The medicine man, among Native Americans, is a priestly healer or shaman. The medicine man (often a woman in some societies) commonly carries a kit of objects such as feathers, stones, or hallucinogenic plants that have magical associations. The work of healing often involves the extraction -- by sucking, pulling, or other means -- of offending substances from the patient's body. Singing, recitation of myths, and other ceremonies often accompany the healing rite.