Kitchi-Gami: Life Among the Lake Superior Ojibway

CHAPTER IV

40 THE TEMFLE WIGW.AM. CHAPTER IV. THB TEMl'LE WIGWAM-THE ORDER OF TJIE MIDES-AN INDIAN CIIRISTEN· ING-THE HIGII PRIEST-TilE BIG DRUM-TilE EVIL SFIRIT-TJIE MEDI· CINE BAG-LIFE AND DEATH-THE MUSIC-THE BEIIAVIOUR OF THE INDIANS-PRESENTATION OF THE CHILD-THE DANCES-THE MYSTERIOUS SJIELLS-WJ.MFUM-TOBACCO-RECEIVING THE PRESENTS-MAGIC .UID MYSTERY-MAIZE BROTH-FINALE. HEARING that the Indians had built a temple wigwam on the beach, about two miles off, and that a grand festival was coming off, in which a father would present his boy for reception into the order of the Mides, we started at an early hour, in order to see as much as we could of the solemnity. We walked through the woods, and at length l'eached a steep path leading down to the beach. A sandy promontory jutted out here far into the lake; it was the point that protects our little haven, from which the island derives its name. A number of wigwams had been erected here under the tall cliff, and a little further on we noticed, at the edge of the declivity, the temple lodge, or, as the Indians call it, the "midewi-gamig." THE ORDER OF THE MIDES. 41 Midewiwin is the Indian term for what the Canadians call "la grande medecine," that is, the great fraternity among the Indians for religious purposes. "Mide" is a member of the fraternity, while "gamig" is a corruption of wigiwam, always used in composition . Hence, " midewi-gamig" may be translated " temple wigwam," or, " house of the brethren." Our temple wigwam reminded me of the bowers built by the Jews for their Feast of Tabernacles. But it was forty feet in length, running from east to west. The entrance was to the east, and a similar door for exit at the western end. It was composed of young trees and branches, and cut a very respectable figure, when we bear in mind that it was merely erected to receive an infant into the Mide order, or, as we should say, to christen it. The unending succession of ceremonies which were performed during the day also proved to me that the Indians regarded such an affair as highly important. As the branches were very loosely interlaced, I was enabled to take a peep before entering. On one side, with their backs resting against the posts, sat the great Mides, the chief brothers of the order, the high-priests, or the faculty. They were about half a dozen, among them being several of the chiefs whose acquaintance I had formed at La Pointe. I recognised one by the silver ring he wore in his nose, and a couple of pounds' weight of plated earrings, which hung from his distended lobes, like bunches of grapes. He appeared to occupy the first place, and play the principal part. Opposite to him cowered the father of the little novice. The latter, firmly tied on his board, lay .in the grass, as quiet and well-behaved as Indian pap- 42 THE TEMPLE DRUM. pooses usually are. The little one caused no unpleasant interruption the whole day through, and endured all the ceremonies performed on him or around him with an equanimity that proved to me fully that he belonged to that race who, when grown up, endure martyrdom without a groan. On either side the father was a row of god-parents and witnesses, men, women, and children, all in their Sunday state-i.e. with their faces painted a fiery red, like fresh-boiled lobsters. Before the east entrance the presents hung on tall posts, which the father had brought for the priesthood, the chief one being a quantity of gaily-flowered calico, which fluttered in the breeze. In the middle of the temple was the big drum, which in religious ceremonies is beaten with a small wooden hammer fastened to a long wand. It is slightly different in form from the ordinary drum: it is longer, produces a more hollow sound, and has a special name, '' Mideguakik,"-the temple drum. A large stone lay in the grass, also in the central line of the lodge, but nearer the east door. I cannot exactly explain the significance of this stone, which was lefl; untouched during the entire ceremony. One of the Mides I cross-questioned on the subject gave me the following account: "See," he said, pointing...