Indians 101: Tribal medicine bundles among Northern Plains tribes

One of the common spiritual elements in many American Indian cultures is the medicine bundle, a collection of sacred objects along with accompanying songs and ceremonies. In general, there are three kinds of medicine bundles: (1) personal bundles which are often made in accordance with instructions received from spiritual helpers during the vision quest; (2) medicine bundles which are held by tribal associations or societies; and (3) tribal medicine bundles. Briefly described below are some of the tribal medicine bundles found among the Northern Plains tribes.

Gros Ventre

At the time the first European explorers and fur traders were entering the Northern Plains in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the Indian tribe known as the Gros Ventre (A’aninin) were living in the Milk River drainage of Missouri River in what is now Montana. Like the other Northern Plains tribes of Montana and Alberta they had developed a lifeway which involved hunting buffalo.

The Gros Ventres have two tribal medicine bundles which are symbols of creation and of their place in the universe. According to anthropologist Loretta Fowler, in her book Shared Symbols, Contested Meanings: Gros Ventre Culture and History, 1778-1984:

“They represented the Gros Ventres’ special relationship with the Supreme Being or Great Mystery Above, a relationship that was the basis for health and happiness.”

The oldest of the Gros Ventre tribal bundles is the Flat Pipe which was given to them by Earthmaker who taught them the ceremonies and songs associated with the Flat Pipe and taught them how to plant tobacco. The Flat Pipe ceremonies– traditionally three seasonal ceremonies – provided the Gros Ventres with help for hunting and for obtaining horses. They also provided help in battle and in obtaining wealth. Loretta Fowler and Regina Flannery, in their chapter in the Handbook of North American Indians, report:

“The Flat Pipe bundle was made up of a sacred pipe, turtle shell, duck (or grebe) pelt, native tobacco, and other ritual articles all enclosed in many wrappings and contained in an elkskin outer cover tied with three thongs. The pipe was carved of one piece of wood with a low, round flaring bowl and a tapered stem with a ring carved round the middle to which is attached a string ornament, and its proximal end carved in the shape of a duck’s bill.”

The Gros Ventres’ second tribal bundle, the Feathered Pipe, also represented their special relationship with the Great Mystery Above. The ceremonies associated with this bundle helped them to be successful in their life. Loretta Fowler and Regina Flannery report:

“The Feathered Pipe bundle, wrapped in an elkskin and tied with four thongs, contained a sacred pipe carved from one piece of dark stone with three or four lumps on the supper surface of the stem, which was wrapped in buffalo hair; an eight-inch-long stone human effigy carving; a feathered stick; a whistle; many dried bird skins; and other ritual objects.”

In his book The Seven Visions of Bull Lodge as Told by His Daughter, Garter Snake, George Horse Capture reports:

“The tipi where the Feathered Pipe was kept must always face south, and the Medicine Pipe owner sits at the back of the tipi, facing the entrance.”

The keeper of the Feathered Pipe had some power of weather control as well as the power to protect the people from illness.

Each of the Gros Ventre bundles had its own keeper – a man who was responsible for caring for the bundle and for carrying out the ceremonies associated with it. The keepers of the bundles could not cut their hair and wore it tied in a bunch above the forehead. George Horse Capture also notes:

“The owners of the Chief Medicine Pipe have a special way of painting their faces red: from temple to temple across the forehead, and on both lower jaws across the chin, with the paint ending about even with the ear lobe.”

According to Loretta Fowler, in her book Shared Symbols, Contested Meanings: Gros Ventre Culture and History, 1778-1984:

“The keepers prophesied, cured, and obtained supernatural aid for the Gros Ventres in making war, hunting, and obtaining horses.”

People would vow to cover the pipe – that is, to make a number of offerings to the bundle. When enough offerings had accumulated, the keeper would conduct a sweat lodge ceremony, smudge the offerings, and then take some of them to a sacred place on a mountain or butte. Some of the offerings would be given to those in need.

The importance of the two Gros Ventre pipe bundles is expressed by anthropologist Loretta Fowler:

“Their sacred responsibility for the pipes, in the Gros Ventres’ view, makes them unique among peoples.”

One Gros Ventre elder says:

“Only a Gros Ventre can do pipe ceremonies because they are Gros Ventre ceremonies.”

Mandan

The Mandans are a Siouan-speaking people who lived in permanent villages along the Missouri River in what is now North Dakota. They farmed a variety of different crops, including maize (corn), squash, beans, sunflowers, and tobacco.

When the Mandans emerged from the earth near the mouth of the Mississippi River, it was Good Furred Robe, the son of the Corn Father, who led the people on their migration up the Missouri River to their present homeland. The two Mandan tribal bundles were made at the death of Good Furred Robe.

