FIFTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I908 



69 



Savage man thought more of holding the favor of animals than 

 he did the good will of men in other communities than his own 

 and for this reason was in certain things more considerate of 

 beasts than men. He could slaughter whole tribes of men but 

 unless certain animals were regarded as especially " bad medicine " 

 he did not dare ruthlessly to kill them. Some animals were re- 

 puted more wise than others and came to be looked upon as 

 " medicine animals." Such were thought to be able to protect man 

 from the dangers of the elements, from accidents, and from dis- 

 eases. In order to keep the favor of these animals it was neces- 

 sary to perform certain rites and offer gifts. Since it was neces- 

 sary to kill these medicine animals for food and for clothing there' 

 were ceremonies in which the permission of the animal was first 

 sought before it was kdled and afterward ceremonies of expiation 



These primitive rites, ceremonies and customs have been held 

 by the American aborigines for ages and even when tribes became 

 in a degree civilized they were loath to abandon them. The 

 Iroquois who have had three centuries of contact with the white 

 man still cling to these ideas and among the Seneca-Iroquois of 

 today there exist several " animal societies." Each has a well pre- 

 served legend setting forth its origin. Among the Senecas, who 

 cling to their early beliefs, sickness and ill luck, famine and catas- 

 trophies of nature are supposed to be caused by witches, evil spirits 

 or angry " medicine animals." Witches being "humans" are 

 killed when discovered and there are many rites and charms for 

 discovering witches and nullifying their machinations. With spirits 

 and animals it is otherwise. Societies of remote origin hold form- 

 ulas for driving away evil spirits and appeasing the no-twai' s-h'd 

 or souls of the dead that are supposed to work evil. Societies 

 for preserving the rites necessary to please animals and animal 

 spirits rigorously enforce the laws relating to the pacification of 

 the " medicine animals " and when the animals are made angry by 

 neglect or insult they know the rites necessary to prevent calamity. 

 Or, if they neglect the " spirit " to an extreme, and disease, pestil- 

 ence, flood, famine or earthquakes result, they are still able to 

 restore their good will. 



Of these animal societies the following are still existent : the 

 Eagle Society, the Otter Company, the Ie'Mos Company, the 

 Pygmy Society, the Buffalo Society and the Bear Society. Other 

 " medicine societies " are the Little Water Company, the O'gi'we 

 People, the Singers for the Dead, the False Face Company, and the 

 Husk Face Band, and the To-wii'-sas, Sisters of the Dio-he'-ko. 



