The Indians' secrets of health - or, What the white race may learn from the Indian (1917) (14748067976)

Identifier: secretsof00jameindiansrich (find matches)
Title: The Indians' secrets of health : or, What the white race may learn from the Indian
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: James, George Wharton, 1858-1923 James, George Wharton, 1858-1923
Subjects: Indians of North America Indians of North America -- Foreign influences Indians of North America -- Health and hygiene
Publisher: Pasadena, Calif. : Radiant Life Press
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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ng the victim of a misfortune of birth that his misfor-tune is a mark of divine favor. Let me explain fully.A hunchback or a dwarf among the Indians is notmade the butt of rude wit, ghastly jokes, or of crueltreatment, as is generally the case with such a one ofour own race, but is treated with special considerationand kindness. I knew a Mohave boy who was hump-backed when born. The shaman or medicine manexplained how the deformity came. He was a specialchild, a gift from the gods above. He came from theAbove to the Here on the exquisite pathway of a rain-bow. But, unfortunately, the rainbow rested over avery sharp, rugged mountain peak, which the gods 256 INDIAN AND RELIGIOUS WORSHIP did not see, and, as the child sHd down to the earth,his poor, httle, naked back caught on the sharp peakand was thus deformed. With such a story of hisorigin his parents were made happy, and as he grewolder, he was treated with kindness and considerationby his boy companions. Now, while I would not gain
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DRINKING THE EMETIC AFTER THE HOPI SNAKE DANCE. this end by the superstitious story of the Mohavemedicine man, I would that we could in some wayteach our boys to look with compassion upon the mis-fortune of such as happen to be afflicted at birth, orto be light-witted, or in some way not the equal of themajority. 257 INDIAN AND RELIGIOUS WORSHIP If an Indian 1)0 afflicted with liysteria, or fits of anykind, he is better treated as the result of his afflictionrather than worse. Too often the wliite race makesthese afflictions the cause of brutal and indifferenttreatment, and adds sorrow to the already overburdenedand distressed souls of the suftering. 258 CHAPTER XXVI THE INDIAN AND IMMORTALITY T I ^O the materialist immortality is a foolish dream, to-■■ the agnostic an unjustified human craving, to thesimple Christian a belief, and to the transcendentalista confident hope, but to the Indian it is as positive anassurance as is life. The white race has complicatedits belief in the f