by Glenn Welker
reprinted by permission of the author
Copyright © 1996-105
See these sites by Glenn Welker --
http://pages.zdnet.com/jojogunne/americanpages/id6.html
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/whatsnew.htm
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/whatgood.htm
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/bookglen.htm
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/natlit10.htm
"Long ago, before the Winnebagoes left their homes by the Great Water in Wisconsin, a young man went into the hills to fast. He fasted for twelve days, and then a spirit came to him in a vision and talked with him. The Earth-Maker, called Ma-o-na by the Winnebagoes, had sent a spirit to teach the young man. The spirit gave him knowledge and also taught him wonderful words that brought him health, well-being, and long life.
Wise was the young man when he left the hills, for he brought with him the teachings of the spirit and the power of the holy words. When he came back to his people, he sang a special song, and this song was the beginning of one kind of medicine ceremony.
The words he had learned from the spirit were so holy that the man lived a long time without any sickness. Nor did he die of any sickness. At the end of his long life, all the joints of his body fell apart from mere old age, and of old age alone the man died.
The song that he created, with the wonderful words learned from the spirit, has always been cherished by the Winnebagoes because of its great power.
The song was created long ago when our language was different from what it is now. Today, our people do not use such words in common speech. Indeed, no one knows the exact meaning of the wonderful words. The song is still sung in some of the medicine ceremonies, but only the Medicine Men, the Holy Men, understand its meaning.
The Medicine Ceremony of the Winnebagoes lasts four days and four nights. Holy songs are sung, and there is a spoken ritual. In the ritual, the Holy Man gives commandments and teaches our people the ways of goodness. Now and then, in order that we may not become tired and drowsy, the ceremony is given life by dancing. So the slow part of the Holy Song is followed by the quick part, which is the music of the dance.
In the olden times, the Medicine Ceremony was very solemn and sacred. And its mysteries were known only to the Medicine Men, the Holy Men. White people called it the "medicine religion of the Winnebagoes." Here is one of the Holy songs:
Saith the spirit,
'Dream, oh, dream again,
And tell of me,
Dream thou!'
Into solitude went I
And wisdom was revealed to me.
Saith the spirit,
'Dream, oh, dream again,
And tell of me,
Dream thou!'
Let the whole world hear me,
Wise am I!
Now saith the spirit,
'Tell of me
Dream thou!'
All was revealed to me;
From the beginning
Know I all, hear me!
All was revealed to me
Now saith the spirit
'Tell of me
Dream thou!'" [1]
Commentary. "Great Water" -- this could refer to the Great Lakes, specifically Red Banks on the shores of Lake Michigan, but it is more likely that it refers to Lake Winnebago, which the Hotcâgara call De Xedera, "The Great Lake."
"Ma-o-na" -- for Mâ'ûna -- mâ, "earth"; 'û, "to make"; na, "the (one who)", "the Earthmaker".
"sent a spirit" -- to be blessed by Earthmaker directly is all but unheard of.
"Medicine Men, the Holy Men" -- this refers to the prominent members of the Medicine Rite, the Mâk’ânî (< mâk'â, "medicine"). By "medicine" is meant supernatural power.
"The Medicine Ceremony" -- this is the same as the Medicine Rite.
Links: Earthmaker.
Stories: pertaining to the Medicine Rite: The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, The Journey to Spiritland, Battle of the Night Blessed Men and the Medicine Rite Men, Maize Origin Myth, The Necessity for Death, Hog's Adventures, Great Walker's Warpath, see also Stories from Jasper Blowsnake's account of the Medicine Rite; about fasting blessings: Earthmaker Blesses Wagícega (Wecgícega), The Difficult Blessing, The Boy Who Became a Robin, The Boy who would be Immortal, The Woman Who Fought the Bear, The Girl who Refused a Blessing from the Wood Spirits, The Seer, The Woman who Loved Her Half-Brother, The Nightspirits Bless Djobenâgiwíñxga, Disease Giver Blesses Djobenâgiwíñxga, The Blessings of the Buffalo Spirits, The Boy who was Blessed by a Mountain Lion, Ghost Dance Origin Myth I, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman, Aratcgéga's Blessings, Great Walker's Medicine, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, Thunderbird and White Horse, The Man who was Blessed by the Sun, Paint Medicine Origin Myth, The Plant Blessing of Earth, The Blessing of Cokeboka, The Tap the Head Medicine, The Sweetened Drink Song, Ancient Blessing; featuring Earthmaker as a character: The Creation of the World, The Creation of Man, The Commandments of Earthmaker, The Twins Get into Hot Water, The Twins Retrieve Red Star's Head, The Lost Blanket, The First Snakes, Tobacco Origin Myth, The Creation