bunzel] 



KELIGIOTJS LIFE 533 



We have already alluded to the attendance of the Ne'vvekvve at 

 the winter dances of the masked gods, and their summer ceremony, 

 which is only rarely performed. This ceremony comprises a four-day 

 retreat with, prayers for rain, at which there is no singing to the drum 

 of the songs of the Beast Gods. The retreat ends with an all-night 

 ceremony the last night and a pubUc dance the last day. In this 

 ceremony, as well as in the initiation rites, importance is given to 

 various obscene and cruel practices. The dance may be repeated by 

 request. In this ceremony they are assisted by the Ci'wanakwe. 



The other ceremonies of the medicine societies wliich are held at 

 irregular intervals as occasions arise are concerned specifically with 

 curing and initiation. Curing ceremonies are very secret. Only 

 ofBcere of the societies and those possessed of the required medical 

 knowledge and magical powers are present. Prayer sticks are made 

 and an altar is set up in the sick room and songs are sung. There is a 

 general rite of exorcism by spitting. Smce disease is generally caused 

 by a witch injecting foreign bodies into the patient, the most obvious 

 method of cure is to locate and remove the foreign substance. The 

 medicine man locates the foreign substance either by use of the crystal 

 or by partaking of a vision-producing driig.^ The practitioner then 

 removes it by the same sleight-of-hand that is practiced at public 

 healing ceremonies. Or, if the patient knows who has bewitched him, 

 or learns it imder the influence of tenatsali, the Bow Priests are smn- 

 moned and attempt to extract a confession from the accused. The 

 confession strips him of his power and effects an automatic cure. 

 In former days wdtches were hung. Since this practice has been 

 ended by the United States Government authorities witch baiting has 

 declined in unportance m medical practice and greater weight is 

 given to extracting foreign bodies.*^ 



The ceremonies in the sick room are continued for four nights, pro- 

 vided the patient lives that long. Purely therapeutic measures, 

 massage, sweating, blood letting, and the administration of drugs 

 may be employed as supplement and continue beyond the period 

 devoted to magical practices. 



Should the patient recover he must eventually fulfill his pledge of 

 membership in the society, thus placing himself permanently under 

 the protection of the Beast Gods. The initiation ceremony is held in 

 November, or after the winter solstice ceremonies. The retreat begins 

 four days before the full moon, so that the final ceremony comes the 

 night the moon is full. The initiation rites are in part pubUc cere- 

 monies. To the final ceremonies other societies are invited in a body, 

 and persons of no society aflPiliation may attend as individuals. Fre- 

 quently there are public dances outdoors, as part of the initiation 



" Tenatsali, an unidentified plant, perhaps Jamestown weed. 



" The extraction of foreign bodies is the usual technique employed by individual medicine men sum- 

 moned to treat minor ailments. 



