Plate XVI.a. Mnemonic Song.

Ni-ka´-ni-na´,ni-ka´-ni-na´,ni-ka´-ni-na´,
I am the Nika´ni,I am the Nika´ni,I am the Nika´ni,
man´-i-dō wig´-i-wam win´-di-ge´-un.
I am going into the sacred lodge.

[The speaker compares himself to the Bear Man´ido, and as such isrepresented at the entrance of the Midē´wigân.]

Ni-ka´-ni-na´,ni-ka´-ni-na´,ni-ka´-ni-na´,
I am the Nika´ni,I am the Nika´ni,I am the Nika´ni,
ni-kan´-gi-nun´-da wé-mĭ-dŭk´.
I “suppose” you hear me.

[The lines from the ear denotes hearing; the words are addressed to hisauditors.]

Wâ´, he-wa´-ke-wa ke-wâ´,he-wa´-ke-wâ´, wâ´.
He said,he said.

Signifies that Ki´tshi Man´idō, who is seen with the voice lines issuingfrom the mouth, and who promised the Ani´shinâ´bēg “life,” that theymight always live.

Rest. A ceremonial smoke is now indulged in.

We´-shki-nun´-do-ni-ne´,
ke-nosh´-ki-nun´-do-ni-ne´.

This is the first time you hear it.

[The lines of hearing are again shown; the words refer to the first timethis is chanted as it is an intimation that the singer is to be advancedto the higher grade of the Midē´wiwin.]

Hwe´-na-ni-ka he-na´, he-nō´
mi-tē´-win-win´ gi´-ga-wa´-pi-no-dōn´.

You laugh, you laugh at the “grand medicine.”

[The arms are directed towards Ki´tshi Man´idō, the creator of thesacred rite; the words refer to those who are ignorant of the Midē´wiwinand its teachings.]

Nun-te´-ma-ne´, hē´, wi´-na-nun´-te-ma-ne´
ki´-pi-nan´.

I hear, but they hear it not.

[The speaker intimates that he realizes the importance of the Midē´rite, but the uninitiated do not.]

Pe´-ne-sŭi´-a ke´-ke-kwi´-yan.

I am sitting like a sparrow-hawk.

The singer is sitting upright, and is watchful, like a hawk watching forits prey. He is ready to observe, and to acquire, everything that maytranspire in the Midē´ structure.

Upon the conclusion of the chant, the assembled Midē´ smoke and review the manner of procedure for the morrow’s ceremony, and when these details have been settled they disperse, to return to their wig´iwams, or to visit Midē´ who may have come from distant settlements.

Early on the day of his initiation the candidate returns to the sudatory to await the coming of his preceptor. The gifts of tobacco are divided into parcels which may thus be easily distributed at the proper time, and as soon as the officiating priests have arrived, and seated themselves, the candidate produces some tobacco of which all present take a pipeful, when a ceremonial smoke-offering is made to Ki´tshi Man´idō. The candidate then takes his midē´ drum and sings a song of his own composition, or one which he may have purchased from his preceptor, or some Midē´ priest. The following is a reproduction of an old mnemonic song which the owner, Sikas´sigĕ, had received from his father who in turn had obtained it at La Pointe, Wisconsin, about the year 1800. The words are archaic to a great extent, and they furthermore differ from the modern language on account of the manner in which they are pronounced in chanting, which peculiarity has been faithfully followed below. The pictographic characters are reproduced in [Pl. XVI, B]. As usual, the several lines are sung ad libitum, repetition depending entirely upon the feelings of the singer.

Plate XVI.b. Mnemonic Song.

Hin´-to-nâ-ga-ne´ o-sa-ga-tshī´-wēd o-do´-zhi-tōn´. The sun is coming up, that makes my dish. The dish signifies the feast to be made by the singer. The zigzag lines across the dish denote the sacred character of the feast. The upper lines are the arm holding the vessel.
Man´-i-dō i´-ya-nē´, ish´-ko-te´-wi-wa´-we-yan´. My spirit is on fire. The horizontal lines across the leg signify magic power of traversing space. The short lines below the foot denote flames, i.e., magic influence obtained by swiftness of communication with the man´idōs.
Ko´tshi-hâ-ya-nē´, nē´,
ish´-ki-to´-ya-ni´, nin-do´-we-hē´, wi´-a-we-yan´. I want to try you, I am of fire. [The zigzag lines diverging from the mouth signify voice, singing; the apex upon the head superior knowledge, by means of which the singer wishes to try his Midē´ sack upon his hearer, to give evidence of the power of his influence.]
A pause. Ceremonial smoking is indulged in, after which the chant is continued.
Ni-mī´-ga-sim´-ma man´-i-dō, sa-ko´-tshi-na´. My mī´gis spirit, that is why I am stronger than you. The three spots denote the three times the singer has received the mī´gis by being shot; it is because this spirit is within him that he is more powerful than those upon the outside of the wigiwam who hear him.
Mī´-ga-ye´-nin en´-dy-ân, ya´, hō´, ya´, man´-i-dō´-ya. That is the way I feel, spirit. The speaker is filled with joy at his power, the mī´gis within him, shown by the spot upon the body, making him confident.
Ya-gō´-sha-hī´, nâ´, ha´, ha´,
Ya-gō´-sha-hi´, man´-i-dō-wī´-yĭn. I am stronger than you, spirit that you are. [He feels more powerful, from having received three times the mī´gis, than the evil spirit who antagonizes his progress in advancement.]

Upon the completion of this preliminary by the candidate, the priests emerge from the wig´iwam and fall in line according to their official status, when the candidate and preceptor gather up the parcels of tobacco and place themselves at the head of the column and start toward the eastern entrance of the Midē´wigân. As they approach the lone post, or board, the candidate halts, when the priests continue to chant and drum upon the Midē´ drum. The chief Midē´ then advances to the board and peeps through the orifice near the top to view malevolent man´idōs occupying the interior, who are antagonistic to the entrance of a stranger. This spot is assumed to represent the resting place or “nest,” from which the Bear Man´idō viewed the evil spirits during the time of his initiation by the Otter. The evil spirits within are crouching upon the floor, one behind the other and facing the east, the first being Mi-shi´-bi-shi´—the panther; the second, Me-shi´-kĕ—the turtle; the third, kwin´-go-â´-gĭ—the big wolverine; the fourth, wâ´-gŭsh—the fox; the fifth, ma-in´-gŭn—the wolf; and the sixth, ma-kwa´—the bear. They are the ones who endeavor to counteract or destroy the good wrought by the rites of the Midē´wiwin, and only by the aid of the good man´idōs can they be driven from the Midē´wigân so as to permit a candidate to enter and receive the benefits of the degree. The second Midē´ then views the group of malevolent beings, after which the third, and lastly the fourth priest looks through the orifice. They then advise

the presentation by the candidate of tobacco at that point to invoke the best efforts of the Midē´ Man´idōs in his behalf.