INTRODUCTION

Catherine Wabose was born in the early 19th Century and grew up in Chegoimegon, on the shores of Lake Superior [I think this is Chekuamegon Bay, northern Wisconsin]. She was a descendant, in a direct line, from one of the principal Chippewa families, the noted Wabojeeg... She lived and practiced as a shaman in Michillimackinac.

The translators note: "Pictorial devices which refer to the Jeesukáwin have been less easily accessible than any other branch. There is a feeling of sacredness and secrecy connected with them, which prevents their being revealed, even to the uninitiated Indians. It is the only branch of their art of picture-writing which is withheld from common use. Signs of the medáwin, and the wábeno; -- of hunting, sepulture, war, and other objects, are more or less known to all, and are accessible to all, who are admitted to the secret societies. But the prophetic art exists by itself. It is exclusive, peculiar, personally experimental."

In her later years, she converted to Christianity, marrying an Odjibwa convert, Nau-We-Kwaishkum, alias James Wabose. Wábose means the hare; she took this as her family name (and signed her dream-sketch with it). Since as a Christian she no longer practiced shamanism or relied on these spirits, she was willing to share her initiatory dream--both words and images.

FASTING

When I was a girl (she said) of about twelve or thirteen years of age, my mother told me to look out for something that would happen to me [first menstruation]. Accordingly, one morning early, in the middle of winter, I found an unusual sign, and ran off as far from the lodge as I could, and remained there until my mother came and found me out. She knew what was the matter, and brought me nearer to the family lodge, and bade me help her in making a small lodge of branches of the spruce tree. She told me to remain there, and keep away from every one, and, as a diversion, to keep myself employed in chopping wood, and that she would bring me plenty of prepared bass-wood. bark to twist into twine. She told me she would come to see me in two days, and that, in the meantime, I must not even taste snow.

I did as directed. At the end of two days she came to see me. I thought she would surely bring me something to eat, but, to my disappointment, she brought nothing. I suffered more from thirst than hunger, though I felt my stomach gnawing.

My mother sat quietly down and said, (after ascertaining that I had not tasted anything, as she directed) 'My child, you are the youngest of your sisters, and none are now left me of all my sons and children, but you four', alluding to her two elder sisters, herself and a little son, still a mere lad. 'Who,' she continued, 'will take care of us poor women? Now, my daughter, listen to me, and try to obey. Blacken your face and fast really, that the Master of Life may have pity on you and me, and on us all. Do not in the least deviate from my counsels, and in two days more I will come to you. He will help you, if you are determined to do what is right, and tell me whether you are favored or not, by the true Great Spirit; and if your visions are not good, reject them.' So saying, she departed.

I took my little hatchet and cut plenty of wood, and twisted the cord, that was to be used in sewing ap-puh-way-oon-un, or mats, for the use of the family. Gradually I began to feel less appetite, but my thirst continued; still I was fearful of touching the snow to allay it, by sucking it, as my mother had told me that if I did so, though secretly, the Great Spirit would see me, and the lesser spirits also, and that my fasting would be of no use.

So I continued to fast till the fourth day, when my mother came with a little tin dish, and filling it with snow, she came to my lodge, and was well pleased to find that I had followed her injunctions. She melted the snow, and told me to drink it. I did so, and felt refreshed, but had a desire for more, which she told me would not do, and I contented myself with what she had given me. She again told me to get and follow a good vision; a vision that might not only do us good, but also benefit mankind, if I could.

She then left me, and for two days she did not come near me, nor any human being, and I was left to my own reflections.

THE DREAM

The night of the sixth day I fancied a voice called to me, and said, 'Poor child! I pity your condition; come, you are invited this way!' and I thought the voice proceeded from a certain distance from my lodge. I obeyed the summons, and, going to the spot from which the voice came, found a thin shining path, like a silver cord, which I followed.

It led straight forward, and, it seemed, upward. After going a short distance, I stood still, and saw on my right hand the new moon, with a flame rising from the top like a candle, which threw around a broad light. On the left appeared the sun, near the point of its setting.

I went on, and I beheld on my right the face of Kau-ge-gay-be-qua, or Everlasting Standing Woman, who told me her name, and said to me, "I give you my name, and you may give it to another. I also give you that which I have, life everlasting. I give you long life on the earth, and skill in saving life in others. Go, you are called on high."

I went on, and saw a man standing, with a large circular body, and rays from his head, like horns. He said, "Fear not; my name is Monido-Wininees, or the Little Man-spirit. I give this name to your first son. It is my life. Go to the place you are called to visit."

I followed the path till I could see that it led up to an opening in the sky, when I heard a voice, and standing still, saw the figure of a man standing near the path, whose head was surrounded with a brilliant halo, and his breast was covered with squares.

He said to me, "Look at me; my name is O-Shau-wau-e-geeghick, or the Bright Blue Sky. I am the veil that covers the opening into the sky. Stand and listen to me. Do not be afraid. I am going to endow you with gifts of life, and put you in array that you may withstand and endure."

