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diff --git a/42979.txt b/42979.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f38f9ae..0000000 --- a/42979.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1815 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pomo Bear Doctors, by Samuel Alfred Barrett - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Pomo Bear Doctors - -Author: Samuel Alfred Barrett - -Release Date: June 18, 2013 [EBook #42979] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POMO BEAR DOCTORS *** - - - - -Produced by Charlene Taylor, Paul Clark, Bryan Ness and -the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive/American -Libraries.) - - - - - - - Transcriber's Note: - - Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as - possible. Some changes have been made. They are listed at the end of - the text. - - Italic text has been marked with _underscores_. - - - - - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS - IN - AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY - - - Vol. 12, No. 11, pp. 443-465, plate 7 July 11, 1917 - - - POMO BEAR DOCTORS - - BY - S. A. BARRETT - - - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS - BERKELEY - - - - -UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS - -DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY - - -The following publications dealing with archaeological and ethnological -subjects issued under the direction of the Department of Anthropology -are sent in exchange for the publications of anthropological -departments and museums, and for journals devoted to general -anthropology or to archaeology and ethnology. They are for sale at the -prices stated. Exchanges should be directed to The Exchange Department, -University Library, Berkeley, California, U. S. A. All orders and -remittances should be addressed to the University of California Press. - -European agent for the series in American Archaeology and Ethnology, -Classical Philology, Education, Modern Philology, Philosophy, and -Semitic Philology, Otto Harrassowitz, Leipzig. For the series in -Botany, Geology, Pathology, Physiology, Zoology and also American -Archaeology and Ethnology, R. Friedlaender & Sohn, Berlin. - - AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY.--A. L. Kroeber, Editor. Prices, - Volume 1, $4.25; Volumes 2 to 11, inclusive, $3.50 each; Volume 12 - and following $5.00 each. - - Cited as Univ. Calif. Publ. Am. Arch. Ethn. Price - - Vol. 1. 1. Life and Culture of the Hupa, by Pliny Earle Goddard. - Pp. 1-88; plates 1-30. September, 1 $1.25 - - 2. Hupa Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard. Pp. 89-368. - March, 1904 3.00 - - Index, pp. 369-378. - - Vol. 2. 1. The Exploration of the Potter Creek Cave, by William - J. Sinclair. Pp. 1-27; plates 1-14. April, 1904 .40 - - 2. The Languages of the Coast of California South of - San Francisco, by A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 29-80, with a - map. June, 1904 .60 - - 3. Types of Indian Culture in California, by A. L. - Kroeber. Pp. 81-103. June, 1904 .25 - - 4. Basket Designs of the Indians of Northwestern - California, by A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 105-164; plates - 15-21. January, 1905 .75 - - 5. The Yokuts Language of South Central California, by - A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 165-377. January, 1907 2.25 - - Index, pp. 379-392. - - Vol. 3. The Morphology of the Hupa Language, by Pliny Earle - Goddard. 344 pp. June, 1905 3.50 - - Vol. 4. 1. The Earliest Historical Relations between Mexico - and Japan, from original documents preserved in - Spain and Japan, by Zelia Nuttall. Pp. 1-47. - April, 1906 .50 - - 2. Contribution to the Physical Anthropology of - California, based on collections in the Department - of Anthropology of the University of California, and - in the U. S. National Museum, by Ales Hrdlicka. - Pp. 49-64, with 6 tables; plates 1-10, and map. - June, 1906 .75 - - 3. The Shoshonean Dialects of California, by A. L. - Kroeber. Pp. 65-166. February, 1907 1.50 - - 4. Indian Myths from South Central California, by - A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 167-250. May, 1907 .75 - - 5. The Washo Language of East Central California and - Nevada, by A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 251-318. September, - 1907 .75 - - 6. The Religion of the Indians of California, by A. L. - Kroeber. Pp. 319-356. September, 1907 .50 - - Index, pp. 357-374. - - Vol. 5. 1. The Phonology of the Hupa Language; Part I, The - Individual Sounds, by Pliny Earle Goddard. - Pp. 1-20, plates 1-8. March, 1907 .35 - - 2. Navaho Myths, Prayers and Songs, with Texts and - Translations, by Washington Matthews, edited by - Pliny Earle Goddard. Pp. 21-63. September, 1907 .75 - - 3. Kato Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard. Pp. 65-238, - plate 9. December, 1909 2.50 - - 4. The Material Culture of the Klamath Lake and Modoc - Indians of Northeastern California and Southern - Oregon, by S. A. Barrett. Pp. 239-292, plates 10-25. - June, 1910 .75 - - 5. The Chimariko Indians and Language, by Roland B. - Dixon. Pp. 293-380. August, 1910 1.00 - - Index, pp. 381-384. - - Vol. 6. 1. The Ethno-Geography of the Pomo and Neighboring - Indians, by Samuel Alfred Barrett. Pp. 1-332, - maps 1-2. February, 1908 3.25 - - 2. The Geography and Dialects of the Miwok Indians, - by Samuel Alfred Barrett. Pp. 333-368, map 3. - - 3. On the Evidence of the Occupation of Certain Regions - by the Miwok Indians, by A. L. Kroeber. Pp. 369-380. - Nos. 2 and 3 in one cover. February, 1908 .50 - - Index, pp. 381-400. - - -[Illustration: UNIV. CALIF. PUBL. AM. ARCH. & ETHN. [BARRETT] PLATE 7 - - POMO BEAR DOCTOR'S SUIT - MODEL IN PEABODY MUSEUM] - - - - -UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS IN AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND -ETHNOLOGY - - Vol. 12, No. 11, pp. 443-465, plate 7 July 11, 1917 - - - - -POMO BEAR DOCTORS - -BY S. A. BARRETT - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - Introduction 443 - Origin Account 445 - Acquisition of Power 452 - Assistants 454 - Hiding Places 454 - The Magic Suit 455 - Weapons and their Use 457 - Rites Over the Suit 458 - Communication between Bear Doctors 461 - Panther Doctors 462 - Comparison with Yuki Beliefs 462 - Comparison with Miwok Beliefs 463 - Summary 464 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -One of the most concrete and persistent convictions of the Indians of a -large part of California is the belief in the existence of persons of -magic power able to turn themselves into grizzly bears. Such shamans -are called "bear doctors" by the English-speaking Indians and their -American neighbors. The belief is obviously a locally colored variant -of the widespread were-wolf superstition, which is not yet entirely -foreign to the emotional life of civilized peoples. The California -Indians had worked out their form of this concept very definitely. Thus -Dr. Kroeber says:[1] - - A special class of shamans found to a greater or less extent among - probably all the Central tribes, though they are wanting both - in the Northwest and the South, are the so-called bear doctors, - shamans who have received power from grizzly bears, often by being - taken into the abode of these animals--which appear there in - human form,--and who after their return to mankind possess many - of the qualities of the grizzly bear, especially his apparent - invulnerability to fatal attack. The bear shamans can not only - assume the form of bears, as they do in order to inflict vengeance - on their enemies, but it is believed that they can be killed an - indefinite number of times when in this form and each time return - to life. In some regions, as among the Pomo and Yuki, the bear - shaman was not thought as elsewhere to actually become a bear, - but to remain a man who clothed himself in the skin of a bear - to his complete disguisement, and by his malevolence, rapidity, - fierceness, and resistance to wounds to be capable of inflicting - greater injury than a true bear. Whether any bear shamans actually - attempted to disguise themselves in this way to accomplish their - ends is doubtful. It is certain that all the members of some tribes - believed it to be in their power. - -Pomo beliefs differ rather fundamentally from those here summarized. -In the first place, the Pomo appear to know nothing of the magician -acquiring his power from the bears themselves. Since they ascribe no -guardian spirit to him, he is scarcely a shaman in the strict sense -of the word. The current term "doctor," misleading as it may seem at -first sight, may therefore be conveniently retained as free from the -erroneous connotation that "shaman" would involve. - -In the