Shamanism Little is known of the manner in which the Pomo medicine man aquired his power, except that it might be derived from one's father or from a shaman whom the novice had assisted and who fell heir to his teachings and paraphernalia. The power was also recieved directly from spirits.The medicine sacks owned by Pomo medicine men where animal skins contining bull roarers, obsidian, colored pebbles, bones, roots, sticks covered with snake skins, shaped amulets of stone, dried lizards, snakes, coyote feet, or any deformed or unusual object. This type of medicine bag is employed by the Plains Shaman Indian. The bag was thought extremely powerful: its shadow would kill a child in which it might fall.
Bear Shamans The grizzly bear shaman, incased in complete bearskin, his body wrapped with belts of beads serving as armor, and with a horn dagger concealed on him, this nefarious being roamed the hills in search of his human prey, not sparing even people of his own town.
