Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

148 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY iBuu,. 99
will not be tampered with to any considerable degree by what little
Tie sells, if only the others would not sell so much of it.
Theoretically speaking, there are no restrictions as to the formulas
a medicine man may know. But for practical reasons most of them
specialize in a certain set of them, according to the subbranch of
magic or curing he speciaUzes in (as love attraction, medicine, etc.),
or he may even specialize in a narrower field, according to the two
or three diseases he is reputed to be an authority on.
For specialists among the medicine men see page 85 ; for the special
sets of formulas see below.
When it comes to classifying the various formulas which the Cherokee
use we can do so according to their own standards or according to
ours.
They themselves distinguish clearly between "good" formulas and
"bad" ones, the good ones being those the object of which is beneficial,
the bad ones those with deleterious aims. Under the former
they would classify those that have been listed by me as Nos. 1 to 9,
pages 149-153; among the latter those which I list as Nos. 10 to
14, pages 153-155.
A. Praters:
1. For protection.
2. For long life.
3. For gathering medicine.
B. Conjurations:
4. For curing.
5. For using tobacco.
Classification
6. For examining with the beads.
7. Against witches.
8. Agricultural.
9. For hunting and fishing.
C. Incantations:
10. " To change."
11. To kill.
12. For love attraction.
13. For making unattractive.
14. For separating.
I feel that I should motivate in a few words this classification, as
well as the terminology used.
I apply the name of "formula" as a generic term to any of the
three kinds used.
Prayer,—'Bj this name I call a formula in which a request is made
or in which a desire is expressed to a power which is clearly felt as
superior, and upon whom the one who prays feels himself dependent.
The object is to bring about morally or materially beneficial results.
The request is made, the desire expressed ia a humble way; it is not
felt that the result desired can be forced or extorted from the being
addressed. He can not be commanded or compelled to act.