second place, the power of the doctor was thought to reside -wholly in his bearskin suit, or parts thereof, and apparently was -considered the result of an elaborate ceremony performed in its -manufacture and subsequent donning. This distinctly ritualistic side -of the bear doctor's practices removes him still more clearly from the -class of the true shaman. - -Thirdly, there is a detailed Pomo tradition of the origin of bear -doctors. This story is cast in the mold of a myth; in fact, its initial -portions may be taken from the current mythology of the tribe. Other -parts are, however, remarkably unmythical and matter of fact. The -resultant whole is therefore rather incongruous, and, in the form -recorded, may have been somewhat influenced by the speculations of an -individual. But the events which it describes agree so closely with the -beliefs which the Pomo at large entertain concerning the practices of -recent bear doctors that the question of the extent of the prevalence -of the myth among the group is of less importance than the insight -which the tale affords into the Pomo mind. Its many specific references -make it a suitable introduction to the presentation of the other data -secured. - -These peculiarities render a comparison of Pomo bear-doctor beliefs -with those of other Californian groups desirable, but the published -data from elsewhere are unfortunately too fragmentary to make such a -study profitable at present. It has only seemed feasible to append some -comparisons with Yuki and Miwok beliefs. - -It may be added that the statements which constitute the body of this -paper are the statements of native informants cited as representative -of their convictions, and not as the opinions of the author. The degree -to which the reputed practices of bear doctors were actually practiced -is far from clear, as Dr. Kroeber has stated. Whether, however, they -rest mainly, partly, or not at all on reality, they furnish interesting -psychological material. - - - - -ORIGIN ACCOUNT - - -The following tradition was obtained in January, 1906, from an old -Eastern Pomo man and his wife. The husband stated that he had himself -been a bear doctor at one time in his life. In his later years he -became a noted practitioner of ordinary Indian "medicine," and was much -in demand as a "sucking doctor." His old wife proved a very valuable -informant on Pomo mythology, and it was while relating myths that the -subject of bear doctors was mentioned and the fact developed that her -husband had practiced this craft when a younger man. The incident led -to a full discussion of the entire matter with the couple, and resulted -in the recording of the following material. This was given by the -Indians more as a personal favor than for any other reason, and was -communicated only after a pledge that their story would not be spread -about as long as the two were still alive. Both are now deceased, as is -also the interpreter who aided in recording the material, so that there -is no reason for longer withholding this information. Out of deference -to the relatives of the three, it seems best not to name them in these -pages. - -Besides the myth, these two old people furnished the greater part of -the descriptive information given in the remainder of this paper, -but additional data from other informants have been included. Unless -otherwise stated, the Pomo terms are in the Eastern dialect. - - In the days before Indians were upon the earth, and when the birds - and mammals were human, there was a large village at _dano xa_.[2] - These people were great hunters, pursuing their game with bows and - arrows and spears. But chiefly they set snares in every direction - about the village. - - They had caught many kinds of game, but finally found a large - grizzly bear in one of the snares. They saw that his carcass - would furnish a great feast, but they were confronted with the - difficult problem of getting their prize to the village. Each - of the birds tried unsuccessfully to carry the bear, first on - his right shoulder and then on his left, in the following order: - _tsai_ (valley bluejay), _auau_ (crow), _ilil_ (a species of - hawk), _tiyal_ (yellowhammer), _karats_ (red-headed woodpecker), - _sawalwal_ (mountain bluejay), _bakaka_ (pileated woodpecker), - _kabanasiksik_ (a large species of woodpecker), _cagak ba biya_ - (a species of hawk), _kiya_ (a species of hawk), _siwa_ (mountain - robin), _tsitoto_ (robin redbreast), _tcuma tsiya_ (grass bird), - and _tinital_. - - Finally a very small bird, _tsina bitut kaiya patsork_,[3] - succeeded in carrying the bear. He first tied its front and - hind feet with a heavy milkweed-fiber rope in such a manner as - to enable him to sling the carcass over his shoulder with the - body resting upon his hip. No one else had thought of any such - method. The ingenuity of this bird, the smallest of them all, - won success and enabled him to walk away easily with the heavy - load. The others laughed uproariously and shouted their approval - of the feat, immediately naming him _burakal-ba-kidjon_,[4] - literally grizzly-bear-you-carrier. Thus he carried the grizzly - home to the village, and Bluejay, the captain, cut it up and - divided the meat among all the people. As a reward for his service - _burakal-ba-kidjon_ was given the bearskin. This was a very - valuable present, worth many thousands of beads.[5] - - With this skin in his possession, _burakal-ba-kidjon_ thought a - great deal about the grizzly bear and became very envious of his - powers of endurance, his ferocity, and his cunning. He forthwith - began to study how he might make some use of the skin to acquire - these powers. He needed an assistant, and finally took his brother - into his confidence. The two paid a visit to _co dano_, a high - mountain east of the village. They then went down a very rugged - canon on the mountain-side and finally came to a precipice the - bottom of which was inaccessible except by way of a large standing - tree, the upper branches of which just touched its brink. - - In a most secluded and sheltered spot at the foot of this precipice - they dug a cavern called _yelimo_, or _burakal yelimo_, which - they screened with boughs so that it would be invisible even if a - chance hunter came that way. They dug an entrance about two feet - in diameter into the side of the bank for a distance of about six - feet. This led slightly upward and into a good-sized chamber. The - mouth of this entrance was so arranged as to appear as natural - as possible. Some rocks were left to project and twigs were - arranged to obscure it. As a further precaution against detection - the brothers always walked upon rocks in order never to leave a - footprint, in case any one became curious about their movements. - They even went so far as to have the rocks at the foot of the - precipice, where they stepped from the branches of the tree, - covered with leaves, which they were careful to adjust so as to - obliterate the slightest vestige of their trail should any one - succeed in tracking them to this point. In this cave they began the - manufacture of a ceremonial outfit. - - They went out from the village daily,[6] ostensibly to hunt, and - they did, as a matter of fact, kill deer and other game, which - they brought back to the village; but they never ate meat, nor did - they have intercourse in any way with women. When asked why he was - thus restricting himself, _burakal-ba-kidjon_ evaded the truth by - saying that he expected to gamble, and that he had a very powerful - medicine which would yield him luck only with the most rigid - observance of certain restrictions. - - When they began this work of preparing the outfits, they also - provided a large sack of beads with which to bribe to secrecy any - one who might discover them. - - The two worked thus in the cavern four months. - - When the outfit for _burakal-ba-kidjon_ was done, the latter - emerged from the cavern and ran around its entrance eight times - each way, first in a contra-clockwise and then in a clockwise - direction. The two then prepared a level, elliptical area, about - twenty by fifteen feet, smoothed like a dancing floor, where - _burakal-ba-kidjon_ might practice and become a proficient bear - doctor. - - Upon putting on the suit for the first time, the procedure was as - follows: While seated in the dancing area, _burakal-ba-kidjon_ took - the bearskin in both hands and swung it over his right shoulder and - then turned his head to the left. This was repeated four times in - all. He next adjusted the skin carefully over a basketry head-frame - and placed the latter securely upon his head. He next inserted his - arms and legs within the suit and laced it up tightly in front, - beginning at the lower part of the belly and lacing upward to the - neck. - - He then tried to rise and act like a bear. This he did four times, - saying "ha" (strongly aspirated), and turning his head to the left - after each trial. He finally arose on all fours and shook himself - after the fashion of a bear, some of the hair falling out of the - skin as he did so. He then jumped about and started off in each - of the four cardinal directions in the following order: south, - east, north, and west. Each time he ran only a short distance, - returning to the practice area for a new start. Finally, the fifth - time he started off, he went for about half a day's journey up - the rugged mountains to the east. He found that he could travel - with great speed and perfect ease through thick brush and up steep - mountain-sides. In fact, he could move anywhere with as much ease - as though he were on a level, open valley.