CHAPTER X 



SHAMANISTIC AND MEDICINAL PRACTICES 

 Introduction 



The shamanistic and medicinal practices of the Winnebago differ 

 in no respect from those found all over the woodland area and there 

 is consequently no need for discussing them at length. The stories 

 told about Midjistega and old Lincoln are the famous tricks and 

 sleight-of-hand performances known all over America. There does 

 not seem to be as much said about the conjuring lodge as is the 

 case among the Ojibwa. This apparently is identical with the 

 Winnebago warukx'na, "exerting one's powers." The lack of 

 specific information relating to this suliject obtained by the author 

 may, however, be due to accident. 



The Winnebago make a fourfold classification of their medicines: 

 Those that affect a person by direct administration; those that affect 

 him by their odor, like love and racing medicines; those that affect 

 him at a distance; and those that are shot at an individual. Most 

 of the medicines are obtained by fasting, although they can also be 

 bought. The most important of these medicines are those called the 

 stench-earth medicine (see p. 259) and the black-earth medicme. 



Medicine may be used in a number of ways, but principally as 

 offerings or as means of killing animals or men. It is often chewed. 

 In order to make arrows or guns unerring, medicine is frequently 

 rubbed upon them. 



Sympathetic magic is of course well known. The procedure is 

 the common one. A picture of the man to be harmed is drawn on 

 the ground and shot at, stabbed, etc. Tlie man is then certain to 

 die a short time after, in the same manner as the figure has been 

 mutilated. 



There are two general magical ceremonies. WanilcA'na, to know 

 something by exerting one's powers; wanaHcere, to hypnotize in the 

 distance. (For description of latter, see p. 11 L) 



Example of wanilcA'na. — J.'s older brother and a friend had failed 

 to return home an(i so J.'s grandfather went to a man called C. English 

 and, offering him some tobacco, asked him to find out something 

 about his son — i. e., to exert his powere. English did so and told 

 the old man that they were camping and making sugar and that if 

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