MALLERY. | OJIBWA TRADITIONS. 253 
incomplete interpretation of the characters, the letters applying equally 
to both: 
Fia, 169.—Mide’ records. 
a, Esh’gibd’ga, the great uncle of the Unish’-in-ab/-aig, the receiver 
of the Midéwin. 
b, the drum and drumsticks. 
ce, a bar or rest, observed while chanting the words pertaining to the 
records. 
d, the bin’-ji-gu’-san, or sacred medicine bag. It consists of an otter 
skin, and is the mi’gis, or sacred symbol of the midé/wigan’ or grand 
medicine lodge. 
e, a Midé’ shaman, the one who holds the mi’gis while chanting the 
Midé@’ song in the grand medicine lodge, f. He is inspired, as indicated 
by the line extending from the heart to the mouth. 
J, representation of the grand medicine lodge. This character, with 
slight addition, is usually employed by the southern division of the 
Ojibwa to denote the lodge of a jéssakki/d, and is ordinarily termed a 
“jugglery.” 
g, 2 woman, and signifies that women may also be admitted to the 
midé/wigan’, Shown in the preceding character. 
h, a pause or rest in the chant. 
i, the sacred snake-skin bag, having the power of giving life through 
its skin. This power is indicated by the lines radiating from the head 
and the back of the snake. 
jrepresents a woman, 
k, another illustration of the mi/gis, represented by the sacred otter. 
(denotes a woman who is inspired, as shown by the line extending 
from the heart to the mouth in the lower chart, and simply showing the 
heart in the upper. In the latter she is also empowered to cure with 
magic plants. 
m represents a Midé’ shaman, but no explanation was obtained of the 
special character delineated. 
