EADIN] THE MEDICINE DANCE 359 



hei", there stood a very young woman, her hair like a shawl. "It is 

 good, grandmother, and I thank j-ou in the name of my aunts. 

 Then for the second time she said, "Look at me." He looked at her 

 and there stood a woman in middle age, her hair almost gray. " Well, 

 grandmother, it is good, that is what I meant." Then for the fourth 

 time she said, "Grandson, look at me." He looked at her. Her 

 hair was entirely dried up, in the nape of her neck there was a hollow, 

 and like a duck looking at the sun, she appeared. Her chin, like a 

 wooden poker, burnt short, there she stood trembling. "Well, 

 grandmother, this is what I meant when I said that you were to 

 help me. My uncles and aunts that is what I wished for them, and 

 I thank you." 



Organization of the Bands 



The medicine dance of the Winnebago consists of five bands. A 

 sixth band is temporarily formed whenever the ceremony is given 

 in honor of a deceased member. 



For purposes of description it will be best to divide each band 

 into three parts — the leader, his two assistants, and the rest of the 

 band. Leadership depends upon a thorough knowledge of the 

 ceremony and its complete esoteric significance, which is in the 

 possession of only a few individuals in each band. This knowledge 

 can be obtained solely by purchase and religious qualifications. 

 These religious qualifications, to which might be added moral as 

 well, play little part at the present day, but there can be no doubt 

 that they were essential in the past. The leader likewise often 

 possessed other characteristics, such as those of warrior and shaman. 



The two assistants were generally men who had purchased suf- 

 ficient information and privileges to entitle them to help the leader 

 in certain details of the ceremony. The drummers, rattle holders, 

 dancers, etc., were always recruited from their ranks. Eventually 

 they might become the leaders. Those who were neither leaders 

 nor assistants possessed a knowledge varying from that of elementary 

 information, required for admission, to that entitling them to the 

 position of assistant. 



There is a priority of position in the lodge, depending on priority 

 of invitation. The band invited first occupies the east position; 

 that invited second, the north; that invited third, the west; and 

 that invited fourth, the south. The east is the position of highest 

 honor; the south, that of the lowest. Between the bands there 

 exists an order of invitation based on tradition, the exact nature 

 of which is unknown. According to one informant, if one band 

 invited another, the latter in turn would be obliged to give it the 

 position of honor; but as there are five bands, this can apply only 

 to special cases. Whatever may be the order, it is certain that 

 each band has ample occasion to occupy all five positions. 



