Native American secret societies developed independently but were organized to protect ancient traditions.
The Midewiwin, or Grand Medicine Society, flourished in the Ojibway tribe throughout the eighteenth century. Created as a means of preserving traditional healing practices, this group soon expanded o include other Great Lakes tribes. The Grand Medicine Society is important to the study of Native American life perhaps because of the secrets that it procted and the time in which it flourished. Although known to have been in existence since the 1600s, the Midewiwin expanded at the right moment in history to provide a unifying focus for the tribes of the region. At a time when white influence posed a threat to the old ways og life. The influence of Christian missionaries, and their ignorance with regards to native culture, proved a significant threat the indigenous traditons.
