ASIDE FROM CURING SHAMANS HAD A VARIETY OF OTHER POWERS INCLUDING RAINMAKING. THIS WAS GENERALLY AN IDEA THAT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAD ABOUT HOW THE SPRING FLOODS ESPECIALLY IN THE DESERT AREAS. IN MOST YEARS THE CROPS GREW BEAUTIFULLY. WHEN THERE WAS A LACK OF RAIN THEY LOOKED TO THE RAINMAKER.
THE LAST RAINMAKER WE HAD WAS AN OLD MAN WHO BELONGED TO A RELIGIOUS CLAN. THE MEMBERS HAD POWERFUL DREAMS.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WAS NO RAIN FOR TWO YEARS AND THE RIVER WAS VERY LOW. EVERYBODY GOT WORRIED. THE MEN GOT TOGETHER TO DECIDE TO SEND A MESSAGE TELLING THEIR CLAN TO PLACE FOUR BAMBOO TUBES FILLED WITH TOBACCO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BIG SHELTER WHERE THEY HELD A MEETING.
WHEN THE RAINMAKER SHAMAN CAME TO THE PLACE WHERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE HE PICKED UP TUBES OF TABACCO ONE AT A TIME AND SMOKED THEM. HIS SPEECH SAID IT WAS TURTLE SPIRIT THAT HAD GIVEN HIM THE POWER ON THE MOUNTAIN. THE SPIRIT SHOWED HIM EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND TOLD HIM TO THINK OF THE TURTLE AND NAME HIM WHEN HE PERFORMED THE RITUAL. HE COMMANDED THE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW HIM OUT OF THE SHELTER. BEFORE HE HAD GONE VERY FAR THERE WERE PATCHES OF CLOUD ALL OVER THE SKY AND RAIN HAD FALLEN AND IN LESS THAN AN HOUR A HEAVY DOWNPOUR LASTED 4 DAYS.
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