Cautantowwit, the supreme deity, lived to the southwest. There
were also numerous other spirits or deities, who could and did
communicate with people through dreams and visions. Priests or
medicine men (powwows) were in charge of religious matters. They
were usually men who realized their profession in a dream or a
vision experience. Their main responsibilities included curing,
bringing rain, and ensuring success in war. A harvest ritual was
held in a longhouse near the sachem's house. At one important
ceremony, possibly held in the winter, participants burned their
material possessions. Narragansetts recognized a dual (junior
and senior) chief or sagamore. Power was shared with a council
of elders, sachems, and other leaders. Sachems were responsible
for seeing to the public welfare and defense and for
administering punishment. The office of sagamore may have been
inheritable and was occasionally held by a woman. Within the
larger administrative body there were smaller groups presided
over by lesser sachems.