Council, The Gray Wolf Origin Myth, The Journey to Spiritland, The Resurrection of the Chief's Daughter, The Seven Maidens, The Descent of the Drum, Thunder Cloud Marries Again, The Spider's Eyes, The Boy who was Blessed by a Mountain Lion, Wonághire Wâkcik Clan Origin Myth, Fourth Universe, Cûgepaga, The Fatal House, The Twin Sisters, Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth, Elk Clan Origin Myth, Deer Clan Origin Myth, Bear Clan Origin Myth, Wolf Clan Origin Myth, The Masaxe War, The Two Children, Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, The Petition to Earthmaker, The Gift of Shooting, Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth, Bluehorn's Nephews, The Stone Heart, The Wild Rose, Earthmaker Sends Rucewe to the Twins, The Lame Friend, How the Hills and Valleys were Formed, The Hotcâk Migration Myth, The Necessity for Death, Hotcâk Clans Origin Myth, The War among the Animals, Lake Winnebago Origin Myth, Blue Mound, Lost Lake, The Hotcâgara Migrate South, The Spirit of Gambling, Turtle and the Giant, The Shawnee Prophet -- What He Told the Hotcâgara, The Hotcâgara Contest the Giants, Ghost Dance Origin Myth II, Bird Origin Myth, Black and White Moons, Redhorn's Sons, The Reincarnated Grizzly Bear, The Blessings of the Buffalo Spirits, Death Enters the World, Man and His Three Dogs, Trickster Concludes His Mission, Story of the Thunder Names, The Origins of the Milky Way, Trickster and the Dancers, Ghost Dance Origin Myth I, East Enters the Medicine Lodge, The Blessing of Kerexûsaka; set at Lake Winnebago (De Xede): Lake Winnebago Origin Myth, The First Fox and Sauk War, White Thunder's Warpath, Traveler and the Thunderbird War (v. 2), The Great Fish, The Wild Rose, The Two Boys, Great Walker's Warpath, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman, The Fox-Hotcâk War, The Two Children (?).
Themes: a person who fasts receives blessings from the spirits: The Blessings of the Buffalo Spirits, The Boy who was Blessed by a Mountain Lion, The Nightspirits Bless Djobenagiwíñxga, Ghost Dance Origin Myth I, Redhorn's Sons, The Boy Who Became a Robin, The Woman Who Fought the Bear, The Seer, Maize Comes to the Hotcâgara, The Warbundle of the Eight Generations, The Woman who Loved Her Half-Brother, The Boy who would be Immortal, The Thunderbird, Lake Wâkcikhomîgra (Mendota): the Origin of Its Name, Great Walker's Medicine, Cûgepaga, Earthmaker Blesses Wagícega (Wecgícega), A Man's Revenge, Aratcgéga's Blessings, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman, The Man who was Blessed by the Sun, The Girl who Refused a Blessing from the Wood Spirits, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, The Man who Defied Disease Giver, White Thunder's Warpath, A Man and His Three Dogs, The Diving Contest, The Plant Blessing of Earth, The Tap the Head Medicine, The Blessing of Cokeboka, The Completion Song Origin, Paint Medicine Origin Myth, The Nightspirits Bless Tciwoit'éhiga, The Horse Spirit of Eagle Heights; a spirit blesses a man with knowledge of sacred songs: Earthmaker Blesses Wagícega (Wecgícega), Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, The Island Weight Songs, A Snake Song Origin Myth, The Completion Song Origin, The Sweetened Drink Song, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman.
Songs. Bladder, Song about the Older Brother, v. 2, Bladder, Song about the Older Brother, v. 3, Buffalo Dance Songs, Clan Songs, Bear Clan, Clan Songs, Bear Clan, Song for Returning, Clan Songs, Bear Clan, Song for Starting Out, Clan Song, Bear Clan, Song of the Youngest, Clan Songs, Buffalo Clan, Clan Songs, Buffalo Clan, The Four Songs of Hodjanoka, Clan Songs, Deer Clan, Clan Songs, Wolf Clan, Clan Songs, Wonághire Wâkcik Clan, The Crawfish's Song, Duck Song, Farewell Songs, The Four Services Songs, Grandfather Sparrow's Rain Songs, Grizzly Bear Songs), Hare's Song to Grasshopper, Hare's Song to the Wâgepanîgera, Hare's Song to Wildcat, Hawk's Song, Herok'a Songs, Little Fox's Death Song, Little Fox's Death Song (for the Warpath), Little Fox's Tail Song, The Mouse Song, Nightspirit Songs, The Quail's Song, Redman's Song, Slow Song of the Herok'a, Soldier Dance Songs, Song for Calling the Buffalo, Song from the Water, Song from the Water (King Bird), The Song of Bluehorn's Sister, The Song of Sun Caught in a Net, The Song of the Boy Transformed into a Robin, Song of the Frog to Hare, Song of the Thunder Nestlings, The Song of Trickster's Baby, The Song to the Elephant, The Song to the Elephant, v. 3, The Sun's Song to Hare, Turtle's Call for a Warparty, v. 1, Turtle's Call for a Warparty, v. 2, Turtle's Four Death Dance Songs, Twins, Ghost's Song, v. 1, Twins, Ghost's Song, v. 2, Twins, Ghost's Song (The Two Brothers), Twins, the Songs of Ghost and Flesh, Twins, Song of the Father-in-Law, Victory Song, What a Turtle Sang in His Sleep, Wolf-Teasing Song of the Deer Spirits.
Notes:
[1] Glenn Welker, "Holy Song (Medicine Song)" at http://www.indigenouspeople.net/holysong.htm