MARIAL Sweatlodge Ceremony

THE CEREMONY

Text for this page is excerpted from "The Cheyenne Sweat Lodge" from The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis.
Source: Northwestern University Library, Edward S. Curtis's 'The North American Indian': the Photographic Images, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/curthome.html

Certain medicine men have the right to build sweat lodges and conduct the ceremony, and they can impart the prerogative to others. In this way alone can a man obtain the sweat lodge medicine, that is, the right to have a sweat lodge built and then to preside at the ceremony.

At the close of the invocation the men shake their rattles four times; then the singing begins, the master of the sudatory beginning and all the others joining. Eight songs are given; but these may be one song rendered eight times, or two songs each rendered four times, or four songs each rendered twice. Prayers sometimes intervene.


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THE CEREMONY Text for this page is excerpted from "The Cheyenne Sweat Lodge" from The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis. Source: Northwestern University Library, Edward S. Curtis's 'The North American Indian': the Photographic Images, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/curthome.html
	With the Cheyenne the sweat bath is one of the most essential religious observances. Through its agency their purified minds and bodies are brought in accord with the supernatural powers. Even when it is employed in healing disease the thought is that the power of the spirits, not the steam, will expel the sickness.
Certain medicine men have the right to build sweat lodges and conduct the ceremony, and they can impart the prerogative to others. In this way alone can a man obtain the sweat lodge medicine, that is, the right to have a sweat lodge built and then to preside at the ceremony.
	The following is a typical prayer: "Spirits hear me; think especially of me, miserable man. Those that enter my sweat lodge for safety, going out may they leave behind all that is bad. Take thought of them; that good may come to them take thought. Let horses of different colors come to them. Ye spirits, my different wives I have given to you, that I might be permitted to speak to you. My wives from you I make no attempt to hide, that I might be permitted to speak to you. In your sweat lodge the search has been renewed. Stones of different colors they have heated, woods of different colors they have erected. Your pipe is filled; come and smoke. When they go out of my sweat lodge may some good go with them. To the places whence they came, may they all take good luck. May all their relatives receive good; their children let them embrace with joy. Let their way lie along the good road. Especially remember me, poor as I am; help me. That our patients may arise with ease, take thought of them; let them once more walk about with joy. Everywhere in divers manners I have tortured myself; may the spirits pity me. Who are ye that taught this custom? I do not claim to know anything; I am poor; I am far from knowing anything. Old men taught me this way, and if I make a mistake, turn it into good. Especially remember poor me. Everything I ask of you, grant me. Henahi!"
At the close of the invocation the men shake their rattles four times; then the singing begins, the master of the sudatory beginning and all the others joining. Eight songs are given; but these may be one song rendered eight times, or two songs each rendered four times, or four songs each rendered twice. Prayers sometimes intervene.
	Near the end of the singing the woman throws water on the stones. The first period ended, the cover is raised front and back for a few minutes, the woman takes a drink of water and passes a cupful to each man, the cover is lowered again, and there follows a second series of songs, equal to the first in number of its parts and of their repetition. Thus the four divisions of the entire set of songs are used. One such set comprising eight songs (the eighth being a repetition of one of the others) is here presented. Two of these songs, each repeated four times, are given in each interval of sweating.
For the last time the cover is dropped, the remaining water is dashed on the stones, and after an interval without singing, all come out, some to plunge into the water, others to squat about the fire and smoke the pipe that has been leaning against the buffalo skull. * Source: Northwestern University Library, Edward S. Curtis's 'The North American Indian': the Photographic Images, 2001. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award98/ienhtml/curthome.html

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