duty of reciting certain myths and performing the
basic ritual.
The South Band is known as Nañgŭojedjaⁿ minañgera
(He-who-sits-at-the-end-of-the-road) or Horotcû′ñdjeregi
(Where-the-sun-straightens). The duties of the leader are the same as
those of the leader of the West Band, except that the myths he recites
are different.
The distribution of the gifts to the different bands is the following:
The leader of the East Band receives one-half of the number of
blankets, the upper half of the new suit worn by the candidate, and
one-quarter of the food.
The leader of the North Band receives one-half of the blankets, the
lower half of the suit, the moccasins, and one-quarter of the food.
The leaders of the West and South Bands receive each three yards and a
half of calico and a fourth of the food.
The ancestor-host receives various gifts of food and tobacco from the
leaders of the other bands. He receives his payment from the candidate
before the ceremony proper.
The candidate is present at the Four Nights’ Ceremony of the
ancestor-host’s band preliminary to the ceremony proper. At the latter
ceremony he sits to the right of the ancestor-host’s band. He is not
dressed in his new suit until after the secret ceremonies in the brush.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account