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Well my children,come in and set down-I have many things to show you today
My children-our medicine men use many things to help the people.Some things are plants,others are of the spirit.
Here I will show you a few of the things used to help keep our people happy and healthy
This is a Medicine skull
with the medicine circle on it.it helps to keep the bad spirits away.This might
be set inside a tipi to help heal a person or used with other things for the
people.
This is a totem pole,these are
used to ask blessings from the different animal and magical spirits that are
around us all the time.This one is for the great Eagle who flies up to the great
father with our prayers and requests.
Sometimes a special place is used.This is the Indian Rock Paintings that are over two thousand years old.Each set of markings represent different things.this was a very special and holy place.
> Music is also one way to offer up prayers and to help in times of need.There
are many chants,songs,stories and prayers told by the beat of the drum or the
song of a flute. Spirit Shield ----------------Spirit Shield--------------------Dream
Catcher------------Dream Catcher Here are several different dream catchers as well as a two sprit shields
Spirit Shields would hold things that the owner feels important to them such as
a drawing of their totem guides and what ever else they may feel that is needed
on the shield.This is kept in the lodge with the family to protect them from
evil and harm.The dream catchers are hung up in the lodge to catch the bad
dreams so only good dreams come to the sleepers within the lodge. The elements played a big part in what the people did or did not do.There
were many things the medicine man looked for in the
clouds,sunsets,storms,everything played a part in helping him or her keep the
people healthy,well feed and safe. So My children I hope you have learned something today.No off with you to
practice throwing you knives,or fishing or what ever and let this old woman get
some rest.
This is a neckless that is made
of wooden beads and deer bone.On it is a carving of a bear.This neckless is my
totem animal as well as the wolf.It is special to me as it holds a part of that
animals spirit to help guide me in the things I do and the path I take in
life.Many people have different totem animals that help guide them.To find yours
all you need to do is pay attention to your dreams as the spirit will often
revile it's self to you several times in a dream that is almost real.
Sometimes a different knife
will be used in different things.Here I have several of my knives.You see a bone
knife that I use when I am mixing herbs and things like that.A dagger that is my
throwing knife,I use this one in games as I feel the spirit of it and I have
good luck throwing it.Then a small deer antler patch knife,this knife I use to
help skin and tan hides it is good for cutting leather.Next is my larger bone
Handel knife I use this for digging up roots and herb and things like that.Then
is my Green River knife it is a good knife for cutting up foods.A shaman might
use special knives and things like that to prepare medicines and teas and
offerings to the great father.
Dance is another way of offering up
prayers and a way of showing honor to the great father.There are many different
dances.One is called the Corn Dance-it is done by the Cherokee People after the
corn crop has grown.During this festival no old corn is eaten,there is dancing
and singing and then new corn picked and cooked is added to the festival and the
people pick a corn maidens to be the bearer of the first plate of corn to help
ensure good crops next year and to honor the earth mother from who all things
grow.
A item like this could be
used in treating the sick or to call a meeting to order or to ask to speak.
This is a medicine
symbolist might point the way to a village that has sickness or it might show
where something good is like water that has been known to be healing or special
plants that are helpfull.The different arrangement of the rocks and the bones
tells what is being said.
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