densmOre] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 23 



All this time the old man had been drumming and ringing. 



A little before noon they heard a peculiar sound in the sky. It was from the east. 

 Some one was calling Wa, hi hi, hi, as they call in the Mide^ ceremony. They 

 watched the sky and saw four Indians walking toward them in the sky, giving this 

 call. Each Indian had a living otter in his hand. 



The East manido^ came down to the Mide' inclosure, lifted the drapery, and allowed 

 the others to pass in. The four manido^ came in and took their stand at the east end 

 of the lodge. A little beyond the center was the coffin of hewn logs in which lay the 

 body of the young man, who had now been dead eight days. 



The four manido^ held the otters with the right hand near the head and the left 

 hand below. These otters were their medicine bags. 



The East manido^ stood first in the line. He began to sing, went halfway to the 

 coffin, blew on his medicine bag, and shot from there toward the coffin. Then the 

 top of the coffin burst open, and the East manido' marched around the lodge and took 

 his place at the end of the line. 



Then the next one, the South manido^, did exactly as the East manido^ had done. 

 When he had shot, the young man opened his eyes and breathed. Then the South 

 manido^ took his position at the end of the line. 



Next came the West manido^. When he had shot, the young man raised up and 

 looked at the manido^. 



Last came the North manido^, and when he had shot the young man rose up entirely 

 well in every respect. 



Then these four manido^ began to talk to the Indians, and to tell them that this was 

 the method by which they were to treat the sick and the dead, and that the East 

 manido' would instruct them in all they were to do. 



Then these manido' told the Indians that they would never see them again. The 

 manido^ would never come to earth again, but the Indians must offer them gifts and 

 sacrifices, which would be spiritually received. They must always remember that 

 the Mlde^ was given to them by the manido^. 



The East manido' taught them the religion of the Mide' and put souls in their bodies 

 and arranged how these souls should live in the next world. A great many times 

 some of these Mlde' people have a trance in which they fallow the spirit path and see 

 their dead friends. They also receive messages in dreams. They are especially 

 liable to do this when sorrowing for their friends. 



It is told to Mlde' members that about halfway to the Spirit Land there is a punish- 

 ment place where fire burns out all that is evil in them. Sometimes there is so 

 little left of the person that he turns into a frog. There are many little frogs in that 

 place, but the good pass through it unharmed. This is the only phase of punishment 

 taught, except that if a person dies while drunk he will remain drunken forever and 

 his punishment will be ah eternal and unquenchable thirst. 



Those initiated into the Mide' are instructed how to lead a good life. These instruc- 

 tions are given only to the members. Less heed is paid to the instructions than in 

 the old days, but very sick people are still restored by means of the MIde'. 



The narrator stated further that she had taken four degrees in the 

 society and received four great instructions, and that she tried to 

 hve according to them. She stated that she "could blow on her 

 medicine bag and produce evil results upon those who displeased 

 her, provided they were not of the Mide';" she "would be powerless 

 against a member of the ]\Iide'wiwin." She "would not, however, 

 exert this evil power, for it would displease the Mide' manido'. Some 

 do this and it alwaj^s reacts in evil upon themselves." 



