360 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



There are two ways in which a man can join the medicine dance. 

 He ma}' simply apply for admission to any of the five leaders, or he 

 may take the place of a deceased relative. In the former case, if 

 his payment is satisfactory, and he has the other qualifications, he 

 is accepted. In the other case, his relatives decide to have him 

 take the place of a deceased relative. This latter form of candidacy 

 is by far the more common. At the present day initiation requires 

 the payment of about .S300 or $400, in the form of goods and tobacco. 

 Of this, a portion is given to the leader of the ancestor host's band 

 during the four nights' preparation, and the rest to the leaders of 

 the other four bands during the ceremony proper. 



Exactly how much information an individual obtains on entering 

 can not be determined. MuCh depends on the amount of the payment. 

 The minimum knowledge would amount to an acquaintance with the 

 bare externals of the ceremony, its general significance, and such 

 knowledge of the legendary origin of the lodge as a single recital 

 could give. The new member is not initiated into the sjTnbolism of 

 the ritualistic myths, and consequently a large portion of the same 

 must be unintelligible to him. What he obtains is practically only 

 the right to hold the otter-skin bag and to use it in a certain way. 

 He may not take part in any of the forms of dancing or singing, nor 

 may he even shoot at will. He very rarely remains in this condition 

 long, but takes the first opportvmity to pm^chase additional knowledge 

 and privileges. 



There are tlu"ee kinds of members — mature men, women, and chil- 

 dren. The privileges of women differ from those of the men, in that 

 the women do not have to take the sweat bath, may never become 

 assistants, and are allowed to dance only in a certain way. In other 

 respects they have the same privileges as men. In practice there are 

 certain privileges that women never have, but this is due to the fact 

 that either they do not care for them or they are not in a position 

 to buy them. Children belong to a quite different category. Although 

 they possess an otter skin, they have not even the power of making it 

 effective. There does not seem to be any evidence indicating that 

 women were ever excluded from membership. 



Prescribed duties of the hands. — The duties of the host, called 

 the ancestor-host, are as follows: 



1. To rehearse the songs and rituals with his band four nights 

 previous to the ceremony proper. At this rehearsal the candidate is 

 always present and is instructed in the ceremony. 



2. To send out invitation sticks and tobacco to the leaders of the 

 other four bands. The messengers are always his sisters' sons. 



.3. To begin the four nights' ceremony preceding the ceremony 

 proper. 



