Great Spirit
An Indian hunter went forth to hunt, and as
he wandered through the forest he heard a strain
of beautiful music far off among the trees. He
listened, but could not tell whence it came; he
knew it could not be by any human voice, or from
any instrument he had ever heard. As it came
near it ceased. The next evening he went forth
again, but he heard no music, and again, but in
van.
Then came the Great Spirit to him in a
dream and told him to fast, wash himself till he
was purified, then he might go forth and would
hear again the music. So he purified himself and
went again among the dark trees of the forest,
and soon his ear caught the sweet strains, as he
drew near they became more beautiful; he
listened till he learned them and could make the
same sweet sound, then he knew that it was a
plant with a tall green stem and long tapering
leaves. He took his knife and cut the stalk, but
ere he had scarcely finished, it healed and was
the same as before; he cut it again, and again
it healed. Then he knew it would heal diseases,
he took it home, dried it by the fire,
pulverized it, and applied a few particles of it
to a dangerous wound; no sooner had it touched
the wound than it was healed. Thus the Great
Spirit taught the Indian the nature of medicinal
plants, and directed him where they were to be
found, when and how used.
Medicine Legends.
The two above are the legends concerning
the principal medicines used among the Iroquois.
The ancient manner of administering them, was to
take a small wooden goblet and go to a running
stream, dipping toward the way which the stream
ran, fill the goblet and return, place it near
the fire with some tobacco near it; a prayer is
offered while tobacco is thrown upon the fire,
that the words may ascend upon the smoke.
The medicine is placed on a piece of skin near
the goblet, being very finely pulverized, is
taken up with a wooden spoon and dusted upon the
water in three spots, in the form of a triangle,
thus:
The medicine man then looks at it
critically, if it spreads over the surface of
the water and whirls about, it is a sign that
the invalid will be healed; if it sinks directly
in the places where it was put, there is no
hope, the sick person must die and the whole is
thrown away.
Once in six months there is a great feast
made, at the hunting season in fall and spring.
On the night of the feast as soon as it is dark,
all who are present assemble in one room, where
no light or fire is allowed to burn, and placing
the medicine near the covered embers, the
tobacco by its side, they commence singing,
which proclaims that the crows are coming to
their feast, and also many other birds and
various animals, the brains of whose species
form part of their medicine. At the end of the
song some one imitates the caw of a crow, the
songs of the birds, the howls of the wolf, etc.,
as if the animals were present.
Three times in the course of the night they
offer a prayer, while throwing tobacco on the
smothered flames, asking that the people may be
protected from all harm, and if they receive
wounds that the medicine may be effectual in
healing them.
At the commencement of the ceremonies the doors
are locked, and no one is allowed to enter or
leave the house while they continue; neither is
any one allowed to sleep, as that would spoil
the medicine. The feast begins just before the
dawn of day. The master of ceremonies first
takes a deer's head, bites off a piece, imitates
the cry of a crow and passes the head of the
animal to another, who does the same, till all
have tasted and imitated the peculiar note of
some bird or animal.
As soon as it begins to be light the presiding
officer takes a duck's bill, and dipping it full
of the medicine, gives it to each one present,
who puts it in a bit of skin and wraps it in
several coverings, keeps it carefully until the
next semi-annual feast. The skin of a panther is
preferred for the first envelope if it can be
obtained.
Those who take part in the ceremonies are
medicine men. Chiefs are allowed to be present;
also, any who have been cured of any disease by
the medicine.
Without the building the young people
gather for merriment, and the fragments of the
feast are given to them when it is finished.
When the medicine described in the second
legend is used, the tune is sung which was heard
at its discovery, both at the ceremonies of the
feast and the time of administering it.
They seem to think the ceremonies effectual
in making the medicinal qualities of the
compound imperishable. Each medicine man has a
large quantity which he keeps in a bag, and in
order not to exhaust the whole, now and then,
adds pulverized corn roots, squash vines, etc.,
and whenever it is administered several persons
assemble and sing. Both kinds are considered
especially useful in healing wounds received in
war.
In reading the first legend there will be
seen very humorous allusions to the habits of
the pigeon, heron and crow, and there is a
curious invention inspiring faith in the means
used in healing. I have seen many who affirmed
that they had tested the wonderful powers of
each. |
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Tuscarora
Mythology
This site includes
some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place.
These items are presented as part of the historical record and
should not be interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way
endorse the stereotypes implied .
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or
Six Nations and History of the Tuscarora Indians
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