“The Medicine Bag” is a realistic short story written by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and originally published in 1975. Sneve is an Indigenous American children’s author whose novels and short stories focus on the experiences of her people, the Sioux of the South Dakota region. Sneve was awarded the prestigious National Humanities Medal in 2000 for her contributions to literature and is also the recipient of the 1996 Spirit of Crazy Horse Award and two Native American Prose Awards. Her writing style is straightforward and celebrates the importance of Connecting With Heritage and Culture and Discovering One’s Spiritual Destiny through intergenerational legacies. The passing down of a sacred family heirloom communicates The Link Between Masculinity and Ancestry.

This guide refers to a PDF version of the story found online. 

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of illness, death, and racism.

“The Medicine Bag” is a short story told from the perspective of a boy named Martin, who cannot manage to integrate his half-Sioux heritage into his modern, Westernized life. At the beginning of the story, Martin and his younger sister, Cheryl, tell their friends stories about their grandfather Joe Iron Shell (“Grandpa”), who lives on a reservation. Martin also mentions showing off the significant objects that Grandpa gifts him, such as a leather drum. At the same time, Martin hides Grandpa’s photograph because his real appearance doesn’t match the stereotypical image of Indigenous people that he believes his friends expect. 

One day, Grandpa unexpectedly arrives in the neighborhood after traveling alone from the reservation with just his medicine bag. He appears weak and exhausted when Martin finds him surrounded by neighborhood children. This embarrasses Martin, but he helps Grandpa into the house, where the family learns that he made a long and difficult journey because he was lonely and wanted to see them. Grandpa adds that it will soon be time to pass his medicine bag on to Martin, which Martin knows means his grandfather will die soon. Grandpa then falls ill from exhaustion, and it becomes clear that Martin is right. 

Grandpa stays with the family and spends time with Cheryl, who is openly proud of him, and her friends. Martin tries to avoid letting his friends meet Grandpa, but when his friends eventually visit, they are fascinated and respectful and listen intently to Grandpa’s stories. Martin realizes that his embarrassment was unnecessary and begins to feel proud of his grandfather. 

Grandpa takes Martin aside privately later on and explains the history of the medicine bag. The bag dates back to his own father, Iron Shell, who received a vision of iron during a spiritual quest. The bag contains important objects, including a piece of iron, a pebble from the place where the vision took place, and sacred sage. Grandpa explains how the bag has been passed down through generations and connects each man to his heritage. 

Although Martin feels uncomfortable about inheriting the medicine bag, he listens to Grandpa’s story and begins to understand its significance. Grandpa gives Martin the bag but tells him that he doesn’t need to wear it in the city because others may not understand its importance. Shortly afterward, Grandpa’s health declines, and he is taken to the hospital, where he presumably dies. In the final scene, Martin travels to the reservation and carries on the tradition by placing his own sage in the medicine bag. This act symbolizes his acceptance of his cultural identity and his role in continuing his family’s legacy.