The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))

Name: The Medicine-Men of the Apache. (1892 N 09 / 1887-1888 (pages 443-604))
Author: John Gregory Bourke

By John Gregory Bourke

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About This Book

An ethnographic study documents Apache medicine-men and medicine-women, detailing their healing techniques, remedies, and ritual paraphernalia such as pollen powders, medicine cords (izze-kloth), headdresses, scalp shirts, and necklaces made from human remains. It explains modes of treatment and obstetric roles, describes ceremonial items like the rhombus or bull-roarer, scratch stick, and drinking reed, and illustrates these objects. Comparative chapters trace analogues among other Native American groups and ancient cultures, examine sacred powders and cords in ritual and social contexts, and survey amulets, phylacteries, and symbolism associated with Apache medicinal practice.

About the Author

John Gregory Bourke

John Gregory Bourke was a 19th-century American army officer and ethnologist, known for his detailed accounts of Native American cultures and military campaigns in the American Southwest. His notable work, "An Apache Campaign in the Sierra Madre," documents his experiences during an expedition against the Chiricahua Apaches in 1883. Bourke's writings often blend personal narrative with anthropological observations, providing valuable insights into the customs and beliefs of various Indigenous peoples. In addition to his military accounts, he explored topics such as medicine and ritual practices in works like "Scatalogic Rites of All Nations," showcasing his diverse interests and contributions to the understanding of cultural practices.