14 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 45 



The emblem of the Mide' is mi'gis, a small, white shell, which is said 

 to appear upon the surface of the water when the action of a manido' 

 (spirit) causes the water to seethe. Manido' in the form of water ani- 

 mals, mermaids, and mermen, also appear to the members of the 

 Mide'wiwin for the purpose of imparting instruction when they are in 

 a frame of mind to receive it. Hoping for such a visitation, it is not 

 unusual for a member of the Mide'wiwin to sit beside the water for 

 hours at a time, singing Mide' songs and beating the Mide' drum or 

 shaking a rattle. 



The healing art of the Mide' is entirely different from that prac- 

 tised by the Chippewa doctors, the method of treatment is different, 

 and the two vocations are distinct, though it is possible for a doctor 

 to be a member of the Mide'wiwin. Descriptions of the treatment 

 of the sick by both these methods will be given. " 



The life enjoined on the members of the Mide'wiwin is a life of rec- 

 titude. They are taught that membership in the Mide'wiwin does 

 not exempt a man from the consequences of his sins. Lying and 

 stealing are strictly forbidden; also the use of liquor. 



The Mide' is not without its means of punishing offenders. Those 

 holding high degrees in the Mide'wiwin are familiar with the art of 

 subtle poisoning, which may be used if necessary. It is said that 

 they are also able to call down curses on those who displease them. 

 The writer was recently informed of an instance in which a man 

 offended a Mide'wini'ni, who retaliated by saying that a misfortune 

 would soon befall him. In a short time his little daughter died. 



Songs 



The songs of the Mide' represent the musical expression of religious 

 ideas. The melody and the idea are the essential parts of a Mide' 

 song, the words being forced into conformation with the melody. 

 To accomplish this it is customary to add meaningless syllables either 

 between the parts of a word or between the words; accents are mis- 

 placed and a word is sometimes accented differently in various parts 

 of a song; the vowels are also given different sounds, or changed en- 

 tirely. Any of these alterations are permissible. In addition to the 

 meaningless syllables used to fill out the measures we find the ejac- 

 ulations Tie hi hi hi, used in the songs associated with the ''shooting 

 of spirit power." 



The writer has even been informed that it is permissible for differ- 

 ent members of the Mide'wiwin holding high degrees to use slightly 

 different words for the songs, but the idea of the song must always 

 remain the same. The words serve as a key to this idea without 

 fully expressing it. Sometimes only one or two words occur in a song. 

 Their literal translation is meaningless, but to an instructed member 



a See pp. 51 and 119. 



