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Show 164 THE MIDE'WIWIN OF TUE OJI13WA. self and make an agreement as to the amount of preparatory information to be acquired and the fees and other presents to be given in return. These fees have nothing whatever to do with the presents which must be presented to the Mide' priests previous to his initiation as a member of the society, the latter being collected during the time that is devoted to preliminary instruction, which period usually extends over several years. Thus ample time is found for hunting, as skins and peltries, of which those not required as presents may be exchanged for blankets, tobacco, kettles, guns, etc., obtainable from the trader. Sometimes a number of years are spent in preparation for the first degree of the Mide'wiwiu, and there are many who have impoverished themselves in the payment of fees and the preparation for the feast to which all visiting priests are also invited. Should an Indian who is not prompted by a dream wish to join the society he expresses to the four chief officiating priests a desire to purchase a nii'gis, which is the sacred symbol of the society and consists of a small white shell, to which reference will be made further on. His application follows the same course as in the preceding instance, and the same course is pursued also when a J& s'sak-kid' or a WabSno' wishes to become a Mide'. MIDE'WIWIN. The Mide'wiwin- Society of the Mide' or Shamans- consists of an indefinite number of Mide' of both sexes. The society is graded into four separate and distinct degrees, although there is a general impression prevailing even among certain members that any degree beyond the first is practically a mere repetition. The greater power attained by one in making advancement depends upon the fact of his having submitted to " being shot at with the medicine sacks" in the hands of the officiating priests. This may be the case at this late day in certain localities, but from personal experience it has been learned that there is considerable variation in the dramatization of the ritual. One circumstance presents itself forcibly to the careful observer, and that is that the greater number of repetitions of the phrases chanted by the Mide' the greater is felt to be the amount of inspiration and power of the performance. This is true also of some of the lectures in which reiteration and prolongation in time of delivery aids very much in forcibly impressing the candidate and other observers with the importance and sacredness of the ceremony. It has always been customary for the Mide' priests to preserve birch- bark records, bearing delicate incised lines to represent pictori-ally the ground plan of the number of degrees to which the owner is entitled. Such records or charts are sacred and are never exposed to the public view, being brought forward for inspection only when |