[7] On this journey he - hunted for soft, sweet manzanita berries, finally returning to the - practice ground after covering a great distance, perhaps a hundred - miles, in this half day. - - He repeated this ceremonial dressing and the race into the - mountains for four days, returning each evening to the village and - bringing the game he had killed. Finally, on the fifth day, he - again put on his ceremonial dress and went over to a creek, called - _taaiaka_, situated a considerable distance northeast of his hiding - place. Here he found a bear standing erect and eating manzanita - berries. The bear attempted to escape, but _burakal-ba-kidjon_ gave - chase and by virtue of his supernatural power was able to tire and - outdistance the bear, overtaking him at length and killing him with - an elk-horn dagger, which was part of his outfit. - - He returned and brought his brother, who tied the bear's legs - together, as had _burakal-ba-kidjon_ when he won his name, and - carried the carcass to the village, _burakal-ba-kidjon_ meantime - returning to the secret cavern. - - The brother skinned the bear and told the captain to call all - the people into the dance-house to receive their portions of the - meat. On the following day a great feast was celebrated, every one - joining and providing a share of acorn mush, pinole, bread, and - other foods. - - The two brothers then announced that they were again going out to - hunt. Instead, they really went to this secluded spot and made - a second bear doctor's suit. This one was for the brother, who - underwent the same training as his brother. - - Finally the two brothers started out one day toward the north, - going up to a creek called _guhul bidame_. Here they found a deer - hunter coming down a chamise ridge. They hid until the hunter - came within about fifteen paces of them. They then sprang out and - attacked him, the elder of the two bear doctors taking the lead. - This hunter was followed at a distance of perhaps a quarter of a - mile by four others, and when he saw the bears he made a great - outcry to his comrades. After a short chase the bear doctors caught - and killed him. They tore his body to pieces, just as bears would - do, took his bow and arrows, and started off. - - Meantime the other hunters, who were Wolves (_tsihmeu_), hid and - escaped the fate of their companion. After the bear doctors had - departed, they gathered up the bones and whatever else they could - find of the remains of the dead hunter and took them back to the - village. The usual funeral and burning rites were held, and the - whole village was in special mourning on account of the fact that - the hunter had been killed by bears. - - The bear doctors went back to their hiding place, disrobed, and - returned to the village as quickly as possible, arriving shortly - after the four Wolves had brought in the remains of their comrade. - They ate their supper and retired almost immediately, though they - heard the people wailing in another part of the village. Their own - relatives, the Birds, were not wailing, for they were not directly - concerned, since the different groups of people lived in different - parts of the village and were quite distinct one from another. - During the evening the captain, Bluejay, came in and told the - brothers the news of the hunter's death, asking if they had heard - anything of the manner of it. They replied: "No; we know nothing of - it. We went hunting, but saw nothing at all today. We retired early - and have heard nothing about it." Bluejay then said: "We must make - up a collection of beads and give it to the dead man's relatives, - so that they will not consider us unmindful of their sorrow and - perhaps kill some one among us." The bear doctors agreed to this - and commended the captain for his good counsel. - - Accordingly, the next morning Bluejay addressed his people, saying: - "Make a fire in the dance-house. Do not feel badly. Wake up early. - That is what we must expect. We must all die like the deer. After - the fire is made in the dance-house I will tell you what next to - do." Every one gave the usual answer of approval, "O". - - After the usual sweating and cold plunge by the men, the captain - again spoke, calling their attention to the fate of their friend - the day before and asking that every one contribute beads to be - given as a death offering to the relatives of the deceased.[8] - - Bluejay himself contributed about ten thousand beads, and others - contributed various amounts, but the two bear doctors contributed - about forty thousand beads. This very act made the other people - somewhat suspicious that these two were concerned in some way with - the death. - - As was usual, under such circumstances, word was sent to the Wolf - people that the Birds would come over two days hence with their - gift. The Wolf captain accordingly told his people to go out and - hunt, and to prepare a feast for the Bird people for the occasion. - On the appointed day the beads were brought by the Bird people - to the house in which the deceased hunter had formerly lived, - the usual ceremonial presentation of them to the mourners was - performed, and the return feast by the Wolves was spread near by. - - The next morning the two brothers again left the village, saying - that they were going hunting. They went to their place of - seclusion, donned their bear suits and again started out as bears. - By this time they had established regular secret trails leading - to their hiding place, and regular places on these trails where - they rested and ate. These trails led off in the four cardinal - directions, and when they put on their suits it was only necessary - to say in what direction they wished to go and what they wished to - do, and the suits would bear them thither by magic. - - Upon this occasion they went eastward, and finally, in the late - afternoon, met Wildcat (_dalom_) carrying upon his back a very - heavy load. They immediately attacked and killed him, but did not - cut him to pieces as they had Wolf. It is a custom, even now, among - bear doctors never to tear to pieces or cut up the body of a victim - who is known to have in his possession valuable property. Hence - they stabbed Wildcat only twice. When they looked into the burden - basket which he had been carrying they found a good supply of food - and a large number of beads of various kinds. They took only the - bag of beads, which one of them secreted inside his suit. Upon - reaching their place of seclusion they removed their suits and were - soon back in the village. After supper they again retired early. - - Now Wildcat had started off early one morning to visit friends in - another village, saying that he would be absent only two nights. - When at the end of four days he had not returned his relatives - became anxious about him, and his brother and another man set out - for the other village to ascertain whether he had been there or - if something had befallen him on the way. They found that he had - set out from the other village to return home on the day he had - promised. Then they tracked him and found his dead body. They made - a stretcher[9] and carried the body home. - - They arrived at the village about mid-afternoon, and when about a - half mile off they commenced the death wail, thus notifying the - village of their coming. The people came running out to meet them, - and the first to arrive were the bear doctors, who immediately - assisted in carrying the stretcher into the village. Every one - wailed for the departed, but the two bear doctors were loudest in - their lamentations. Also they contributed liberally, in fact, more - than all the other people together, when the death offering was - made up. - - For sometime thereafter the bear doctors did not go out, but - finally they did so, returning with four deer, which they gave to - their captain to be divided among the people for a feast. This the - captain did, after the usual sweat-bath, on the following morning. - - The next day the two brothers left the village before daybreak, - donned their bear suits and journeyed southward to the Mount - Kanaktai region. They made the journey by way of the east shore - of Clear Lake, Lower Lake, and on down to near the present site - of Middletown. Here they found a hunting party setting deer - snares.