Immediately I saw myself encircled with bright points, which rested against me like needles, but gave me no pain, and they fell at my feet. This was repeated several times, and at each time they fell to the ground. He said, "Wait, and do not fear, till I have said and done all I am about to do." I then felt different instruments, first like awls, and then like nails, stuck into my flesh, but neither did they give me pain, but, like the needles, fell at my feet as often as they appeared. He then said, "That is good," meaning my trial by these points; "you will see length of days. Advance a little farther," said he. I did so, and stood at the commencement of the opening. "You have arrived" said he, "at the limit you cannot pass. I give you my name; you can give it to another. Now, return! Look around you. There is a conveyance for you. Do not be afraid to get on its back, and when you get to your lodge, you must take that which sustains the human body."

I turned, and saw a kind of fish swimming in the air, and getting upon it as directed, was carried back with celerity, my hair floating behind me in the air. And as soon as I got back, my vision ceased.

RECURRENCE

In the morning, being the sixth day of my fast, my mother came with a little bit of dried trout. But such was my sensitiveness to all sounds, and my increased power of scent, produced by fasting, that before she came in sight I heard her while a great way off; and when she came in I could not bear the smell of the fish, or herself either.

She said, "I have brought something for you to eat, only a mouthful, to prevent your dying." She prepared to cook it, but I said, "Mother, forbear, I do not wish to eat it-- the smell is offensive to me." She accordingly left off preparing to cook the fish, and again encouraged me to persevere, and try to become a comfort to her in her old age and bereaved state, and left me.

I attempted to cut wood as usual, but in the effort I fell back on the snow from exhaustion, and lay some time; at last I made an effort and rose, and went to my lodge and lay down. I again saw the vision, and each person who had before spoken to me, and heard the promises of different kinds made to me, and the songs. I went the same path which I had pursued before, and met with the same reception.

I also had another vision, or celestial visit, which I shall presently relate.

My mother came again on the seventh day, and brought me some pounded corn boiled in snow water, for, she said, I must not drink water from lake or river. After taking it I related my vision to her. She said it was good, and spoke to me to continue my fast three days longer. I did so: at the end of which she took me home, and made a feast in honor of my success, and invited a great many guests. I was told to eat sparingly, and to take nothing too hearty or substantial; but this was unnecessary, for my abstinence had made my senses so acute, that all animal food had a gross and disagreeable odor.

FINAL DREAM

After the seventh day of my fast, (she continued,) while I was lying in my lodge, I saw a dark round object descending from the sky, like a round stone, and enter my lodge. As it came near I saw that it had small feet and hands like a human body. It spoke to me, and said, 'I give you the gift of seeing into futurity, that you may use it for the benefit of yourself and the Indians--your relations and tribespeople.' It then departed, but as it went away it assumed wings, and looked to me like the red-headed woodpecker in flight.

SAVING A VILLAGE

In consequence of being thus favored, I assumed the arts of the Jeesukáwin, and a prophetess, but never those of a Wábeno. The first time I exercised the prophetical art was at the strong and repeated solicitations of my friends. It was in the winter season, and they were then encamped west of the Wisacoda or Brule river of Lake Superior [near the Canadian border and Isle Royale], and between it and the plains west. There were, besides my mother's family and relatives, a considerable number of families. They had been some time at the place, and were near starving, as they could find no game.

One evening the chief of the party came into my mother's lodge. I had lain down, and was supposed to be asleep, and he requested of my mother that she would allow me to try my skill to relieve them. My mother spoke to me, and after some conversation, she gave her consent. I told them to build the Jee-suk-aun, or prophet's lodge, strong, and gave particular directions for it. I directed that it should consist of ten posts or saplings, each of a different kind of wood, which I named. When it was finished, and tightly wound with skins, the entire population of the encampment assembled around it, and I went in, taking only a small drum. I immediately knelt down, and holding my head near the ground in a position, as near as may be, prostrate, began beating my drum, and reciting my songs or incantations.

The lodge commenced shaking violently, by supernatural means. I knew this by the compressed current of air above, and the noise of motion. This being regarded by me and by all without as a proof of the presence of the spirits I consulted, I ceased beating and singing, and lay still, waiting for questions, in the position I had at first assumed.

The first question put to me was in relation to the game, and where it was to be found. The response was given by the orbicular spirit, who had appeared to me. He said "How shortsighted you are! If you will go in a west direction you will find game in abundance." Next day the camp was broken up, and they all moved westward, the hunters, as usual, going far ahead. They had not proceeded far beyond the bounds of their former hunting circle when they came upon tracks of moose, and that day they killed a female, and two young moose nearly full-grown. They pitched their encampment anew, and had abundance of animal food in this new position.

My reputation was established by this success, and I was afterwards noted in the tribe in the art of a Meda-woman, and sung the songs which I have given to you.

