hoffman] THE KONX'pAMIK 101 



to become the first, when lie also in similar manner pretended to shoot 

 at the candidate's breast. At this gesture of shooting, the candidate's 

 body quivered, the motion being, in part, transmitted by Shn'uieu, 

 who sat behind and prompted him. The four came around for the 

 third time, making the same curious noise, and when the third medicine 

 man came to the front, breathed on his bag, and pretended to shoot 

 the candidate, the latter's body quivered still more violently than 

 before. As the medicine men passed around for the fourth time, the 

 one to lead the last time, in like manner, fell to the rear, permitting the 

 fourth of the party to become the leader. Thus the dancers advanced, 

 uttering their curious cry of "Ho, lid, ho, ho," louder aud louder until, 

 when a short distance before the candidate, the medicine man breathed 

 on his bag and thrust it forward, and as he did so the candidate fell 

 forward on his face, apparently lifeless. The magic 

 influence contained in the medicine bag had been shot J | 



into the candidate's heart, and, being too powerful M % 



for him to bear, he became unconscious. It is the / |\ 



belief that if the small shell, called the kona/pamik f) 



(GyprcB moneta), the sacred emblem of the Mitii'wit, be 

 swallowed by the medicine man, all he is obliged to 

 do to transfer his power to the medicine bag is to 

 breathe on it, the mysterious power and influence 

 being then transmitted by merely thrusting the bag 

 toward the desired object or person. Figure 17 rep- 

 resents the. shell used as the koria'pamik. 



As the candidate fell forward on the ground, Shu ! - 

 nien arose and joined his associates, and all gathered fig. 17— Konii'pamik 

 around the prostrate body. The other assisting med- or « ml > lei11 of the 

 icine men also came forward, and the whole number 

 then formed two files, one on each side of the candidate, and laid 011 

 his back their medicine bags (plate viii). Shu'nien then chanted a 

 few phrases, but repeated them a number of times to heighten the 

 effect on the feelings of the audience. The following is a translation 

 of the original phraseology : 



"Thus is shown to you the strength of the Mitii'wit; the kona'pamik 

 was given to Ma'nabush by Ma'iitshawai'edok (the Great Mystery), and 

 we have it from Ma'nabush. Our children will feel its influence, and 

 they shall receive life. Our brother, lying before us, shall have life 

 put into his heart. We will now restore him, and instruct him how to 

 use his strength." 



Then, as the chant ended, the drum which had been used by Shu'nien 

 was removed by the usher, and each of the medicine men stooped to 

 get his sack. Shu'nien then placed his hand under the candidate's 

 forehead and raised it slightly from the ground, when a konii'pamik 

 dropped from the candidate's mouth. After this he slowly recovered 

 consciousness, arose, and taking the shell in his own hand he placed it 