[10] One of these men was driving the deer up out of the - canon toward the place where the snares had been set. He saw - the bear doctors and called out to his comrades: "Look out for - yourselves; there are two bears coming." The hunters were up on - the open, brushy mountain-side. Two of them ran down the hill to a - tree, but the bear doctors reached it as soon as they, and, as they - started to ascend, attacked and killed the two, taking their bows - and arrows. - - The other hunters then attacked the bear doctors, who fled - northward, pursued by the hunters, whom they outdistanced. The - bear doctors became tired and very thirsty, for they had drunk no - water all day, so they ran up Mount Kanaktai to a small pond just - southwest of its summit.[11] - - The bear doctors first ran four times each way around the pond and - then disrobed completely, even taking off their bead armor. Leaving - their entire suits lying on the shore, they first swam and rested, - and then hung their suits on some small trees near by. - - Shortly two men appeared, who approached close to them. The bear - doctors said: "Oh, you have come; well, let us eat." The strangers - came and seated themselves beside the bear doctors. They then had a - good meal of seed-meal and meat. - - The belts and strings of beads worn as armor inside the suit were - piled up on the shore near by, and when the meal was finished the - bear doctors gave all these beads to the two men, saying at the - same time: "You must never tell any one, not even your brothers, - mothers, or sisters, what you have seen and what we are doing." - They even told the two men who they were, where they lived, and all - about their activities. The men looked closely at the bear suits - hanging near by and then went their way. The bear doctors again put - on their suits and returned to their hiding place, disrobed, and - traveled home in the evening, retiring early as usual. - - When the people heard of the killing of two more hunters by two - bears, they suspected the brothers, and formulated a plan to spy on - them. All were to go hunting and certain ones were to keep a close - watch on these two, and see just where they went and what they did. - They also discovered that the skins of the two bears killed by the - brothers were nowhere to be found in the village. - - The captain called all the men to go on a deer hunt, and all set - off westward about midday to build a deer fence and set snares - around Tule Lake, for they knew that many deer were feeding in the - tule marsh there. Nothing unusual happened that day, but after all - had left the village early the next morning some children who were - playing about the village saw the two brothers _burakal-ba-kidjon_, - who had remained away from the hunt, giving illness as their - excuse, start off toward the east. Some of the children stealthily - followed them, while two others ran over to Tule Lake to warn the - hunters. About midday the hunters saw two bears coming toward - them. Several of the best hunters hid at an advantageous point in - the very thick brush and tule, while the others continued their - shouting and beating the bush to drive the deer into the snares in - order that the bear doctors would not suspect the trap that had - been set for them. The hunters had agreed to act as though they did - not know that the bear doctors were near, but to shout if they were - seen, "Two brother deer are coming!" thus giving the hidden hunters - notice of the approach of the bears. If deer only were seen, they - were to shout, "The deer are coming!" - - Finally, one of the hunters on the east side of the lake saw the - bears and shouted, "Look out there; two brother deer are coming - down the hill!" There were two trees standing some distance apart - with a thick, brushy place on each side. One hunter hid behind each - tree. A third hunter stood very close to a near-by opening in the - deer fence and in plain sight of the bear doctors, who immediately - made after him. At each jump of the bear doctors the water in - their baskets rattled and made a great noise. The hunter was but a - few feet from these trees when the bears came close to him, so he - dodged between the trees and the bears followed. - - Immediately the two hunters behind the trees attacked the bears - from the rear with their clubs and jerked the masks from their - heads. The other hunters came up armed with clubs, bows and arrows, - and stones, and found the bear doctors standing very shame-facedly - before their captors.[12] - - Every one shouted: "These are the two we suspected; we have them - now." Some wanted to kill them immediately with clubs, others - wanted to burn them alive, but the captain restrained them and - insisted upon first questioning the bear doctors. They finally - confessed to the murders, and took the hunters to their hiding - place. Here they exposed their entire secret and told all the - details of their work: how they dug the cavern, how they made - the ceremonial outfits, and how they killed people. The hunters - then stripped the bear doctors and took them, together with all - their paraphernalia, and the property they had stolen, back to the - village, placed them in their own house, tied them securely, and - set fire to the house. Thus ended the bear doctors. That is how the - knowledge of this magic was acquired. It has been handed down to - us by the teaching of these secrets to novices by the older bear - doctors ever since.[13] - - - - -ACQUISITION OF POWER - - -Even as late as the closing years of the nineteenth century many of -the Pomo were convinced that bear doctors were still active; this in -spite of the fact that the whites had at that time long possessed -complete control of the entire region, and had succeeded, purposely -or otherwise, in suppressing most of the aboriginal practices of the -Indians. Evidently the belief was a deeply rooted one in the native -mind. On the other hand, since the nefariousness of the alleged -practices would cause them to be carefully concealed, there are now -some Pomo skeptics who maintain that bear doctors never existed. - -Both men and women of middle or old age could become bear doctors, -the same name[14] being applied to both. In fact, it is said that -women sometimes made very successful bear doctors; even a woman so old -and feeble that she could hardly walk would acquire great powers of -endurance and swiftness through this magic. - -It is said that a bear doctor always learned from an old person who -was or had been one. The training for both men and women was precisely -the same and they were on a par in every way. A female bear doctor -could not operate during her menstrual period, but a male bear doctor -was similarly restricted by the menstrual periods of both his wife and -his female assistant or the other female members of his household. He -was even prohibited from going near his bear hiding-place during his -wife's menstruation. The periods of other members of his household also -restricted him.[15] - -No specific fee was paid for instruction in bear-doctoring, but the -instructor was given a large share, usually one-half, of the spoils -obtained by the new doctor in his murders. Also he could command the -assistance and protection of his pupil, who must stand ready, if -necessary, to lay down his life for his instructor. Each bear doctor -selected some friend to whom he willed his entire outfit and whom -he instructed fully in its use. Upon his death this protege took -possession of the paraphernalia and the hiding place of his friend and -used them as he saw fit. - -A bear doctor might "catch" a man who was out in some lonely spot, -particularly a solitary hunter, take him to his hiding place, and teach -him his secrets.