Chapter D: The Significance of the Ritual 168

I. The Common Elements 168

II. The Interpretation of the Common Elements—Schurtz’s Theory 169

III. The Shooting Ritual 175

IV. The Initiation Ritual 179

V. The General Ceremony 186

VI. The Complete Ceremonial Complexes 188

VII. Résumé and Conclusion 198

A. DESCRIPTION OF THE RITUAL OF THE WINNEBAGO MEDICINE
DANCE[1]

The Medicine Dance is a society, admission into which is gained by purchase. The Winnebago suppose it to be a repetition of a ceremony originally instituted by the Rabbit, when he initiated the first man into its secrets. The society consists of five bands, which, during the ceremony, are known respectively as the Ancestor-Host’s, the East, North, West, and South Bands. These five bands are also known by the names of their leaders. Any band may act as host, and the position of the others in the lodge is dependent on the order in which they are invited by the band acting as host. It thus follows that each band must know the entire ceremony of the society.