﻿204 
  THE 
  MIDF.W'IWIN 
  OF 
  THE 
  O.TIBWA. 
  

  

  be 
  held. 
  Sometimes 
  these 
  sticks 
  have 
  bands 
  of 
  color 
  painted 
  around 
  

   one 
  end. 
  usually 
  green, 
  sometimes 
  red, 
  though 
  both 
  colors 
  maybe 
  

   employed, 
  the 
  two 
  ends 
  being 
  thus 
  tinted. 
  The 
  person 
  invited 
  is 
  

   obliged 
  to 
  bring 
  with 
  him 
  his 
  invitation 
  stick, 
  and 
  upon 
  entering 
  

   the 
  Mide'wigan 
  he 
  lays 
  it 
  upon 
  the 
  ground 
  nearthe 
  sacred 
  stoue, 
  on 
  

   the 
  side 
  toward 
  the 
  degree 
  post. 
  In 
  case 
  a 
  Mide' 
  is 
  unable 
  to 
  attend 
  

   he 
  sends 
  his 
  invitation 
  with 
  a 
  statement 
  of 
  the 
  reason 
  of 
  his 
  ina- 
  

   bility 
  to 
  come. 
  The 
  number 
  of 
  sticks 
  upon 
  the 
  floor 
  are 
  counted, 
  

   on 
  the 
  morning 
  of 
  the 
  day 
  of 
  initiation, 
  and 
  the 
  number 
  of 
  those 
  

   present 
  to 
  attend 
  the 
  ceremonies 
  is 
  known 
  before 
  the 
  initiation 
  be- 
  

   gins. 
  

  

  About 
  five 
  or 
  six 
  days 
  preceding 
  the 
  day 
  set 
  for 
  the 
  ceremony 
  of 
  

   initiation, 
  the 
  candidate 
  removes 
  to 
  the 
  neighborhood 
  of 
  the 
  lo- 
  

   cality 
  of 
  the 
  Mide'wigan. 
  On 
  the 
  eveningof 
  the 
  fifth 
  dayherepairs 
  

   to 
  the 
  sudatory 
  or 
  sweat-lodge, 
  which 
  has. 
  in 
  the 
  mean 
  time, 
  been 
  

   built 
  east 
  of 
  the 
  sacred 
  inclosure, 
  and 
  when 
  seated 
  within 
  he 
  is 
  sup- 
  

   plied 
  with 
  water 
  which 
  he 
  keeps 
  for 
  making 
  vapor 
  by 
  pouring 
  it 
  

   upon 
  heated 
  stones 
  introduced 
  for 
  the 
  purpose 
  by 
  assistants 
  upon 
  the 
  

   outside. 
  This 
  act 
  of 
  purification 
  is 
  absolutely 
  necessary 
  anil 
  must 
  

   be 
  performed 
  once 
  each 
  day 
  for 
  four 
  days, 
  though 
  the 
  process 
  may- 
  

   be 
  shortened 
  by 
  taking 
  two 
  vapor 
  baths 
  in 
  one 
  day, 
  thus 
  limiting 
  

   the 
  process 
  to 
  two 
  days. 
  This, 
  however, 
  is 
  permitted, 
  or 
  desired 
  

   only 
  under 
  extraordinary 
  circumstances. 
  During 
  the 
  process 
  of 
  

   purgation, 
  the 
  candidates 
  thoughts 
  must 
  dwell 
  upon 
  the 
  serious- 
  

   ness 
  of 
  the 
  course 
  he 
  is 
  pursuing 
  and 
  the 
  sacred 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  

   new 
  life 
  he 
  is 
  about 
  to 
  assume. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  fumigation 
  has 
  ceased 
  he 
  is 
  visited 
  by 
  the 
  preceptor 
  

   and 
  the 
  other 
  officiating 
  Mide' 
  priests, 
  when 
  the 
  conversation 
  is 
  con- 
  

   fined 
  chiefly 
  to 
  the 
  candidate's 
  progress. 
  He 
  then 
  gives 
  to 
  each 
  of 
  

   them 
  presents 
  of 
  tobacco, 
  and 
  after 
  an 
  offering 
  to 
  Ki'tshi 
  Man'ido, 
  

   with 
  the 
  pipe, 
  they 
  expose 
  the 
  articles 
  contained 
  in 
  their 
  Mide' 
  sacks 
  

   and 
  explain 
  and 
  expatiate 
  upon 
  the 
  merits 
  and 
  properties 
  of 
  each 
  of 
  

   the 
  magic 
  objects. 
  The 
  candidate 
  for 
  the 
  first 
  time 
  learns 
  of 
  the 
  man- 
  

   ner 
  of 
  preparing 
  effigies, 
  etc.. 
  with 
  which 
  to 
  present 
  to 
  the 
  incredu- 
  

   lous 
  ocular 
  demonstration 
  of 
  the 
  genuineness 
  and 
  divine 
  origin 
  of 
  

   the 
  Mide'wiwin. 
  or, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  in 
  this 
  connection 
  termed, 
  religion. 
  

  

  Several 
  methods 
  are 
  employed 
  for 
  the 
  purpose, 
  and 
  the 
  greater 
  

   the 
  power 
  of 
  the 
  Mide' 
  the 
  greater 
  will 
  appear 
  the 
  mystery 
  con- 
  

   nected 
  with 
  the 
  exhibition. 
  This 
  may 
  be 
  performed 
  whenever 
  cir- 
  

   cumstances 
  demand 
  such 
  proof, 
  but 
  the 
  tests 
  are 
  made 
  before 
  the 
  

   candidate 
  with 
  a 
  twofold 
  purpose: 
  first, 
  to 
  impress 
  him 
  with 
  the 
  

   supernatural 
  powers 
  of 
  the 
  Mide' 
  themselves; 
  and 
  second, 
  in 
  an 
  

   oracular 
  manner, 
  to 
  ascertain 
  if 
  Ki'tshi 
  Ma'nido 
  is 
  pleased 
  with 
  the 
  

   contemplated 
  ceremony 
  and 
  the 
  initiation 
  of 
  the 
  candidate. 
  

  

  