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Indian Doctors
When an
Indian is sick and wants "the Doctor" as we
say, or a medicine man, as they say, they
call them also priests, doctors and
jugglers, a messenger is sent for one, with
a pipe filled in one hand, and payment in
the other; which fee may be a gun, blanket,
kettle or anything in the way of present.
The messenger enters the wigwam (or teepee,
as the houses of the Sioux are called) of
the juggler, presents the pipe, and lays the
present or fee beside him. Having smoked,
the Doctor goes to the teepee of the
patient, takes a seat at some distance from
him, divests himself of coat or blanket, and
pulls his leggings to his ankles. He then
calls for a gourd, which has been suitably
prepared, by drying and putting small beads
or gravel stones in it, to make a rattling
noise. Taking the gourd, he begins to rattle
it and to sing, thereby to charm the animal
that has entered the body of the sick Sioux.
After singing hi-he-hi-hah in quick
succession, the chorus ha-ha-ha, hahahah is more
solemnly and gravely chanted. On due repetition of this the
doctor stops to smoke; then sings and rattles again. He
sometimes attempts to draw with his mouth the disease from an
arm or a limb that he fancies to be affected. Then rising,
apparently almost suffocated, groaning terribly and thrusting
his face into a bowl of water, he makes all sorts of gestures
and noises. This is to get rid of the disease that he pretends
to have drawn from the sick person. When he thinks that some
animal, fowl or fish, has possession of the sick man, so as to
cause the disease, it becomes necessary to destroy the animal by
shooting it. To accomplish this, the doctor makes the shape of
the animal of bark, which is placed in a bowl of water mixed
with red earth, which he sets outside of the wigwam where some
young men are standing, who are instructed by the doctor how and
when to shoot the animal.
When all is ready, the doctor pops his head out of the
wigwam, on his hands and knees. At this moment the young men
fire at the little bark animal, blowing it to atoms; when the
doctor jumps at the bowl, thrusting his face into the water,
grunting, groaning and making a vast deal of fuss. Suddenly a
woman jumps upon his back, then dismounts, takes the doctor by
the hair, and drags him back into the teepee. All fragments of
the bark animal are then collected and burned. The ceremony
there ceases. If the patient does not recover, the doctor says
he did not get the right animal. The reader must be convinced
that it is not for want of the most strenuous exertions on the
part of the physician.
These are some of the customs of the Dahcotahs, which,
however absurd they may appear to us, are held in sacred
reverence by them. There are some animals, birds and fishes,
that an Indian venerates; and the creature thus sacred, he dare
neither kill nor eat. The selection is usually a bear, buffalo,
deer, otter, eagle, hawk or snake. One will not eat the right
wing of a bird; another dare not eat the left: nor are the women
allowed to eat any part that is considered sacred.
The Sioux say it is lawful to take revenge, but otherwise it is
not right to murder. When murder is committed, it is an injury
to the deceased; not a sin against the Great Spirit. Some of
their wise men say that the Great Spirit has nothing to do with
their affairs, present or future. They pretend to know but
little of a future state. They have dreamy ideas of large cities
somewhere in the heavens, where they will go, but still be at
war with their enemies and have plenty of game. An Indian
woman's idea of future happiness consists in relief from care.
"Oh! that I were dead," they will often say, "when I shall have
no more trouble." Veneration is much regarded in all Indian
families. Thus a son-in-law must never call his father-in-law by
his name, but by the title father-in-law, and vice versa. A
female is not permitted to handle the sac for war purposes;
neither does she dare look into a looking-glass, for fear of
losing her eyesight.
The appearance of a brilliant aurora-borealis occasions
great alarm. The Indians run immediately for their guns and bows
and arrows to shoot at it, and thus disperse it.
Dahcotah Notes About the Book:
Source: Dahcotah, Or Life and Legends of the
Sioux around Ft. Snelling, Mary H. Eastman,
1849
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and
then ocr'd. Minimal editing has been done, and readers can and should expect
some errors in the textual output.
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
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