Tribal Shaman Home

In many tribes the Shamans had more influence and power than the chiefs themselves. They were usually men, but some tribes allowed women Shamans. The Shaman was thought to have a special power given to him by the Spirits in which he had spoken with some animals that taught him how to contact the Spirit world. The Shaman had a variety of duties, and a number of privileges which set him apart from the rest of the tribe. He opened the councils by lighting the pipe. He could cure disease, kill without punishment and conjure up or dispel the Spirits. On his decision a tribe member could be made an outcast. His gestures and incantations were often accompanied by drums,. Rattles, dolls, and dances, and sometimes he used assistants. In the use of sand painting for healing, the Shamans worked for days to prepare the painting. Only the Shaman could make the painting effective. Only by him touching the symbols on the painting and then touching various parts of the patients body could the magical cure be hoped for.

The Shamans also received their posers from revelations in a dream. They acted as interpreters between the tribesmen and the Spirits. Some of the greatest and bloodiest uprisings of the Indian occurred when the Shaman claimed the the Spirits wished the Indians to return to their old way of life.

The Shamans were responsible for many of the solemn ceremonies. In some tribes they maintained the vigil over the dead and in others they supervised the offering of sacrifices.

The herb doctors were often experts in the knowledge of herbs. Though their medicine was accompanied by much magic some of their drugs were genuinely effective, in fact, more than fifty of them are in use in today’s modern medicine.

Chickamaugan medicine people and spiritual leaders are known to the tribal people and do not practice medicine for a fee nor sell "shamanic" lessons to anyone. They do not advertise their services through any form of media and certainly not over the internet. Traditional Chickamaugan healers and spiritual leaders provide their services to the Tribal people. Our traditional Chickamaugan healers and spiritual leaders are humble people and would not present themselves as such nor "hang out a shingle" so to speak. Chickamaugan medicine people are acknowledged and recognized by members of the Chickamaugan community as effective healers and leaders. It is the recognition of the Chickamaugan people that validates these persons as medicine people and healers not self-proclamation. We may provide them small gifts, a token amount of money or foodstuffs in payment for their services. They do not charge for their services nor would they withhold their services when asked and they certainly would not prescribe payment by credit card. Chickamaugan medicine people may provide services to recognized members of other tribes or may provide services to non-Indians who would seek them out for treatment, but certainly would not mix their spirituality or medicine with that of other nations. Chickamaugan medicine and spiritual practices do not include tarot cards, palmistry, or psychic readings.

Duties of the Chickamaugan Shaman:

The Shaman will run the ceremonies, special ceremonies and the Totem Ceremony which is held every four (4) times a year. He or she will hold seat lodges for the men and women.

1. He or She will hold healing ceremonies, the Cherokee Holiday and the Chief Ceremony. He or She can hold the special ceremony at any time he/she wishes as long as he/she follows beliefs of the Cherokee people.

2. He / She has full power over what he / she permits in the Great Circle and who can go in the Great Circle, He / She will judge on when a person is ready to follow The Red Road and the ways of Totemism.

3. The Shaman will also Council members who have problems and need help with these problems, as long as the Indian Creek Band is not made part of the problem and stays out of the problem. The Chief decides whether a person meets the counseling needed to participate in any ceremony.