Seven Mohave Myths

Supplement: Thrasher and Mockingbird Institute Sex Life

K. Courtship Instituted at Miakwa’orve: 85-92

85. Thrasher and Mockingbird face people on playground at Miakwa’orve.—Now when Mastamho had died,126 the man and woman he had left at Miakwa’orve, Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya, took his place. So wanting to make a field for play, matāre, they drew their feet in a line over the ground for the people to stand on facing north. “No, it will not do;” they said. Then they drew lines for them to stand on facing east, and south, but again they said: “No.” Then they drew a line so the people could look toward the west.127 Then they said: “Yes, that will be right.” Now they marked four such lines and made the people stand along them in four rows, one behind the other, all facing west. In the middle, between the first and second lines, they set a stick of sandbar willow.

86. Tortoise chosen to be approached.—Then they said: “Who is a beautiful woman? I think Pahutšatš-yamasam-iarme. Mastamho did not call her by that name, but he told us to. After a while she will turn to be Tortoise: then she will be called Kapeta.” Now that woman stood there, with long hair reaching to the middle of her thighs and white paint128 on it. The two said: “Some of you go to her. If she does not like you, she will not have you; but if she likes you, she will marry you. Go and try to take this good-looking woman’s hand. If she takes yours, it will be because she likes you; but if she does not like you, she will refuse to let you take her hand. In future there will be men who dream that they have taken her hand: such men will always be able to become married as they like. When she turns to be a tortoise, those who dream of her will sing Kapeta.129 And other men will dream of what we are making you do now, making you stand in four rows. Those men will sing Yaroyare.”130

87-90. Sparrowhawk, Quail, Ah’akwasilye, Oriole rejected.—87. The people were still standing in four rows, facing west.131 Before them, at the southern end of the rows, stood Ikinye-istum-kwamitše, looking at them all, and Hatšinye-kunuya stood at the stick they had set up. Now the first who went to take the hand of the woman was Sparrowhawk.132 As he came up to her, he said: “Liklik.”133 But the woman said: “That is a bad word to say to a woman,”134 and all four rows of people laughed.

88. Now when a man will have great supernatural power he dreams of Hoatšavameve and Amaṭ-ku-matāre.135 Quail136 came from those places. He was a good-looking man, with fine eyes, and hair tied at the ends below his hips. Now as he approached the woman and tried to seize her hand, she, knowing that where he came from was where they gave power, was dissatisfied with him and folded her arms, so as to cover her hands. So Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “This is not the place to acquire power and learn to be a doctor: we are teaching other things: we are showing how to sing and dance. This is no place for a doctor to come to.” Then Quail went back, and stood at a distance, and all the people laughed and clapped their hands. Now these two men, Sparrowhawk and Quail, were good looking, but it was with them as it is with some men now, who are good looking but fail to marry women they want. As Quail came from where doctors are made and was not wanted, people now are afraid of doctors.137

89. Now there was a man called Ah’a-kwašilye,138 who came from Avi-kunu’ulye.139 He went and stood before the woman holding his privates in his hands. Then the woman said: “I do not want him! I do not want that sort of a man to come here: it is bad.” So he went back to Avi-kunu’ulye.140

90. And there was a man called Yamaθame-hwarme. When he became a bird, he was called Oriole.141 Now he too approached the woman. He was a man who knew too much and spoke constantly. Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “He talks too much: he chatters.”142 When he came to the woman, she swung her arms and pushed him back. So he returned and stood at the rear of the four rows, and all laughed.143

