Every Indian nation boasted of a man or woman who claimed to possess supernatural powers, who could communicate with either good or evil spirits, who could predict the future and drive the devils from a diseased body.

The Dakota called him wakan witshasha, "mystery man"; the Navaho, khathali, "singer", "chanter"; the Apache knew him as taiyin, "wonderful," or simply ize, "medicine."

Keesheswa, or the Sun, was the most powerful medicine man in the Sauk and Fox nation. An eager council always begged him to explain his dreams, and no war party ever left without his blessing.

As the nation grew closer to the white man and became more sophisticated, the Sun's power decreased until some of the younger braves actually laughed at his potions, rattles, and chants.

It was not the Sun's supernatural powers but his method of smoking that fascinated Colonel McKenney. As he wrote:

"While he enjoys his pipe with the complacency of a true lover of the weed, no one who has witnessed the initiatory forms with which he lights it, would suspect him of smoking for mere enjoyment. He goes through it with a seriousness which shows that he considers it a matter of no small moment; and that, however agreeable may be the sedative effect of the tobacco, the act of inhaling the smoke is closely connected with his religious opinions. He is a sincere and honest smoker".