When a child is born into a family that is well known for a specific role in the community, it is understood that the child would learn the those particular skills from his family.
Within the Medicine Hat Society members are recognized and groomed from childhood and are taught all kinds of medicine. The teachings include the origin of the plant, the proper protocol of harvesting the plant, the ceremonies that come with the plant and its medicines. The songs, chants and ceremonies that come with the medicines must be learned in the way that they had been practised since time immemorial.
The Medicine Hat is made of feathers of all kinds of Birds which may include the Eagle, Crow, Magpies, and other birds; as the knowledge is transferred from one person to the other it is signified by adding a feather onto the bonnet. The hat becomes rounder and rounder as feathers are added. Each of the Feathers represent a knowledge or a medicine.
The owner of the Medicine Hat would have their own individual ceremonies for the Hat itself, during the summer months there would be a gathering of Medicine Men and this gives the opportunity to have a Community feast and celebration, this also gives a chance to hold workshops on new technologies and healing methods.
To be the owner of the Medicine Hat is equivalent to owning a doctorate degree in todays standards, there are both male and female Medicine Hat Owners.
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