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SCIENTIFIC USES FOR MICHIGAN FOLK-LORE.

BY HARLAN I. SMITH.*

The Indian tribes of Michigan have a considerable literature, consisting of legends and myths which, since they had not written language, have been preserved by frequent repetition. As literature, these are not of the highest type, although probably better than is generally supposed. The scientific use of this material is not necessarily impaired by its lack of literary merit.

The following tale which is an example of this folk-lore was collected in October, 1894, at Peonagowink, an Ojibwa Indian community, situated on the west side of the Flint river in Saginaw county, Michigan. It was told in broken English by an old Shaman, now an exhorter in the Indian Methodist church:

My ancestors told me that at one time eleven Ojibwas went on the warpath beyond the Rocky mountains. Their leader, when a young man, had been painted with black coal and, with other young men, had fasted from ten to twenty days, until they began to dream of what to do in life when they went to war. If a war party would be successful it should take the exact number of men indicated by the dream. This man had not been in the habit of dreaming. He led his party westward, fulfilling all the directions he had received in his dream until on a mountain they saw a nest surrounded by water, like an island. There they saw two birds as white as snow, which their leader told them not to harm. One of the party, lingering in the rear, foolishly attempted to shoot the birds with his bow and an arrow. Whenever he aimed at one of the birds it winked and the arrow was split by a slight stroke of lightning accompanied by a little thunder. The party went on. They saw black clouds gathering in the east and heard heavy thunder. The leader told his men to separate and stand under the large trees. The thunder approached rapidly and became terrific. The man who had attempted to shoot the birds was struck by lightning which left only his skin. The party was frightened and feared that they would be punished because that member of their party had done wrong in trying to kill the birds. The leader was successful in obtaining some scalps and returning home, at which time they had a dance.

This tale is a curious combination of mythological and legendary characters and also contains unmistakeable references to puberty rites. The narrator, although an old man, could not explain the story, which like all folk-lore preserves ideas and traces of philosophy long forgotten by his people.

The references to the thunder bird, the painting of the face and fasting when young, show that the same influence was present with his people as with people even as far west as British Columbia. There is folk-lore evidence showing a con*Harlan I. Smith was born in Saginaw, Michigan, February 17, 1872. He was educated in the schools of that city, and attended the University of Michigan, and was given practical instruction in exploration under Prof. Frederick W. Putman, of Harvard University. Prior to 1890 he investigated the archæology of the Saginaw Valley. In 1891 he was an assistant at the Peabody Museum at Harvard, afterwards assisting Prof. Putnam at the Columbian Exposition. From 1891 to 1893 he explored ancient mounds in Ohio. He continued this work in Wisconsin and Michigan. In 1891 and 1893 he was in charge of the Museum at the University of Michigan. In 1894 he explored the Garden Beds at Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was engaged as special assistant at the American Museum of Natural History at New York in 1895, but since the following year he has been a member of the faculty. He was a elected a member of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society because of his valuable contributions. He belongs to the Association for the Advancement of Science, the Museum's Association of Great Britain, the American Ethnological Society, the Anthropological Association, the Folk-Lore Society, the Michigan Academy of Science, and many similar societies. He is the author of many valuable works, and is very helpful in preserving and developing anthropological history.

tinuous line of influence transferred from tribe to tribe from the mouth of the St. Lawrence to the head waters of the Columbia. Michigan folk-lore is one of the links in this chain.

The puberty rites illustrate the fact that religion and philosophy may be reconstructed to a certain extent, from survivals in the tales told by people who have long since failed to understand their import.

To a certain extent the earlier ethnological customs are recorded in these homely tales. In this case we have a clue to the great distance war parties traveled, the method of painting and fasting, a knowledge that the bow and arrow were carried by war parties, the taking of scalps, the social organization under a leader, and the dance.

The narrator of this story did not believe it, although he did when young. His son does not know it, his grandchildren probably have never heard it. The two latter generations talk English. This is practically the case with all of the Indians of Michigan. When these old Indians die this mass of literature and its possibilities become extinct. Bibles and song books have been printed in which Indian words have been substituted for English, but we can hardly say that, of the literature of the several Indian languages of Michigan, any has been recorded in the State for future study.

The development of the State has been so rapid that these matters have been overlooked. There are yet a few old men living who can relate such material. A record of it by phonetic symbols retaining the original Indian is most desirable for the uses above suggested. The imminent danger of the entire loss of the material, however, pleads that it be recorded in any manner, however imperfect or fragmentary. The Indian who keenly feels that his race is doomed to extinction likes to leave such records behind him and may be easily persuaded in the matter.

CERTAIN SHAMANISTIC CEREMONIES AMONG THE OJIBWAS.*

BY HARLAN I. SMITH.

