“Midewiwin”, a Native American term often translated into English “Medicine Man”. Though, it is well known that Native American languages depend on symbolism, hence, it is not easy to translate them literally.[1]
The “Midewiwin” is frequently denoted to as “the healer” in the spiritual sense. It is a craft or an activity that differs from healing with herbs and natural remedies that is known as traditional medicine or Native American ethnobotany[2] which also forms a fundamental foundation in the Native American culture.
It is interesting to mention that the word “de” means “the heart” in the Native American language. Thus, Midewiwin is sometimes transited “the way of the heart”.[3]
Origins:
According to the Native American Mythology, Gitche Manitou, another word for the “Great Spirit”[4] in the Anishinaabe culture[5], created two males and two females, then he blessed them with reason.
Gitche Manitou loved his new creatures, he places them on his hand to give them the chance to reproduce. Unfortunately, Gitche Manitou realized that his beloved creatures easily get exposed to illness, sadness, misery and death. Thus, he bestowed them the “Sacred Secret” of his own; a secret that no creature on the “turtle back” knows.
Now we need to know that Native Americans used to believe that the Great Spirit created the world over the back of a giant turtle.[6]
The secret bequeathed was granted to the ancestors of the Anishinaabe. He gave some herbs the secret of physical healings but he provided the Anishinaabe with the great secret of spiritual one, as he talked to them through winds and communicated his secret through sun.
The Sun Spirit was incarnated in a boy and went to live with a woman who had a child of her own. The family, who adopted the Sun Spirit boy, went hunting when their biological child died. The parents where hunted by grief and sorrow, however, their adopted child surprised them by forming a ceremony to resuscitate his brother. The little boy suddenly turned into a bear who stood before the dead body and called for him, the dead boy woke up and stood on feet. While the whole tribe was overwhelmed by the incident, the bear boy again astounded them by acknowledging that he is the son of the Sun.
The bear/boy stayed among the Anishinaabe to impart them his mystery and they rendered the secret to following generations.
Medicine Man/Woman:
It is hard to make Native American tribes talk about their enigma. Actually, inquiring about the secret of spiritual healing arouses doubts and reservations. This skeptical approach is well understood in the context of the Native American misery they suffered since the first European stepped on their lands. Nevertheless, each tribe is loath to talk about its healing secret to other tribes.
Wiigwaasabakoon:
The spiritual secret was preserved in a group of birch bark scrolls, or Wiigwaasabakoon, which were considered sacred and deliberately hidden. Notwithstanding, it was found, yet, deciphering its geometrical patterns was not at hand.[7]
Ceremonies:
Attaining the secret is not only about some instructions recorded in codes. There are several ceremonies to achieve spiritual cleansing and reach a point that enables the healer – or non-healers too – to communicate with nature, spirits, ancestors and the Great Spirit.
Among these ceremonies are:
- Mid-winter ceremony.[8]
- Animosh (white dog ceremony).
- Feast of the Dead.[9]
- Raven Festival.
- Painted Pole Festival.
And various other ceremonies and festivals which were prohibited for centuries as they were regarded as “paganism”, “sorcery”, “black magic” … etc.
The plan was to annihilate peoples of the “no-man’s land”, and build a new world. After centuries, the plan is on its route to be changed, it was not a “no-man’s land” by any means and the indigenous were not erased though trying all means.[10]
[1] https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/arts/language/linguistics/native-american-languages
[2] https://nativeplants.ku.edu/ethnobotany-research-2/native-american-ethnobotany
[3] http://the-wanderling.com/midewiwin.html
[4] https://iic-berlin.de/wakan-tanka-the-great-secret/?fbclid=IwAR0ueI829RyF6IRFOWND2jLM4W220YP1WOsmrcAMtiYMaJgNwki91bzeps8
[5] https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/anishinaabe
[6] https://www.ancientpages.com/2020/06/24/myths-legends-reveal-ancient-turtle-worship-linked-creation-world/#:~:text=Native%20American%20Indians%20believed%20that%20the%20Great%20Spirit,of%20the%20earth%20in%20many%20different%20Native%20cultures.
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfSB4uyhMUk
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwJpNeFzB8E
