OCR Text |
Show 248 THE MIDE'WIWIN OF THE 0JIBWA. Wi'- a- ya'- diri shin- da', han', man- da'- ha- ni', o- ho' ni- M'. Let us get him to take this water. [ The figure sees medicine in the earth, as the lines from the eyes to the horizontal strokes indicate.] Hue'- shl- shi- kwa'- ni- an nin- ga'- ga- mun'. I take this rattle. [ The rattle is used when administering medicine. J Wi- wa'- ba- mi'na he'- na ko'- ni- a'- ni, ka', ko'- ni- a'- ho- nft', nf, ka'. See how I shine in making medicine. [ The speaker likens himself to the Makwa' Man'ido, one of the most powerful Mide' spirits. His body shines as if it were ablaze with light- due to magic power.] This song is sung ad libitum according to the inspired condition of the person singing it. Many of the Words are archaic, and differ from the modern forms. Then the officiating priests arise and the one lowest in rank grasps his Mide' sack and goes through the gestures, described in connection with the previous degrees, of shooting into the joints and forehead of the candidate the sacred mi'gis. At the attempt made by the chief priest the candidate falls forward apparently unconscious. The priests then touch his joints and forehead with the upper end of their Mide' sacks whereupon he recovers and rises to a standing posture. The chief then addresses him and enjoins him to conduct himself with propriety and in accordance with the dignity of his profession. The following is the text, viz: Gi- gan'- bis- sln dau'- ge- in'- ni-n& n' kish- bin'- bish- in dau'- o-& n- nIn da'- ki- ka- wa'- bi- kwe ga'- kl- ne ke- ke'- wi- bi'- na- mon ki- ma'- dzh!- zhi we'- bl- zi- wln'. The translation is as follows: " You heed to what I say to you; if you are listening and will do what is right you will live to have white hair. That is all; you will do away with all bad actions." The Mide priest second in rank then says to the candidate: Ke'- go-wi'- ka- za'- gi- to- wa'- kin ki- da'- no- ka'tshl- g& n kai- e'- gi- git' a- se'- ma, kai'- e- ml'- dzlm, which signifies: " Never begrudge your goods, neither your tobacco, nor your provisions." To this the candidate responds en'- yes, by this signifying that he will never regret what he has given the Mide' for their services. The candidate remains standing while the members of the society take seats, after which he goes to the pile of blankets, skins, and other presents, and upon selecting appropriate ones for the officiating priests he carries them to those persons, after which he makes presents of less value to all other Mide' present. Tobacco is then distributed, and while all are preparing to make an offering to Ki'tshi Man'ido of tobacco, the |