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92 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99
It is he who for the last few days has been "working to spoil the
strength " and the magic power of the medicine man who is conjuring
for the rival team. And the victoiy or defeat is laid at the door of
the medicine man rather than that the players themselves are con-
gratulated or scorned for it.
To have an adequate idea of the social status of the medicine man
we should bear in mind that in his person we find cumulated such
professions and pursuits which in our society would correspond to
those of the clergy, the educators, the philosophers and the historians,
the members of the m.edical profession in its widest sense, i. e.,
physicians, surgeons, and chemists; and finally, to a certain degree,
even to those of the politicians and of the press.
His constant journeys to and fro, curing the sick, or trying to do so,
gathering simples, calling on former patrons; on the other hand,
his constantly being called upon by the people to assist them in their
most intimate needs— a worried man asking him to make his wife's
mind forget her former sweethearts, a spiteful woman demanding of
him that he spoil the mind of a man she hates, all this contributes
immensely toward making him the best informed person about,
and nothing happens within a few miles' radius without his being
aware of it.
Is it then to be wondered at that a man with such wide connections,
walldng in and out of so many homes, staying often with a family for
days at a time, must be a most omniscient and influential individual?
Yet the medicine man should not be vainglorious about his status.
All the members of the profession I have loiown always made a point
of declaring, when asked, that they did not feel proud or haughty
toward the people; they should not, because, they emphatically
declared, they held their power and knowledge from une-'tlan5'!i,
who had given it to them that they might help the people.
This conception is undoubtedly influenced by modern Christian
views, for although une-'tlano'ci is a powerful Cherokee deity (see
p. 20), nowhere in the rest of tribal lore is he referred to as ever ha-sdng
granted any such gift as curing disease or the power of dispensing
medicine to the people. I feel sure, therefore, that the statement
here made by the medicine men refers to the Christianized i;ne*'tlano'*i,
i. e., God, the Creator.
Whatever the medicine men may say with regard to this, I have
often found evidence that their statements are not always corroborated
by their actions; they do get a streak of vanity and conceit now
and again, and do consider themselves as far more interesting and
clever individuals than the common mortals. This, however, rarely
manifests itself outwardly; they plant their corn and ply the hoe as
everybody else, and do not betray by any article of dress or ornament
either their profession or its importance. If this may be called any