Medicine Bag

**Geronimo!** · 01-22-2009, 10:05 AM

I recently purchased some deer hide and was thinking of making a small medicine bag.

Does anyone have any experience making these?

Is it worthwhile to make?

Is there a better item to craft from deer hide?

Any and all suggestions/ideas are welcome.

**tsitenha** · 01-22-2009, 11:46 AM

Goyathlay, do you know what is a medicine bag? what goes in it?

Is it worthwhile to make?

that would be up to you.

**skunkkiller** · 01-22-2009, 12:09 PM

I have made medicine bags I also made a small pouch to hold my flint and steel that fits in my small round tin that i use to make char cloth. I also have made nice possible bag for my wife to carry all the things she might need when out in the wood together.My medicine bag also has a small sheath on the back for my patch knife.

**vthompson** · 01-22-2009, 12:11 PM

Geronimo, Anything that you make with your own hands and do it the way our ancestors did is worth while. You asked if something else could be made instead of a medicine bag, and that depends on how big your hide is. But if I wanted a medicine bag by all means, that is what I would make.
Find yourself some pictures to study and then go from there. When you're finished you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you made it yourself.
That's just my 2 cents worth.

**tsitenha** · 01-22-2009, 12:26 PM

Maybe a "stuff bag, possible pouch, neck pouch, leather bag" would be better words to use.

**trax** · 01-22-2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by tsitenha

Maybe a "stuff bag, possible pouch, neck pouch, leather bag" would be better words to use.

Yeah, what he said.

**skunkkiller** · 01-22-2009, 12:52 PM

medicine bag is to put your big medicine in like sweet grass deer tooth piece of flint things like that .

**RunsWithDeer** · 01-22-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by skunkkiller

medicine bag is to put your big medicine in like sweet grass deer tooth piece of flint things like that .

A medicine bag for my tribe is kept only by the men, we have no set items that go in it. It is a personal bag that the owner put items that have meaning to them. I have changed what I put in mine over the years. Only two items have always been in my bag, one is a small piece of flint given to me by my grandfather, the other is a chunk of charcoal from the very first sweat I participated in.
My bag is small, about 4 inches by 8 inches. Made it myself from a deer I shot with a bow. The bag itself has special meaning to me, because that deer was special, it was my first deer with a bow that I made.

A medicine bag is not meant to carry medicine as most people think of medicine.

**klkak** · 01-22-2009, 02:06 PM

I haven't carried my medicine bag in many years. The contents are personal and of a spiritual nature to me.

**tsitenha** · 01-22-2009, 04:18 PM

When I had open heart surgery I couldn't wear my medicine bag around my neck during the surgery but it was taped to my leg so that it touched me. like Klkak said it is personal to each and varies in content.
Not medicine in the western way.

**Geronimo!** · 01-22-2009, 04:36 PM

Great,
thanks for the input everyone.

**vthompson** · 01-22-2009, 07:28 PM

Geronimo, make sure that you post some pictures of your bag whenever it is finished. I would love to see it. Heck, I may even offer to buy it from you.

**skunkkiller** · 01-22-2009, 08:27 PM

runswithdeer you killed the deer and made the bag and your grandfather gave you the flint that is big medicine

**hoosierarcher** · 01-22-2009, 09:15 PM

If it will be a true power/medicine bag it is not meant to be opened often and therefore is often made simply by taking a piece of hide placing the significant items in the middle, the edges folded into the center and then a leather thong used to tie the bundle shut and make the landyard that goes around the neck long enough so that the medicine bag hangs over the heart. Some did keep not only the power items but kit in their medicine bags and also sought to make them artistically thinking it would add to the medicine/power if the bag was beautiful. I made them both ways myself. The simpliest way to sow one is to determine how big you want it and cut a piece of hide or leather the width you want the bag and 3 times the length. Then fold the length in thirds so that you have a back a front and a flap. Sew back and front together anyway you want. I sowed the thong into the seem up the sides. You can also sew on a fringe on the bottom if you like. I then adorned the flap(which I liked full length) with brass tacks in the shape of a Christian fish symbol. Mine was 4" wide and 6" long without a fringe. I did keep a basic kit in the bag as well as items of personal meaning.

**swampmouse** · 02-18-2009, 04:16 AM

Medicine Bag seems deceptive. I carry a leather pouch around my neck sometimes that has Sage, corn meal, dirt from Okefenokee swamp, a bear, hawk and a deer antler nugget. I Prayed over it and hung it in a hollow cypress tree for a complete full moon rise and fall. It is in a box since I moved with a choker and several bead pieces. It is like a cross or star of David to me. Look on line.

**Geronimo!** · 02-18-2009, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by swampmouse

Medicine Bag seems deceptive. I carry a leather pouch around my neck sometimes that has Sage, corn meal, dirt from Okefenokee swamp, a bear, hawk and a deer antler nugget. I Prayed over it and hung it in a hollow cypress tree for a complete full moon rise and fall. It is in a box since I moved with a choker and several bead pieces. It is like a cross or star of David to me. Look on line.

sounds like a great bag that means a lot to you. Thanks!