Chapter 56
M. R. HARRINGTON — SACRED BUNDLES OF THE SAC AND FOX INDIANS. 239
given in connection with the war bundles; and, like them, it is said to have originated in a dream or vision.
Kiana, the Fox Indian from whom I bought the fetish, aroused my suspicions concerning its genuineness by offering me later two more fetishes, one of which at least proved on inspection to be newly carved and “aged” with considerable art, but a further examination of the present specimen renewed my faith in its authenticity.
One of the supposedly new fetishes, the turtle figure shown in PI. XL, B, is so good that I am not really sure yet whether it is new or not. Several Fox Indians told me that if it is not an old one, it is at least a good model of a class of “powerful things” still existing in the tribe and supposed to be protectors of the health. But the other, a very large human figure, is clearly new, and was bought as such, the maker realizing that he could not keep up his pretense of antiquity for the specimen.
The bundles whose descriptions follow are said to have been used each for a single purpose only, but examination of the contents shows that medicines for other uses sometimes occur. The first is:
Good-Will Bundle.
Bundle 2/6379.
The name Ml ca' dus kwe, which the interpreters render as “High-toned medicine,” seems to be applied to bundles quite different in general contents, but alike in containing a compound intended to obtain for the user or users the good will of others. One of these, obtained from Ki ma wa ta pa, a Sac and Fox, was used in promoting friendship between the Sac and Fox and other tribes. This is not as altruistic as it appears, for one of the principal reasons advanced for culti- vating the good will of other tribes was that valuable gifts might be obtained from them.
When about to visit another tribe for a “pony smoke”
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240 UNIVERSITY MUSEUM — ANTHROPOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS VOL. IV.
or other friendly gathering, the party would stop the night before they were due to arrive, and the members of the society owning the bundle would hold a dance at the camp, at which the bundle was opened. After the bundle had been asked to help the visitors to get good friendly treatment and fine presents, sticks were prepared, one for each person, to repre- sent the number of the visiting party; these were divided in two bundles, representing the number belonging to each of the two divisions of the Sac and Fox — Ac kac' a , and Kic' ko\
After painting these sticks with green paint in which some herbs from the bundle had been mixed, a pipe was similarly painted. Next morning two messengers were dele- gated to take the sticks and the pipe to the chief of the tribe they were about to visit, but these two men and every one in the party were required to paint their faces with the herb mixture from the bundle before approaching the camp of their hosts.
When the chief of the tribe visited, has accepted the pipe and smoked it, and has taken the sticks, the medicine upon them affects him so strongly that he will give the visitors things he would never think of parting with otherwise — even a fine horse.
Eli ma wa ta pa told me that he did not remember how the bundle was said to have originated, or any further detail, except that every spring it was taken out of the trunk or par- fleche in which it was customarily kept, and a feast given by the society. At these feasts the members of the society did not partake of the food provided, which was given to the invited guests, while the members, sitting, sang the songs of the ritual. Although the bundle was the property of a society (details concerning which were lacking) the whole tribe enjoyed its benefits.
The outer cover of the bundle was a woven sack, 12y x 9|", made of a black yam resembling buffalo wool and ravelings of three colors, red, green and yellow.
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