[16] Particularly was this the case if the bear doctor -happened to be a man possessed of few friends, since it was thought -necessary for him to will his paraphernalia to some one. Stories are -told of specific instances in which persons have been thus made captive -and instructed. Thus: - - An old she-bear caught a young hunter from a village in the Santa - Rosa Valley. She first jumped out upon him from her hiding place - and frightened him badly. She rolled him about on the ground and - made as if to kill him. Though greatly frightened, the boy made - no outcry, but watched her closely. Finally she sat astride him - for quite a long time and the boy ceased to be alarmed. She then - led him away over the long journey to her hiding place on a high, - rocky peak east of Santa Rosa. On the way they heard, late in the - afternoon, the people down in the valley calling his name as they - searched everywhere for him. - - Finally they arrived at the bear's cave in the rocks, where she - had a bed of moss and leaves just as a bear usually does in its - den. In the early part of the evening the boy became homesick and - fearful of his fate and began to cry. It was then that the bear - doctor revealed herself. She removed her suit, showing her human - form, and said to him: "I did not catch you to kill you. I desire - only to show you how we become bear doctors and instruct you in our - magic. Only human beings live in this section of the mountains. - In the morning I shall place my bearskin suit upon you and you - shall practice bear-doctoring." This did not, however, reassure - and comfort the boy, and he continued to sob and weep during the - greater part of the night, despite the repeated assurances of the - bear doctor that she would not harm him, but was, on the other - hand, just like an elder sister to him and wished to teach him - powerful magic. She finally prepared a good meal for him and he - forgot his fright and, temporarily, his own people. - - During the night she taught him her songs, and at daybreak began to - instruct him in the ritual of donning the suit. This, of course, - required that he should completely strip himself. At first he was - much ashamed, but the bear doctor told him that he must not be, any - more than if he were only exposing his nose. - - About midday, this part of the instruction being finished, she put - her own suit on him and gave him his first practice. She told him - to first jump four times along the ground and then jump up and try - to catch a high limb of a near-by tree, trying repeatedly until he - could catch the limb. Then he would be able to do anything that she - could. - - She then stepped back, looked him over, and smiled at him. This - made him conscious and he hung his head and did not move until she - commanded him to jump. At first he jumped only short distances, - but he continued his practice for four days, each day donning the - suit with the elaborately regulated ritual, and finding, each day, - that he could jump a little farther and a little higher than on - the previous one. At last he succeeded in reaching the limb and in - jumping down at one jump and back to the starting point in four - more. - - His tutor rejoiced at his success, and said: "Now you will succeed - in every way and enjoy good luck, secure plenty of beads and other - goods, be able to travel far and possess great endurance." - - She then gave him a complete outfit and told him that he would - thereafter procure an easy living and wealth if he would use it - and observe the secret rites she had taught him. She, herself, - had acquired great quantities of property--beads, food, and other - commodities--which she stored in her hiding place. - -A bear doctor was not permitted to kill more than four people in one -year, upon penalty of the loss of his magic power and consequent -capture upon his attempt to kill the fifth. - - - - -ASSISTANTS - - -A bear doctor must always be assisted by some one. He usually hired -some female relative who could be trusted to secrecy. She wove for him -the water baskets which formed part of his costume and cooked for him -the special food which he must eat while operating as a bear doctor. -She must observe the same restrictions as the bear doctor himself, -abstaining from meat or foods containing blood in any form, and also -from sexual intercourse. The evil consequences of a violation of these -restrictions did not befall her, but the bear doctor himself was sure -to be killed in combat or captured, which meant certain death at the -hands of an outraged populace. - -This assistant was never the bear doctor's wife, but the wife, if he -had one, must remain abed in the morning until the sun was high and the -bear doctor was well on his way from his hiding place. She might then -rise and go about her daily routine as usual. If he had no wife, his -female assistant must observe this restriction for him. - -In making a suit, it was necessary for a bear doctor to have an -assistant who not only helped in the actual construction of the suit -but also sang the long series of songs required during the ceremony -when the suit was first put on. - - - - -HIDING PLACES - - -Since custom prescribed that every person leaving a village told where -he was going and the purpose of his mission, it was difficult for a -bear doctor to get away, undetected, for the pursuit of his nefarious -practices. All his preparations must, therefore, be made in perfect -secrecy. Very frequently he gave as an excuse for his absence that -he intended to go in search of manzanita berries or hunting in some -distant locality, sometimes announcing a stay of several days. Since he -was forbidden to partake of food or water on the morning of the day -he wore the bear costume, he usually ate and drank heartily the night -before, and repaired to his hiding place before daybreak. To lend color -to his excuses, he usually brought home some game or berries. As a rule -these were not handled at all while wearing the bear suit, although -apparently it was believed that no penalty was attached to doing so. - -Whenever possible a bear doctor found some natural cave or secluded -spot in a deep canon, or in the most rugged mountains. If necessary, he -dug a cavern, as related in the foregoing myth, taking care to scatter -the fresh earth about in such a manner that it would not be detected. -Such a place of seclusion was called _yelimo_, _burakal yelimo_, or -_kabe ga_. - -Near by a level "practice" ground, called _ciyo xe gai_, literally -"bear dance place," was prepared, where, the weather permitting, the -bear doctor performed the ceremonies connected with donning his suit. -In bad weather these rites were performed in the sheltered cavern. This -practice ground was simply a level place in the bottom of a canon near -the cavern. It was an elliptical clearing about twenty feet long by -ten to fifteen feet wide. No trail led to it, the bear doctor and his -assistant exercising the greatest care to obscure as much as possible -every evidence of their movements, not even a broken twig being left -about as a clue. - - - - -THE MAGIC SUIT - - -The suit of the bear doctor, called _gawi_, was made as follows: -First, an openwork basket was woven of white oak twigs to fit the -head and with openings for eyes, nose, and mouth. Disks of abalone -shell with small openings to permit actual vision were fitted into -the eye openings in the basket. This basket served as a foundation -over which to place the skin of the bear's head. It was made so that -it exactly fitted the wearer's head and remained in place even when -he moved violently. The covering of this helmet, as also the outer -covering for the rest of the body, was usually made of real grizzly -bear skin, though a net covered with soaproot fiber was sometimes -used. The skin of the bear's head was shaped, but not stuffed, so as -to retain its proper form, the eye-holes of the skin being made to fit -the shell-filled eye-holes in the basket. The remainder of the bearskin -was fitted exactly to the body, arms, and legs so as to perfectly hide -every part of the body and give the wearer the appearance of a grizzly. - -When soaproot fiber was used in making the bear doctor's suit, a fine -net was first woven and thickly covered with shredded soaproot fiber -(_ap tsida_). This was woven entirely in one piece and so arranged -as to completely cover the wearer from head to foot, including the -basketry helmet just mentioned. It laced in front. - -A low shoe, with the sole rounded and shaped somewhat like that of -a bear's foot, was worn. This shoe was made of woven basketry held -between two hoops and so arranged that the foot went between the two -sections, which were attached directly to the costume. It was said that -sometimes, also, similarly shaped shoes were placed upon the hands. At -other times nothing was worn on either hands or feet. - -Before donning the suit an "armor" of shell beads was put on. Four -belts covered the abdomen. Each was about six inches wide and made of -a different size and form of beads. One, called _hmuki_, covered the -umbilicus. The other three, which were placed one above the other, -completely covered the remainder of the abdomen, chest, and back up to -the armpits, and were called respectively _kibukal_, _catani kutsa_, -and _tadatada_. The last protected the heart, and was made of very -large, discoidal beads. Ordinarily these bead belts were woven in the -usual way. Sometimes, however, one or more of the four was covered -without by a layer of woodpecker scalps. Strings of shell beads were -wound closely about the arms from wrist to shoulder and the legs were -similarly covered. All these beads served as a protection against -arrows in case the bear doctor was attacked by hunters. - -A type of body armor, made of wooden rods and used in open warfare, -is said to have been sometimes used by bear doctors. This consisted -of two layers of rods obtained from the snowdrop bush (_bakol_), each -rod being about the size of a lead pencil. These were bound together -with string, one layer of rods being placed vertically and the other -horizontally, in such a manner as to make a very close and effective -armor. - -Two globose, three-rod foundation baskets, called _kutc tcadotcadoi_, -and each about three inches in diameter, were half filled with water -and each encased tightly in a closely woven fabric made of milkweed -fiber cord, or in a casing of rawhide. One was then tied, inside -the bearskin suit, just under each jaw or under each armpit. In the -soaproot fiber suit, small pockets were woven on its inner surface -for their reception. The swashing of the water made a sound (pluk, -pluk, pluk, pluk) resembling that of the viscera of a bear as he moves -along. Sometimes, instead of these baskets, a slightly larger pair -of plain-twining were tied one at each side at the waist. The doctor -never wore more than one pair at a time and never wore a single basket -alone. Canoe-form baskets ten or twelve inches long and with unusually -small openings were sometimes carried in place of the small, globose -baskets above mentioned. They were sometimes filled with water, as were -the small baskets, and at other times were used as receptacles for -beads, berries, or other commodities. - -Plate 7 (frontispiece) shows a Pomo bear doctor suit, in the Peabody -Museum of Harvard University, reproduced by courtesy of Mr. C. C. -Willoughby. This is a model. While differing in some details from the -explanations received from informants, it confirms them in substance. - - - - -WEAPONS AND THEIR USE - - -A bear doctor usually carried one and sometimes two elk-horn daggers, -called _boo a_, literally "elk horn." Such a dagger was from six to ten -inches in length and was made by pounding at its base and breaking off -the large end point of an elk antler and sharpening its tip. It was -rubbed on a grinding stone and smoothed throughout its length and a -hole was bored in its base through which a loop about two feet long was -passed for suspending it about the neck or from the belt. This loop was -always of string, as this is not affected by dampness. - -Obsidian or flint knives, called _bat!_, were sometimes used in -addition to or in place of the elk-horn dagger. The blade of such a -knife was made by first striking the larger flakes from it with a -hammer stone and then chipping its edges with an antler chipping tool. -This blade was set into a split oak handle and bound securely with -string, but was not pitched. Both of these were thrusting weapons. - -Other weapons were sometimes used, even the stone pestle being employed -as a weapon. - -Bear doctors often operated in pairs, and sometimes in greater numbers. -They frequently deployed so as to cover a considerable area in their -hunt, and had a method of intercommunication. If a prospective victim -was sighted at some distance, the bear doctor stood erect on the top -of the nearest ridge, with his back turned directly toward him. This -signal brought the other bear doctors into positions to surround the -victim. Informants maintain that in the actual attack a bear doctor -frequently stood unconcernedly, near the path of his victim, and with -his back toward him until he was quite near. He then whirled and -attacked suddenly. They stated that this was also the method of attack -of a real bear. - -It is said that the only way to overcome a bear doctor was to seize his -head or shoulders and jerk off his helmet. This completely removed his -magic power. The story is told that Kamachi, a very brave and powerful -man formerly living at the Yorkville Rancheria, mistook two real bears -for bear doctors, attacked them in this manner, and finally succeeded -in killing them. - - - - -RITES OVER THE SUIT - - -When the suit was put on for the first time by the bear doctor, the -following elaborate ceremony was performed. The assistant took up his -position in the center of the practice ground, having on one side -of him four hundred counting sticks, each about the size of a lead -pencil, nicely arranged in even rows. Directly in front of him was the -entire bear doctor's suit, except the beads and bead belts; that is, -the basketry helmet, the bearskin garment, the two water baskets, the -dagger of elk antler, and the obsidian knife. These were the articles -which were strictly ceremonial, and which must never be handled by -women or children for the reason that they were the property of the -particular supernatural beings under whose patronage the bear doctor -operated and whose powers were invoked for his success, especially -by means of a long series of ritualistic songs sung by his assistant -during the ceremony of donning the suit, now to be described. - -While the assistant sang the ritualistic songs, the bear doctor who was -to wear the suit danced up toward it four times each from each of the -four cardinal points in the following order: north, west, south, and -east. Each time the dancer advanced toward the suit, the singer raised -above his head one counter from the one side and as the dancer receded -placed it on his opposite side. Thus this portion of the ceremony took -sixteen counters. Having thus approached the suit four times the sacred -number four, the dancer picked up with his left hand the basketry -helmet and danced with it four times around the practice ground, the -singer keeping tally with the necessary four sticks. He then danced -four times up toward and back from the place on the practice ground -where he intended to temporarily place this object, so using another -four counters. Thus there were used in all with this one object -twenty-four counters. - -He did precisely the same with each of the remaining five articles of -the suit. Thus one hundred and forty-four counters were transferred -from the original group to the singer's opposite side. - -He next took all six of these articles in both hands and performed the -same cycle of twenty-four dance movements that was employed in handling -each separately, so using one hundred and sixty-eight counters up to -this point. - -He then repeated this entire cycle of one hundred and sixty-eight dance -movements in precisely the same order and manner as just described, but -using the right hand instead of the left, thus using three hundred and -thirty-six counters up to this point. - -He next repeated all the foregoing movements exactly in reverse order -in every respect; taking up the articles in reverse order and dancing -toward the cardinal points in reverse order and using the hands in -reverse order, thus using six hundred and seventy-two counters up to -this point. - -He finally took the entire suit in both hands and went around the -practice ground four times in a clockwise direction and then four -times in a contra-clockwise direction, thus using in all six hundred -and eighty counters, indicative of that number of separate movements, -or rather one hundred and seventy distinct types of movements each -repeated four times. - -Throughout this entire ceremony the assistant sang ritualistic songs -invoking, in the ascending order of their importance, the aid of the -particular supernatural beings under whose patronage the bear doctor -was supposed to be and with whom he came into direct contact. According -to one informant, these were, in order, brush-man, rock-man, shade-man, -spring-man, pond-man, mountain-man, and sun-man, though a large number -of others are also included.