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Show HOFFMAN. J INITIATION CEREMONIES. 2t) l < 7fy A pause. Ceremonial smoking is indulged in, after which the chant is continued. Ni- ml'- ga- sim'- raa man'- i- do, sa- ko'- tshi- na'. My mi'gis spirit, thnt is why I am stronger than you. [ The three spots denote the three times the singer has received the mi'gis by being shot; it is because this spirit is within him that he is more powerful than those upon the outside of the wigiwam who hear him.] Mi'- ga- ye'- nin en- dy- an, ya', ho', yar, man'- i- do'- ya. That is the way I feel, spirit. [ The speaker is filled with joy at his power, the mi'gis within him, shown by the spot upon the body, making him confident.] Ya- go'- sha- hl', na', ha', ha', Ya- go'- sha- hi', man'- i- do- wl- yln. I am stronger than you, spirit that you are. [ He feels more powerful, from having received three times the mi'gis, than the evil spirit who antagonizes his progress in advancement.] Upon the completion of this preliminary by the candidate, the priests emerge from the wig'iwam and fall in line according to their official status, when the candidate and preceptor gather up the parcels of tobacco and place themselves at the head of the column and start toward the eastern entrance of the Mide'wig£ n. As they approach the lone post, or board, the candidate halts, when the priests continue to chant and drum upon the Mide' drum. The chief Mide' then advances to the board and peeps through the orifice near the top to view malevolent man'idos occupying the interior, who are antagonistic to the entrance of a stranger. This spot is assumed to represent the resting place or " nest," from which the Bear Man'ido viewed the evil spirits during the time of his initiation by the Otter. The evil spirits within are crouching upon the floor, one behind the other and facing the east, the first being Mi- shi'- bi- shi'- the panther ; the second, Me- shi'- k6- the turtle; the third, kwin'- go- a'- gl- the big wolverine ; the fourth, wa'- gttsh- the fox; the fifth, ma- in'- gun- the wolf; and the sixth, ma- kwa'- the bear. They are the ones who endeavor to counteract or destroy the good wrought by the rites of the MidS'wiwin, and only by the aid of the good man'idos can they be driven from the Mide'wig& n so as to permit a candidate to enter and receive the benefits of the degree. The second Mide' then views the group of malevolent beings, after which the third, and lastly the fourth priest looks through the orifice. They then advise |