PREMONITION

About four years after, I was married to O Mush Kow Egeezhick, or the Strong Sky, who was a very active and successful hunter, and kept his lodge well supplied with food; and we lived happy. After I had had two children, a girl and a boy, we went out, as is the custom of the Indians in the spring, to visit the white settlements. One night, while we were encamped at the head of the portage at Pauwating, (the Falls of St. Mary's), angry words passed between my husband and a half-Frenchman named Gaultier, who, with his two cousins, in the course of the dispute, drew their knives and a tomahawk, and stabbed and cut him in four or five places, in his body, head, and thighs. This happened the first year that the Americans came to that place (1822).

He had gone out, at a late hour in the evening, to visit the tent of Gaultier. Having been urged by one of the trader's men to take liquor that evening, and it being already late, I desired him not to go, but to defer his visit till next day, and, after he had left the lodge, I felt a sudden presentiment of evil, and I went after him, and renewed my efforts in vain. He told me to return, and as I had two children in the lodge, the youngest of whom, a boy, was still in his cradle, and then ill, I sat up with him late, and waited and waited, till a late hour, and then fell asleep from exhaustion. I slept very sound.

The first I knew was a violent shaking from a girl, a niece of Gaultier's, who told me my husband and Gaultier were all the time quarrelling. I arose, and went up the stream to Gaultier's camp-fire; it was nearly out, and I tried to make it blaze. I looked into his tent, but all was dark, and not a soul there. They had suddenly fled, although I did not, at the moment, know the cause.

I tried to make a light to find my husband, but could find nothing dry, for it had rained very hard the day before. After being out a while my vision became clearer, and, turning toward the river side, I saw a dark object lying near the shore, on a grassy opening. I was attracted by something glistening, which turned out to be his ear-rings. I thought he was asleep, and in stooping to awake him I slipped, and fell on my knees. I had slipped in his blood on the grass, and, putting my hand on his face, found him dead.

In the morning the Indian agent came with soldiers from the fort to see what had happened, but the murderer and all his bloody gang of relatives had fled. The agent gave orders to have the body buried in the old Indian burial-ground below the Falls.

My aged mother was encamped about a mile off at this time. I took my two children in the morning, and fled to her lodge. She had just heard of the murder, and was crying as I entered. I reminded her that it was an act of Providence, to which we must submit. She said it was for me and my poor helpless children that she was crying--that I was left, as she had been years before, with nobody to provide for us.

With her I returned to my native country at Chegoimegan on Lake Superior.

Burnout is pan-cultural. The healers of the European invaders--doctors and therapists--have high rates of burnout (and suicide) too. The prickles aren't all symbolic.

KEY TO THE SKETCH

1. A lodge of separation and fasting.
2. Ogeewyahn akwut oquay, the Prophetess, herself.
3. The number of days she fasted.
4. The day on which the vision appeared, or the path of her aerial visit.
5. The point from which the first voice proceeded, and the commencement of the path she pursued.
6. The new moon, with a lambent flame.
7. The sun, near its approach to the horizon.
8. A man in the sun holding some object which she did not recognize but supposes to have been a book.
9. The head of a female spirit called Kaugegaybekwa, or the Everlasting Woman.
10. A male spirit, called Monedo Wininees, or the Little Spirit Man.
11. The principal spirit (checkered body): Ozhawwunuhkogeezhig or Oshat'anegeezhig, the (Bright) Blue Sky
12. The upper heavens or an orifice there, called Pug-un-ai-au-geezhig.
13. A nondescript, fabulous fish prepared to carry her back.
14. Ogeewyahn ackwut oquay, sitting on the fish.
15. The farthest point she attained on the sky-path, where she faced the trial of symbolical prickles.
16. A symbol of harm.
17. A magic arrow.
18. An orbicular spirit resembling a flying woodpecker.
19. A hare: her husband's name, Wabose, now her family name.
20. A catfish.

• I found this early account compelling because there are so few first-person narratuves from female dreamworkers this far back, and dream art this early is equally rare. It's sequential art (even if the sequence wanders); arguably the world's first dream-comic! Note how she ignores orientation; up is whatever's currently convenient.
• The translators had three conflicting sets of references to the numbers in the illustration. I kept the best of the three, and where alternate readings were plausible I added them. Puzzles remain. There is no 5; it looks like she's riding a bird with hooves not a flying fish; and why's 20 there at all?
• My intro condenses several pages of biography from the translators, sparing you their wisdom on the "superstitions" of "primitive minds", and the relentless losses in Catherine's life--at least five of her family died young; I've included in full only her first husband's murder.
• The Chippewa/Ojibway words have inconsistent spelling and are rarely defined--I've retained what little the translators offer on the meanings of (and distinctions between) Jeesukáwin, medáwin, and wábeno.
• For clarity I added section titles, some extra paragraph breaks, and indents for her own words instead of recurring quote marks (with a lot of nested quotes by others). My apologies to purists.

SOURCE: Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States (1853-57) by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, vol.1 (1853), pp.390-397. Translation by Mrs. Schoolcraft; illustration by Capt. Seth Eastman, after Catherine Wabose's original.

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