210 BULLETIN, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE [Vol. 19 



1. Flag-root carried on the person to keep away snakes. As there are 



no poisonous snakes in this area, the purpose of the charm is 

 apparently based on either a dislike of snakes, per se, or a tear 

 of their supernatural powers. 



2. "Dogbane was used as a protective charm against evil influence or 



bad medicine.' " (Densmore, 1928, p. 375.) 



3. "Seneca snakeroot was used as a charm for safety on a journey . . ." 



(Densmore, 1928, p. 376.) 



4. The root of a species of milkwort, Polygala senega L. was carried 



on the person for general health and safety on a journey (Dens- 

 more, 1928, p. 376). 



Two recent uses of charms are as follows: 



Before E. B. left for school at Flandreau, S. D., his stepfather gave him 

 a charm to wear around his waist under his clothing to keep him from harm 

 and misfortune while he was away. I asked to see it, but he said no one 

 was supposed to look at it (E.B., Field Notes, 1944). 



Mrs. J. Q. keeps a piece of the interior of a section of beehive in her 

 pocket whenever she goes to an Indian gathering. That keeps her all right 

 while the gathering is going on. It spoils the effect of any bad medicine 

 that might be around, and it doesn't hurt anyone (J. Q., Field Notes, 1942). 



A Chippewa also had to take into consideration the unintentional, but 

 nevertheless harmful, consequences of charm-using by others. For example: 

 "They say when a man goes hunting with that medicine the fellow behind 

 him gets all broken up and can't walk. That happened to my brother. He 

 was hunting and the one in front had the hunting medicine. He just fell 

 down and couldn't walk. Some hunters brought him in. You get over it all 

 right in a few days, but it's bad." (F. Q., Field Notes, 1943.) 



Dream Fetishes 



These fetishes (aisiu'w/na'n) are sacred, personal articles kept by a 



person throughout his life as guardians against any harm or misfortune. 



They are made or obtained according to instructions received by a person 



*" in his own fasting dream, or through a dream of a close relative or a 'we'e 



■j who presents the article to the person in infancy or childhood. An aisiu'wina'n 



1 may also originate as the result of intelligence received by a conjuror at a 



