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Further Note from the Author regarding who was the Old-Time Medicine Man?

When I first began this series, I did not really have a good idea of who were these old-time medicine men. I had some information, and I did lots of research.

But, as these stories have gone on and, as I have become more and more aware of what was truly a medicine man in the long-ago days, I thought I would try to define the word "medicine" as it was known and used before the turn of the last century.

I think this is important since the word "medicine" has a different connotation today than what was traditionally meant by an American Indian Medicine Man.

Author and painter George Catlin tried as best he could to define the word "medicine" and to define the medicine men, also.

In his book from the early 1830s, Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Conditions of NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS , Mr. Catlin writes:

"The Fur Traders in this country, are nearly all French; and in their language, a doctor or physician, is called ' Medecin.

' The Indian country is full of doctors; and as they are all magicians, and skilled, or profess to be skilled, in many mysteries, the word 'medecin' has become habitually applied to every thing mysterious or unaccountable; and the English and Americans…

have easily and familiarly adopted the same word, with a slight alteration, conveying the same meaning; and to be a little more explicit, they have denominated these personages 'medicine-men,' which means something more than merely a doctor or physician. "

Mr. Catlin goes on to write these medicine men were of the highest order in their tribes.

When they were called upon to help the sick or the injured, they generally would use roots and herbs, as many people today do, too.

But, after or during the administration of herbs, Mr. Catlin observed that those men would then use their own "medicine ," which meant the medicine which the Creator had given to them.

And, each medicine man had his own medicine—his own dress and ritual he would use in order to perform over a sick, dying or injured person.

In these, he used, amongst other forms, the dances, rattles and songs given to him by his animal helper or from his own communication with the Creator to help heal the injured or the sick.

Mr. Catlin also made a note that the medicine men of the past used "magic" to heal, saying the medicine man was often successful, and many "mysterious" or "magical" healings occurred because of the medicine man's skills.

It is in reference to the use of the word "magic" that I wish to address more specifically, because this reference was, I think, not quite right.

Almost…but not quite. Mr. Catlin was trying to explain what he saw, but there is a bigger picture.

Let me explain.

Mr. Catlin defined this word in the best way he knew how by describing a sort of "magic" that he could see was being used by these medicine men. But, he was not an American Indian, and so he wrote about what he could discern was happening, but from his own view of the world as he knew it.

However, there are now more recent books on the topic of how the medicine man was able to heal.

One of these books is Fools Crow, Medicine Man of the Lakota — Fools Crow by Thomas E.

Mails. Another of these books is Black Elk Speaks, by John G.

Neihardt. Black Elk was also a medicine man of the Lakota.

In the book, The Dreadful River Cave, CHIEF BLACK ELK'S STORY, by James Willard Schultz, there is even more reference and insight into the medicine men, since Black Elk's father was a medicine man.

There is also the book Pretty Shield, Medicine Woman of the Crow, by Frank B. Linderman, and a more contemporary book, INITIATION, Boys Are Born, Men Are Trained , by Jeffrey Prather. There are others.

So I have now come to believe it was not magic the American Indian medicine man was utilizing to heal, per se , but rather it was spirituality, as well as his devotion and prayers to the Creator who, alone, could heal the sick or injured.

In other words, it was the Creator who healed, not His helper, the medicine man.

Additionally, in the old days, a medicine man never believed that it was he who healed the sick.

He was always well aware, as were others within the tribe, that it was the Creator who healed those in need, thus the need for prayer.

And, He healed via the medicine man or via another person who might be praying to Him for assistance.

I do not pretend to know "all about" the medicine men and women who did their best to help those who needed their services. But, as I continue to research and find out more and more about this man or woman, I thought I would tell you a little about what I have discovered.

And, once again, I quote from George Catlin's book, Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Conditions of NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS :

"These men…are valued as dignitaries in the tribe, and the greatest respect is paid to them by the whole community; …

In all councils of war and peace, they have a seat with the chiefs—are regularly consulted before any public step is taken, and the greatest deference and respect is paid to their opinions. "