[17] In fact, it seems probable that all -the spirits of the Pomo world are supposed to be directly concerned. -The following were specifically mentioned by the informants: - - _English_ _Eastern Dialect_ _Central Dialect_ - - Mountain-man dano gak dano baiya - Water-man xa gak ka baiya - Night-man duwe gak iwe baiya - Valley-man gago gak kako baiya - Brush-man se gak see baiya - Rock-man xabe gak kabe baiya - Spring-man gapa gak gapa baiya - Shade-man ciyo gak - Fire-man xo gak ho baiya - Disease-man gak kalal ital baiya - Insanity-man gak dagol dakol baiya - guksu guksu kuksu - Whitled-leg widow kama sili duket miya caku kattciu - Dream-man maru maru - Wind-man yai ki ya tcatc - Pond-woman dano kawo - Blind-man ui bago ui nasai - Sun-man da tca - Sun-woman da mata - Deer-man bice gauk pce tca - -To all these he sang songs and made prayers the substance of which -usually was: "You know what I am doing. I am doing as you do and using -your ways. You must help me and give me good luck." - -He sang to and invoked particularly Sun-man because he was an -all-seeing deity and knew everything that happened all over the earth, -and more particularly because as Sun-man rises with the sun each -morning he comes with his bow and arrow drawn and ready to shoot on -sight any wrongdoer. Unless, therefore, Sun-man was propitiated and -previously informed of the bear doctor's intentions, he was likely to -shoot him just as the sun appeared above the horizon. The substance of -his prayer to Sun-man was: "I am going to do as you do. I shall kill -people. You must give me good luck." - -When the suit was finally put on there was a certain amount of -ceremonial procedure. The beads used as armor were first put on the -naked body. The arms and legs were closely wound, each with a single -long string of beads. The bear doctor then danced around the practice -ground four times in a clockwise direction and then four times in a -contra-clockwise direction. He next advanced toward and receded from -the suit four times each from the north, west, south, and east. He -then made four times a motion as if to pick up the suit, and again -four times the motion of putting the suit on, after which he donned it -and was completely ready for his journey, being endowed with all the -supernatural powers of the bear doctor. - -Throughout the entire construction of the suit, and also throughout the -ceremony connected with putting it on, he turned his head around toward -the left after each separate action, such as lifting up or putting down -any article and after each dancing up and back toward the suit, or -running around the practice ground. - -Each subsequent donning of the suit was quite simple. The bear doctor -picked up each article separately and made a motion with it four times -toward the part of the body it was to cover, turning his head four -times to the left after each of these sets of four motions. He then -put on the suit and danced in a contra-clockwise direction four times -around the practice area or the interior of his cavern, as the case -might be, after which he was fully ready for his journey. - -In case of inclement weather the bear doctor dressed in the shelter of -the cavern, but if the weather was fair this was always done on the -practice ground. - -In undressing, on the other hand, the bear doctor performed no ceremony -at all, but simply took off his suit and carefully laid it away, -hanging up in the cavern the bearskin itself to keep it clean. It was -necessary that a bear doctor swim immediately upon removing his suit. -Still dressed in his bead armor, he went, therefore, to his swimming -place, removing the beads and piling them on the bank. This was done so -that if discovered he had immediately at hand a treasure with which to -buy secrecy. The penalty paid by an informer who had been thus bribed -was certain death at the hands of the bear doctor. Upon emerging from -the pool, he returned to his cavern, carefully folded the belts and -strings of beads and laid each away separately until the suit was again -needed. - - - - -COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BEAR DOCTORS - - -Informants state that the various bear doctors all over the country -knew each other.[18] Two or more of them often met by chance at some -spring or other secluded spot in the mountains, and at such times -discussed their activities. They might tell each other where they -expected to be next month, or what mountain they would use as a hiding -place and base of operations next year. - -Each bear doctor acted independently and knew no restrictions of any -sort so far as his fellows were concerned, nor had he or his relatives -any immunity from the attacks of other bear doctors, for one bear -doctor might become enraged at another and cause his death or that of -some of his relatives. - -The only persons who were immune from these attacks were the captain -of the village and his immediate family. He knew all the bear doctors -and received a share of their spoils in consideration for his friendly -protection. - -Any bear doctor or person who knew all the secrets of bear doctoring -usually took his relatives, or, at any rate, certain of them, to this -hiding place and showed them enough of his secrets so that they would -lose their fear of bear doctors and not be frightened when they heard -of the death of some one through an attack by bears. Such partially -initiated persons always mourned the loss of the victim as did the rest -of the people, but were not, in reality, afraid of the bear doctors. - - - - -PANTHER DOCTORS - - -While the bear doctor was the most important of magicians, there were -also mountain lion or panther doctors, who were also possessed of -considerable power. Very little was learned of this class of medicine -man save that the head part of their suits was made of the head and -neck of an actual panther skin drawn over a basket frame similar to -that used by the bear doctor. The remainder of the suit was made of -shredded soaproot fiber woven on to a fine net, which was said to -simulate quite well the skin of the panther. - -The panther doctor wore no bead armor as did the bear doctor, but wore -a necklace of small and finely made shell beads around his neck. He -always carried a bag filled with valuable beads with which to bribe to -silence any one who might discover him. The bear doctor used the beads -comprising his armor for this purpose. - - - - -COMPARISON WITH YUKI BELIEFS - - -The ideas that the doctor is actually transformed into a bear, that -bear hair grows out through his skin, and that he comes to life -after having been killed--ideas found among certain California -Indians[19]--have not been discovered among the Pomo. - -As might be expected, from the contiguity of the two groups and their -numerous cultural identities, the Pomo and Yuki[20] bear doctors are -very similar. The Yuki, however, have certain beliefs that the Pomo do -not possess. - -The Yuki bear doctor began by repeatedly dreaming of bears and was -taken out and instructed by actual bears, thus placing the bear in -the position of a true guardian spirit, and making the doctor a real -shaman. Later he was thought to be instructed and to have his powers -developed by older shamans. The Pomo have no such notions. - -The Yuki bear doctor was not always an evildoer, but in some measure an -accepted benefactor, particularly in curing bear bites and in avenging -wrongs to his community. His capacity thus was publicly recognized--a -fact that is further evidenced by his performance of sleight-of-hand -tricks. The Pomo bear doctor never performed any cure, practiced his -magic with the greatest secrecy and only for his own satisfaction and -aggrandizement, and had death awaiting him at the hands of his own -people if he was unfortunate enough to be discovered. - -The Yuki bear doctor carried a basket containing a stone which rumbled -in imitation of the bear's growl as the shaman shook his head. -Analogous to this was the Pomo bear doctor's set of water-filled -baskets which swashed like a real bear's viscera as he ran. - -Both carried beads; but the Yuki to secure appropriate burial if -killed, the Pomo as an armor and to bribe to secrecy him who might -discover him. - -The mode of attack and the dismemberment of the victim were quite -similar in both tribes. - - - - -COMPARISON WITH MIWOK BELIEFS - - -The Northern Sierra and Plains Miwok called bear doctors _sulik mueko_. -These shamans donned bearskins, but, like their Yuki colleagues, had -bears as spirits and exhibited their powers publicly. Like the Yokuts -bear doctors, they were thought able to transform themselves bodily -into bears. - -The Miwok relate how a man was hunting in the chaparral south of the -Stanislaus when a bear appeared and asked what he was doing. The Indian -replied that he was seeking an arrow lost in a shot at a red-headed -woodpecker. The bear led him into its cave, kept and taught him for -four days, and sent him home with several bears as guides. A white man, -married to an Indian woman, instigated the building of a dance-house -to give the bear doctor an opportunity to show his alleged powers. -The latter accepted, came, walked into the fire, pushed aside the -flaming brands and made himself a bed in the coals, arose after a time -unharmed, swam, and resumed his human form. - -The Miwok panther doctor was similarly met