The Sacred Robe bundle contains a robe showing their migration up the Missouri River and a pipe in the shape of a goose which had belonged to Good Furred Robe

The Sacred Skull bundle contains the skulls of Good Furred Robe and his two brothers (Corn Husk Earrings and Uses His Head for a Rattle). The Skull Bundle is owned by the Awikaxa band.

Cheyenne

The Cheyennes, an Algonquian-speaking people, began moving from what is now Minnesota out onto the Plains in the seventeenth century. On the Plains, they abandoned their agriculture lifeways and became nomadic horse-mounted buffalo hunters.

Among the Cheyenne, there are two sacred medicine bundles. The Sacred Arrows (Maahotse) were originally given to the prophet Sweet Medicine by Maheo (the Creator) in a holy cave within the sacred mountain (Novavose or Bear Butte). Father Peter J. Powell, in his book Sweet Medicine: The Continuing Role of the Sacred Arrows, the Sun Dance, and the Sacred Buffalo Hat in Northern Cheyenne History, writes:

“Sweet Medicine’s teaching is the spiritual milk by which the Cheyenne have grown in wisdom. His greatest gift to the People was Mahuts, the Sacred Arrows.”

The Sacred Arrows are living things and are the holiest of the Cheyenne tribal possessions. Father Peter J. Powell writes:

“Ma’heo’o pours his life into Cheyenne lives through the Sacred Arrows. The Cheyenne people, in turn, are made one with him and with each other in him through those Sacred Arrows who bless their life and identity as a holy nation.”

Father Peter J. Powell goes on to say:

“So perfect is that unity of the Cheyenne people with Ma’heo’o and each other through Maahotse that when a murder occurs within the Cheyenne nation, flecks of blood appear on the shafts of the Sacred Arrows.”

Father Powell summarizes the importance of the Sacred Arrows by saying:

“Without the Arrows, there can be no Cheyenne tribe, no People in any supernatural sense.”

The Sacred Arrows are symbols of male power. Father Peter J. Powell reports:

“No female dares look at them when they are exposed to veneration.”

Even today, women will excuse themselves from the presence of men who are speaking about the Sacred Arrows.

The second Cheyenne bundle is the Sacred Buffalo Hat (Esevone) which was a gift from Maheo to the Sutai prophet Erect Horns (Tomsivi). The power of the Sacred Buffalo Hat is female. Father Peter J. Powell writes:

“Together, the Sacred Arrows and the Sacred Buffalo Hat form the two great covenants of the Cheyenne people.”

Through these two bundles Maheo assures continual life and blessings for the people. The people, however, must venerate and care for the bundles.

When the Sacred Buffalo Hat is renewed, those seeking a blessing stand at the edge of the old lodge cover facing the Sacred Mountain to the east. The keeper of the Hat then prays and offers the pipe to Maheo, the Earth, and the four directions. In single file, those wishing a blessing walk across the old cover to the east.

Regarding the two Cheyenne medicine bundles, George Bird Grinnell, in his book The Cheyenne Indians: Their History and Lifeways, writes:

“So long as due reverence was paid to these relics, and the ceremonies were performed which the culture heroes had been taught and had told them must be practiced, the influence of these protective gifts was beneficial and helpful, but failure to properly respect them was certain to be followed by misfortune to the tribe.”

Plains Cree

Like the Cheyennes, the Algonquian-speaking Plains Cree migrated to the Plains from the Woodlands. In his book The Plains Cree: An Ethnographic, Historical, and Comparative Study, David Mandelbaum notes:

“The older Woodlands culture of the Cree quickly took on an overlay of Plains traits.”

The Plains Cree also have a tribal bundle, the Pipestem Bundle, which had originally been given to Earth Man, the first human being. The men chosen to care for this bundle are selected by the council. The Pipestem Bundle contains an elaborately decorated pipestem which is about 3-4 feet long. There is no pipe bowl. The person who cares for this bundle cannot engage in quarrels. Anthropologist David Mandelbaum writes:

“The owner of the bundle had to intervene in all intertribal disputes, a duty often hazardous when the men were beside themselves with anger.”

Sarcee

The homelands for the Athabascan-speaking Sarcees are in present-day Alberta along the North Saskatchewan River. The Sarcees acquired the horse in the early nineteenth century and became horse-mounted buffalo hunters.

There are two primary medicine bundles among the Sarcee: the Beaver Bundle and the Medicine Pipe Bundle. Each of these bundles has its own origin story, songs, and ceremonies. The Beaver Bundle is associated with the cultivation of tobacco and with the Sun Dance. It was also used to call buffalo as it contained several buffalo stones.

The Sarcee Medicine Pipe Bundle is opened in the spring following the first sound of thunder. A special dance was also traditionally held at this time.

In addition to these two bundles, the Sarcee also had the Bear Knife Bundle which contained war medicine.