446 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1952 



"white sun-lady," and a song addressed to the dying in which she 

 besought the spirit to turn back before reaching nine different places 

 in the journey. Mrs. Washington gave no material remedies, for she 

 claimed to have supernatural power. Her specialty was the treat- 

 ment of illnesses caused by an evil influence proceeding from some 

 person. She recorded six of her songs and said that she usually sang 

 them when the sun was at a height corresponding to its position at 

 about 10 o'clock on a summer morning. 



Indian doctors were primitive psychologists. They studied their 

 patients and did not always consider it necessary to give medicine. 

 In Santo Domingo Pueblo it was believed that personal jealousy 

 might cause illness, and in a certain northern tribe the patient was 

 sometimes told to "get up a dance and have a big time" and he would 

 be well again. There has been also a distinct feeling that such treat- 

 ment deserved a fee. Natawika, a Menominee doctor, said, "The 

 medicine will not work unless they pay for it." She had no fixed fee 

 but required the patient to give what he was able — perhaps a little 

 tobacco, a handkerchief, or about four yards of calico. Natawika 

 died in 1918 and this information was supplied by her daughter. 

 Eagle Shield, a Sioux doctor, described a case for which he received a 

 large fee consisting of $100, a new white tent, a revolver, and a steer. 



It has been said that primitive treatment of the sick is charac- 

 terized by affirmation. I have found this practice less frequently 

 in the words of the songs than in the doctor's speech before begin- 

 ning the treatment. At that time he often tells the source of his 

 power and sometimes relates his former successes. The source of his 

 power is generally a bird or animal known to have great strength, 

 or something in nature that is connected with vibration, such as the 

 wind or the "great water" when it is seething and in motion, or a 

 mountain shaken with mysterious "spirit power." An example of 

 affirmation occurs in a ceremonial song of the Chippewa Midewiwin 

 containing these words: 



You will recover, you will walk again. 

 It is I who say it. My power is great. 

 Through our white shell (emblem of the Midewiwin) 

 I will enable you to walk again. 



There are differences of custom between tribes and between indi- 

 vidual doctors, but the prevailing characteristic of Indian healing 

 songs is irregularity of accent. Sometimes this takes the form of 

 unexpected interruptions of a steady rhythm and sometimes there is 

 a peculiar rhythmic pattern throughout the melody. It is my custom 

 to transcribe the phonograph records of Indian songs in musical no- 

 tation, using ordinary indications. Thus the transcriptions contain 

 frequent changes of measure lengths. Indians never "sing with ex- 



