medicine dance

American  

noun

1. a ritual dance performed by some North American Indians to invoke supernatural assistance as for driving out disease.

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Etymology

Origin of medicine dance

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

A four-day medicine dance is founded on the following legend: Two maidens lived at the bottom of a deep pit.

From The North American Indian by Curtis, Edward S.

After two days the Indian doctors held a medicine dance for her benefit.

From Fifty Years In The Northwest With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes by Folsom, William Henry Carman

To further gratify my curiosity, the chief put on a portion of his fantastic regalia, and executed a medicine dance.

From Official Report of the Exploration of the Queen Charlotte Islands for the Government of British Columbia by Chittenden, Newton H. (Newton Henry)

The Sacred Feast is given in honor of the sacred medicine, and is always given by medicine-men or women who are initiated into the mysteries of the medicine dance.

From Dahcotah Life and Legends of the Sioux Around Fort Snelling by Eastman, Mary H. (Mary Henderson)

After a medicine dance, according to Indian custom, they proposed a feast, but there was nothing on which to feast.

From Fifty Years In The Northwest With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes by Folsom, William Henry Carman