In the vicinity of Saginaw Bay and its tributaries there still exist small, isolated bands of Ojibwa Indians, many living upon their own land, somewhat as do the poorer classes of white farmers. They still retain some of their old customs, and although most of them are nominally Methodists, a surprisingly large number, on close acquaintance, reveal the fact that the influence and many of the old superstitions of the Midé still survive. These are overshadowed by white customs and Methodist teachings, except to him who penetrates into their innermost life as a friend, taking them as they are, and without attempting to change them.

Naturally the younger individuals, mingling more with the whites and being educated at government or public schools, do not acquire the knowledge of the language, or, much less, the ancient ceremonies and folk-lore of their ancestors. From some of the older people and early settlers have been secured stray instances of shamanistic ceremonies practiced upon the sick. Disconnected as these may be, and premature as a description may seem, I have thought best to make them known, without waiting for further study, in order that they may be available to others.

Mr. Joseph Compau, a French fur trader, who settled in this region when it belonged to the Indians, told me that, about 1841, while living upon the Cass river, about ten miles above Saginaw, he was very sick with a severe pain for three or four days. At that time Mishégashing, an old shaman, whose son now lives in Isabella county, came from near Tuscola. He brought a hollow bone about six inches long, the size of one's finger, and without administering any drug, or going through noticeable movements or singing, he pressed the bone against Mr. Compau's side and sucked through it very hard. He then showed him a piece of black material, resembling charcoal, which he claimed to have sucked out of him through the tube, and persuaded Mr. Compau that it had been the cause of the pain, which would soon cease. Mr. Compau at once felt better and soon recovered. He said he fully believed in the cure.

In August, 1869, from the old shaman, Katimshiwa, now professing to be a devout Methodist, I secured a bone tube, which he claimed was the one used for the removal of disease and pain. He was so sick and infirm as to be unable to talk much, and left me in doubt as to the exact way in which he employed the tube. Although undoubtedly it was used in the well-known way for sucking out the disease spirit, yet from his feeble attempts at explanation, and from what he told me on former visits, I am led to believe that he also had it for other mystic rites. This tube was deposited in the American Museum of Natural History, New York.†

Mr. Lemorandi, who is of Ojibwa and French origin, and who has lived and traded with the Indians for many years, told me the following: Nachchicome, who lived at the Poyganing Settlement between Saginaw and Bay City, was sick, and Saganima, a shaman of the Northern Peninsula, came to see him. After singing all around him, he went to the sick man and said: "I do not wonder you are sick. You have lost your soul and are about to die. A raven took your soul away from you. I can get it back." Saganima then went to the mystic wigwam he had made

* Presented before the Section of Anthropology of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, at the 45th meeting, Buffalo, 1893.

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for the purpose, and went through his ceremonial formula of words. He then transformed himself into a hawk, and flew up and away after Nachchicome's soul. He soared over the middle of Lake Huron, where he saw the raven, darted upon him, and wrested the stolen soul from him. He put it in a small box so it could not escape, and carried it back to the mystic wigwam. Here he assumed his original form, then went to the now nearly expired Nachchicome saying, "I secured your soul." He then sang, and telling the sick man to open his mouth, blew in the lost soul, and Nachchicome was well again.

Mr. Lemorandi is also authority for the following: When he was buying furs near Mt. Pleasant in the spring while the Indians were making maple sugar, Sinogemaw's squaw was very sick, and was going to die. They sent for Shawanasowa, an old shaman, who came in a canoe with Mr. Lemorandi and began his ceremony with singing and the use of various little charms. He then told them her soul was gone, that another shaman Nagaek had taken it, because he was angry. Shawanasowa was more powerful than Nagaek, and in the night went, by some superhuman power, several hundred miles to visit him. He obtained her soul, placed it in a small box for safety, and brought it back. He had the squaw open her mouth, and blew in the soul. She recovered and lived to be an old woman.

Mrs. Eva Golson, the daughter of an early pioneer, told me that as late as in 1866, 'when her mother was living at the mouth of the Cass river, and was sick with "chills and fever," she went for an Ojibwa shaman, after failing to get relief from her own people. When he came he refused to perform his ceremonies over her because she was a woman, and said his squaw doctored women, he cured men. He went for his squaw and returned in about two weeks, having waited for the time most favorable for the cure. Two squaws came with him. After bringing them he went away in his canoe, but returned for them when they were through. The old squaw began by covering her patient with many blankets. Then she made her a drink by boiling powdered "herbs, barks and roots." After part of this had been swallowed the remainder was placed under the blankets and left to steam, while the blankets were kept down tight. Then these blankets were removed, one by one, until about the usual bed covering remained. This occupied about four hours of the afternoon. She came next day, found her patient well, and, receiving her compensation, went her way.

From Katimshiwa have also been obtained specimens of his medicines.

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