Medicinemen for Hire

Medicine man for hire

I have taken a look at the Medicinemanforhire website and have found there are some Navajo men, the Morrisses from Sheepsprings offering their services as practitioners As medicinemen/peyote men. I can not speak for them but these things I remember.

An old man and women rode a matched pair of horses down a long windy dusty road somewhere over by Cow Springs, Tonalea. They carried saddle bags filled with hard goods, turquoise and silver jewelry, heavy stuff.

These would be offered to the man they were going to see. He was of simple means but known to many, even these two who had travelled a 100 miles to see him. They had left a couple of days earlier from the Chuska Mountains crossing along by Star Mountain, skirting Canyon De Chelly, past Round Rock and straight on to Rough Rock and up over Black Mesa. Their clothes were dusty and worn but they carried with them a request that this Singer come to the their place to restore harmony.

A call had gone out after the family and all the relations sat down for a meeting. Someone was ailing and it was decided a Singer was needed. There is a man from way over by Cow Springs someone said and so the old couple wanted to go. They had not been that way for a long time and they wanted to see this country again, so the horses were fed and watered. Family brought out the hard goods, heavy bracelets, three conchos made in the last century by Slim Silversmith. It was good, they packed it away and set out to the west.

The family scattered out into the area, there had to be three places found
where those families would host one night each. The sing goes on for three nights and in a different place each night. Preparations for a sing, cutting wood, gathering plants, these things are what nalis (aunts) do and the old Che’s (grandpas) do as elders, they talk about the important things, who was to sing, take charge of the animals, gathering food, blankets, and help from the local area. Each went his way to different places to ask for help and support for this sing.

As these messengers went out, they would come to a place far from where
they had started. On sighting a horse rider, the children would run into the hogan or chao-, shade house and summon the older folks and parents. In some cases the rider would go up to the place and someone from inside would say, Ohshde’, Come in, and so they went in and sat down reaching for whatever the family was eating without asking and sharing a meal. After some food was eaten they would commence to say in the long way of doing so, the circumstances of what happened at a certain time and exlain the need.

That is how it happens, someone gets ill or sick and so that is why they are there. The family considers this and after a little bit offers what they can, coffee, beans, a sheep, a son-in-law to chop wood, maybe a singer who can make the feet light in the night to the sway of many men and women who sing. My father is one of these men, he could all night and his voice carried far.

There is a cedar log bonfire. It is a beautiful thing to stand near the edge and look out on a group standing close together in the night, not too far from the fire. They sing long and with a rhythm learned over a long time. Some call this a squaw dance, but it is really called a Night Way, there is social dancing to bring good spirits to this place. They sing all night; their voices raising and following the embers that float into the night sky.

A little ways away there are those who dance to the songs as a group on a simple dance floor cleared in the brush. It is ladies choice, women in shawls move about and with a swish, a touch call on the men to dance. The men have to pay, some a dollar, others more. Some want to run and hide, others dance while the stars move slowly across the sky, it is a good night for all.

Not too far off there is movement not seen by many of those there. They come quietly without a sound and they have names like Corn Bug Girl, Pollen Boy, Monster Slayer, Bear Man and many others who move in passed the ongoings outside into the hogan, to the heart of it all. They step into the circle of the Rainbow Guardians and look about them at the Singer who has called them there.

This old man from Tonalea, he speaks each word carefully and slowly, taking care to do everything right, this is his time and he makes it so. Each grain of sand has it’s place, each rattle and song giving a call to those that can provide the restoration of heart, mind and soul to the patient sitting quietly listening and learning.

I stand not too far off on the outside and take a rest on the blankets
set aside for me. My grandmother and mother are making bread for tomorrow, kneading it so it is just right. As for me I take a break and lay down for little bit. I can hear them; those outside and their voices hanging in the air.

Yasho, I am Navajo, Dine’, I am glad to be born during this time. I shall dance in the house of my mother and sing in the places of my father, Dinetah, within the Four Sacred Mountains there is no other place for me…..

Medicinemen for hire, can offer me nothing…..nothing.

rustywire

For those who know a little about such things, it is good to know that the things that are not real fade away in time and are forgotten but those that real continue on with quiet way of life and some things endure and for this I am grateful...