In the shadows of the dense forests that line the rugged coastline of the Pacific Northwest and Siberia, a mystery unfolds. The whispers of a secret society known as Pak-Hallas among the Kwakiutl and Allo-kwela among the Bella Coola, have reached the ears of curious outsiders. This society is comprised of medicine men or shamans who possess the power to heal illnesses and perform miracles. But, it is not their own power that enables them to perform these feats, but rather the magic of obliging divine spirits who are at their beck and call.
The Indians believe that each illness and misfortune is caused by evil spirits, and only the power of good spirits can expel and neutralize these malicious entities. Each medicine man has a special spirit that is devoted to him and can be summoned at will. The most distinguished of these spirits is called Kle-klati-ē´īl, who dwells in the forest and can only be encountered by aspiring medicine men. When a prospective doctor encounters Kle-klati-ē´īl, he falls to the ground as if dead, but comes back to consciousness after a while and starts singing a song inspired by the spirit. From that moment on, the medicine man will be able to use the magic song in all his cures. But, these songs are not permanent, as the shaman must encounter Kle-klati-ē´īl each year to receive new songs. The spirit is visualized as a human form, entirely clothed in cedar bark and adorned with cedar rings.
Another powerful spirit is Kle-sat-pli-lánna, who, according to one version of the Bella Coola story, brought fire to humans. Medicine men inspired by this spirit perform daring acts like jumping through fire, swinging over it on ropes, eating it, and licking glowing iron. This spirit also warns the medicine man of approaching wars by uttering the war cry of the Bella Coola “Vüh, vüh, vüh, vüh.” When the medicine man hears this call, he runs to the village and gives the alarm.
The Skaia spirit is another influential entity, who takes the form of a salmon in streams and is sought out by novices. If a medicine man inspired by Skaia performs a cure in a house, anyone who hears the song will turn back, as they believe they would be punished by the spirit and drop dead immediately if they passed the house.
Aside from these three powerful spirits, other spirits may exist in different tribes, but they do not hold the same power or status. The spirits of deceased family members also play an important role in the cults of the Northwest Indians, particularly among the medicine men, who believe that the spirit of a deceased medicine man returns.