and instructed by a -panther. He wore no skin and possessed no power of transformation. He -did, however, acquire the panther's ability to hunt, it was thought. In -extreme old age he revealed his experiences and then died at once. - -It is clear that the Miwok panther doctor is merely a shaman who has -that animal as his personal guardian spirit, and that except for his -power of transformation and the character of his guardian, the Miwok -bear doctor does not essentially differ from an ordinary shaman. - -It seems therefore that the institution of the bear doctor has attained -its most extreme form among the Pomo. - - - - -SUMMARY - - -1. The origin of bear doctors is assigned by the Pomo to the -mythical times before men existed, when birds and mammals possessed -human attributes. The first bear doctors arose from a relatively -insignificant incident, which led one of the smallest of the birds to -develop his magic powers. - -2. These powers are believed to be now acquired through the wearing -of a special suit which endows its wearer with rapidity of motion and -great endurance, but which does not itself actually transport him or -perform any act. - -3. The powers are received through elaborate ritualistic songs and -prayers to certain supernatural beings under whose patronage the doctor -operates. These songs are largely sung not by the doctor himself but -by an assistant while the doctor performs an elaborate dance with the -various parts of the costume preparatory to actually putting them on -for the first time. - -4. In addition to this constant assistant, the bear doctor must have a -female aide, who makes certain parts of his paraphernalia and cooks his -special food. He is subject to certain restrictions connected with the -menstrual periods of this female aide and his wife, and they, in turn, -are subject through him to certain other restrictions. - -5. Although all-powerful under ordinary circumstances, a bear doctor -apparently loses all his magic power as soon as he is captured. - -6. Bear doctors are all known one to another, but form no organized -group or society. They are also usually known to the chief, to whom -they pay tribute and give guarantee of immunity from attack in return -for his connivance and protection. - -7. In exceptional cases the bear doctors are harmless, but in the main -their object is to kill and plunder, and they carry special weapons for -this purpose. They do not practice curative medicine in any form. - -8. There are apparently other kinds of magicians similar to bear -doctors. One of these, the "panther doctors," has been specifically -mentioned. - -These statements reflect the opinions of the Pomo. Some of the -practices described by them could easily have had a basis in fact. -Whether and to what extent they were actually performed remains to be -ascertained. - - - _Transmitted November 28, 1916._ - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - - -[1] A. L. Kroeber, "Religion of the Indians of California," present -series, IV, 331, 1907. - -[2] This is the site of an old Eastern Pomo village and is situated in -the foot-hills about two miles northeast of the town of Upper Lake. It -is located on the western slope of a hill and overlooks the lake. - -[3] Identity unknown, and common Indian name not recorded. - -[4] This name in the Northern dialect is _buta baom_, and in the -Central dialect is _bitaka yalo djak_, literally grizzly bear between -the legs flew. The Northern people say that the name of the bird -previous to the accomplishment of this feat was _mabasomso_. In -speaking of this bird one Northern informant stated that when the first -people were transformed into birds this man was wearing a very large -head-dress. This accounts for the fact that the bird now carries a -large topknot. - -[5] In very early times it is said that a string of four hundred beads -was worth an amount about equal to two and one-half dollars. Later, -after the introduction of the pump-drill, this value dropped to one -dollar. On the basis of modern valuations of such skins, and under the -higher rating of beads, this hide would have been worth 12,000 beads. - -[6] In giving the account the informant stated that while making their -ceremonial attire the two worked entirely at night, as was always done -by Indian bear doctors later, and then only upon perfectly dark nights, -when the moon was not shining or when it was obscured by clouds. In -case the moon suddenly emerged from behind a cloud they immediately -ceased their work. This was made necessary by the fact that many -hunters were abroad at night. - -[7] Another informant told of a marvelous journey said to have been -made by his grandmother while the family resided many years ago in -Eight-mile Valley. She went during one night to Healdsburg, Sebastopol, -Bodega Bay, and Big River, thence returning to her home, covering in -those few hours about two hundred miles. - -[8] The bringing of beads as a death offering from one village to -another, or from one political group of people to another, is called -_kal kubek_, while such an offering taken to the home of the family of -the deceased by relatives in the same village is called _kal banek_. - -[9] This stretcher is called _kaitsak_, and consists of two side poles -with short cross-pieces bound to them in such a manner as to resemble a -ladder. It was used in early times for carrying the wounded or the dead -back to the village. A corpse was bound to it by a binding of grapevine -and the two ends of the stretcher rested upon the shoulders of the -bearers. - -[10] They were making a _bice go_; i.e., setting snares in the brush -without making a brush fence. The fence with snares is called _bice -wari_. - -[11] This pond, which is said to furnish the only water on this great -mountain, was called _ka kapa_, and is said to be one of a very few -ponds apparently without a spring, and called _ka dabo_, which are -supposed to have been made in prehistoric times by bears as resting -places for themselves. This pond is nowadays almost never visited by -any one except hunters who have lost their way. - -[12] This loss of magic power and their consequent capture was -explained as a supernatural penalty for their attempt to kill more than -four victims in any one year. - -[13] One informant ascribed the source of Pomo bear doctor knowledge to -the Lake Miwok, to the south. This opinion, of course, conflicts with -the preceding origin tale. - -[14] The bear doctor was known to the Pomo as _gauk burakal_, "human -bear." _Burakal_ specifically denotes the grizzly bear. The brown or -cinnamon bear is _lima_, but black individuals, which we reckon as of -the same species, were called _ciyo burakal_, "black grizzly bears," by -the Pomo. - -[15] It would appear that restriction depended rather upon co-residence -than blood kinship. The extent to which the taboo might accordingly -affect a bear doctor's activities will be realized when we reflect that -it was customary for several related families to reside in one house, -each family having its own door and each two families a separate fire. -In the center of the house was the common baking pit. - -[16] Usually, however, a person caught in this way was used as a "head -rest" and servant, it is said, and received no instruction whatever. - -[17] Another informant gave as these chief spirits sun-man, -mountain-man, wind-man, night-man, water-man, and valley-man, though -not stating that they were considered in this order. - -[18] So far as could be ascertained, they formed no organized society, -and never met as a body. - -[19] Kroeber, _loc. cit._ - -[20] This comparison is based on manuscript data of Dr. Kroeber -concerning the Yuki. - - - - - Transcriber's notes: - - The following is a list of changes made to the original. - The first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. - - to his excuses, he uusally brought home some game or berries. - to his excuses, he usually brought home some game or berries. - - This conisted of two layers of rods obtained from the snowdrop - This consisted of two layers of rods obtained from the snowdrop - - from the original group to the singers opposite side. - from the original group to the singer's opposite side. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Pomo Bear Doctors, by Samuel Alfred Barrett - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POMO BEAR DOCTORS *** - -***** This file should be named 42979.txt or 42979.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/9/7/42979/ - -Produced by Charlene Taylor, Paul Clark, Bryan Ness and -the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive/American -Libraries.) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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