Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

34 BXJKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 99
According to information collected by Mooney, these diseases
were even sent to each other by friends and relations "as a joke"
to mutually test their knowledge and aptitude to ward off such
attacks. I did not find this view confirmed.
"MULIER MeNSTRUANS" ^2
Again and again in these pages proofs Avill be found of the nefarious
influence ascribed to a woman during her catamenial period. This
influence she exercises involuntarily; it is inherent to her condition
at that time.
Eating the food she has prepared, touching whatever object she
has used, even walking along a trail by which she has traveled, may
cause a painful and obstinate malady. Up to two or three generations
ago this belief was far more pronounced, and practices with
regard to it were observed much more strictly than is the case now.
As soon as the first signs of her condition manifested themselves,
the woman repaired to the o''si, a small low hut set apart for people
"under restrictions," as menstruating women, women in labor, and
probably also for patients suft'ering from certain diseases; the o*'si was
also reserved for certain acts of a ceremonial nature, as the instruc-
tion of aspirant medicine men, the recitation of certain myths, etc.
There is not one o''si left on the reservation, and not even the oldest
persons remember ever having seen one. The women, therefore,
nowadays no longer leave the common dwelling place during their
periods, but abstain from cooking meals, or from any other duties
pertaining to the household. The meals are cooked by other female
members of the household or prepared by the men.
The Cherokee medicine men are considerably at odds as to the
actual way in which menstruating women exercise their disease-
causing influence. According to the view that commonly prevails,
the mere presence of such a person is sufficient to cause disease, and
this I consider to be the primary form of the belief. Others, Og. among
them, held that especially the look of her was nefarious; this would
indicate a belief that is intimately related with the "evil eye" superstition,
and may possibly be of foreign (white?) origin, as the Cherokee
do not seem to attach any importance to this mode of bewitching.
The onl}'^ other instance that can be cited is that of the fascinating
look of the i;kt*€*'na: "if he even looked at a man, this man's family
would die." (Mooney, Myths, p. 253.)
It is of import to note that not only the presence of the woman is
held to be dangerous, but even that of her husband. I have myself
22 Under this caption only the "disease-causing" influence of a mulier menstruans
is considered. The taboos she has to observe herself are mentioned
(p. 120) and will be discussed at greater length in a forthcoming paper, in which
the sexual life of the Cherokee will be more adequately described.