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tamanawous
[< Chinook Jargon ta-mah-no-us magic, luck, shaman, anything supernatural, prob. < Interior Salish]
Pacific Coast
DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
Spelling variants:tamanaos
Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)
This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.
n.
an Indian magician or shaman who practises healing by means of charms and the exorcism of evil spirits or by practical remedies such as administering herbs and sweat baths.
See: medicine-man(def. 1a)
Quotations
1862
He was communing with the "To-man-na-was" or familiar spirit.
1865
. . . It was a favourable time to show these Indians that I did not fear them, nor their tamanaos (witch doctors). . . .
1956
Smohalla--seer . . . medicine man or tamanawous--proved to be a rather undersized Indian. . . .