DENSMORB] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 51 



his favorite "medicine song" and any others who know the same 

 song may rise and dance. A great variety of Mide' songs are used 

 at this final dance. 



When it is time for the company to disband, the four initiators 

 stand together at the southeast corner of the Mide'wigan, the ne'mi- 

 ta'maCifi' at the head of the hne. The music is very Hvely and 

 everyone is in the best possible humor. The initiators are the first 

 to leave the lodge, dancing out at the western door, followed by the 

 company and the newly initiated person, the leader being the last to 

 leave the lodge. The person who has been initiated takes with him 

 the medicine pole and the stone, which are his personal property; 

 these he carries to his lodge and makes a feast in their honor. After 

 the feast he takes both the pole and the stone to some secluded place 

 in the woods known only to himself. There he often goes, keeping 

 the place clear of rubbish and undergrowth. The stone remains there 

 always, but the pole may be removed by its owner for use in future 

 ceremonies. 



The person who has been initiated also retains as his personal 

 property any songs which he can remember from hearing them 

 sung during the ceremony, it being considered that his gifts to the 

 leaders are sufficient to entitle him to these without further payment. 



Each of the men who assisted at the initiation ceremony and 

 received gifts is expected to make a feast after the ceremony and 

 invite the newly initiated. At this feast he gives the newly initiated 

 the mi'gis which he exhibited at the ceremony. Thus the initiated 

 receives one mi'gis from each of the men who assisted at the cere- 

 mony. These he keeps in his Mide' bag, adding from time to time 

 such medicines as he has learned to use. 



Ceeemony for a Dying Chief 



An opportunity for the writer's personal observation of this cere- 

 mony occurred in July, 1907, at Leech Lake, Minnesota, during the 

 last hours of Nigan'Ibmes' ("leading bird of prey"), the hereditary 

 chief of the Pillager band of Chippewa. Nigan'Iblnes' was son of the 

 famous chief Flat Mouth and was always known by his father's name, 

 which is used therefore in this description of the ceremony. 



After the agency physicians in consultation had concluded that the 

 old chief could live only a short time, he asked and was granted permis- 

 sion that a Mide' ceremony be held in the hope of prolonging his life, 

 or at least of making his last hours more comfortable. Accordingly 

 preparations were begun and a man named Na'joi'se ("two persons 

 walking ") was selected as oc'kabe'wis, or herald. It was decided also 

 that the leader of the ceremony should be Ge'miwiinac' ("bird that 

 flies through the rain"), the oldest Mide'winl'nl on the reservation, 



