92 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99 



It is he who for the last few days has been "working to spoil the 

 strength " and the magic power of the medicine man who is conjuring 

 for the rival team. And the victoiy or defeat is laid at the door of 

 the medicine man rather than that the players themselves are con- 

 gratulated or scorned for it. 



To have an adequate idea of the social status of the medicine man 

 we should bear in mind that in his person we find cumulated such 

 professions and pursuits which in our society would correspond to 

 those of the clergy, the educators, the philosophers and the historians, 

 the members of the m.edical profession in its widest sense, i. e., 

 physicians, surgeons, and chemists; and finally, to a certain degree, 

 even to those of the politicians and of the press. 



His constant journeys to and fro, curing the sick, or trying to do so, 

 gathering simples, calling on former patrons; on the other hand, 

 his constantly being called upon by the people to assist them in their 

 most intimate needs — a worried man asking him to make his wife's 

 mind forget her former sweethearts, a spiteful woman demanding of 

 him that he spoil the mind of a man she hates, all this contributes 

 immensely toward making him the best informed person about, 

 and nothing happens within a few miles' radius without his being 

 aware of it. 



Is it then to be wondered at that a man with such wide connections, 

 walldng in and out of so many homes, staying often with a family for 

 days at a time, must be a most omniscient and influential individual? 



Yet the medicine man should not be vainglorious about his status. 

 All the members of the profession I have loiown always made a point 

 of declaring, when asked, that they did not feel proud or haughty 

 toward the people; they should not, because, they emphatically 

 declared, they held their power and knowledge from une-'tlan5'!i, 

 who had given it to them that they might help the people. 



This conception is undoubtedly influenced by modern Christian 

 views, for although une-'tlano'ci is a powerful Cherokee deity (see 

 p. 20), nowhere in the rest of tribal lore is he referred to as ever ha-sdng 

 granted any such gift as curing disease or the power of dispensing 

 medicine to the people. I feel sure, therefore, that the statement 

 here made by the medicine men refers to the Christianized i;ne*'tlano'*i, 

 i. e., God, the Creator. 



Whatever the medicine men may say with regard to this, I have 

 often found evidence that their statements are not always corrobo- 

 rated by their actions; they do get a streak of vanity and conceit now 

 and again, and do consider themselves as far more interesting and 

 clever individuals than the common mortals. This, however, rarely 

 manifests itself outwardly; they plant their corn and ply the hoe as 

 everybody else, and do not betray by any article of dress or ornament 

 either their profession or its importance. If this may be called any 