91. Blue Heron accepted by Turtle.—Now when Mastamho had turned into a bird and gone south, one other man went also. His name was Ampoṭ-yamaθam-kuvevare. He, too, reached the sea. Now he said: “I thought that everything had been made and that all had turned into birds: but it is not finished yet. I hear a noise at Miakwa’orve: I will go there.” Then he started to return. He came to Aksam-kusaveve, and from there he went on to Hanemo’-ara, where there is a lake.144 When he looked into the water there, he saw little fish, atši-mikulye, and caught four. He put leaves of black willow through the gills of the four fish, and so made a head dress like the feathers worn on a stick at the back of the head: he called it atši-sukulyk. From there he went on to Miakwa’orve. He did not go among the rows of people, but stood at the side and looked at the woman. He had whitened his face with dust which he had rubbed on his hands on the ground. Now he stretched out his arm toward the woman. She put out her hand, and he took it and pulled her over to where he stood. Then they said: “That man has her: he is married to her.” And all laughed. He was Great Blue Heron.145 He is not a handsome bird now and was not a handsome man then, but he was easily married. So some men are ugly but dream of him, and then easily obtain women, even virgins, and if they leave these, they readily secure others. And so now all the people said: “He has taken Pahutšatš-yamasam-iarme: she is his wife: her husband is Heron.” Now Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “That was what we wanted you to see and to learn. Now when you want to marry, do that way.”

92. Dove arrives: Loose women dream of her.—Now there was a girl called Hatšinye-kwora’e. When all went away from Ha’avulypo at night, after the house there had been burned, she came back next morning alone, looking for food that might have been thrown away. From there she did not go with the others to Avikwame and Miakwa’orve, but traveled westward146 until she came to Otahvek-hunuve.147 There she made with her hands a round level place on top of the mountain. Now, as she stood there facing north, she heard the noise from Miakwa’orve. Then she started for it. When she came to Oyatš-ukyulve and Hokusave, she stood still and heard the noise from Miakwa’orve more loudly and saw the dust rising. So she went on and reached Miakwa’orve. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said to her: “We have made every thing: it is finished, and the people here have the knowledge. But we will tell you the same that we told them. You are a handsome girl. In future, some women will dream of you. Then they will be loose.148 And you will turn into a bird. You will become Dove.”149

L. Transformation of Water and Valley Birds: 93-97

93. All go downriver to Hokusave.—Then they said: “She was one who was away and did not see what we did; but now all have come and have heard. Now you will all become birds. We will go with you to Oyatš-ukyulve and Hokusave150 and there we will turn you into birds.”

94. Noses of racers pierced there.—Then they started to go to those two places. When they arrived, Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya made a large circle on the ground. Then, standing to the west of it, they said: “Let us see you all run with your mouths shut tight, holding your breath. Do not breathe until you have gone around the ring. If you breathe only then, you will be footracers.” Then they pierced the septum of the nose of those who were about to run, for four at a time; when four had been pierced, they ran. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya would pierce another four, and these ran. Now some of them could not run all the way. Some went part way and breathed out, “Wh!” and everybody laughed because such as these could not run well. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya pierced the noses of four and with them of Kasunyo-kurrauve,151 so that five of them ran together. The other four became exhausted after one circuit, but Kasunyo-kurrauve ran around four times with his mouth still shut. Only after the fourth circuit, he said: “Wh!” Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said to him: “You are the one who can run. Those who will dream of you will be racers.”

95. Yahalyetaka’s nose pierced with difficulty.—Now all of the runners had had their noses pierced, and Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said to them: “Now we will throw you into the water.” But there was one left inside the ring, who sat crying because no hole had been made in his nose. He wanted his nose pierced too, but it could not be done, for it was too flat to perforate; therefore he cried. He said: “If you do not pierce me, I shall not be able to go with the others but must stay here.” So he sat crying with his hands together, and all stood there about him. Some said: “Well, why can we not pierce his nose?” But others said: “It cannot be done. It is too flat, like my hand.” “Well, let us try it anyway,” they said. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya went to him and, by drawing out his nose, succeeded in piercing it. Then he was glad. He is Yahalyetaka.

96. Racers become water birds.—It was not all the birds who had had their noses pierced, but only those that live in the water.152 There were Scaup Duck,153 Mallard, Wood-duck,154 Mudhen; also Hwat-hwata, Tšuyekepuyi, Sahmata, Minyesa’atalyke,155 Moviθpa,156 Sakataθere, Western Grebe,157 and Minyesahatša.158 They said: “Now we all have holes in our noses. Hereafter, people who dream of us will have their noses pierced and will be able to go far without becoming tired or hungry. Some who dream of us will be chiefs: they will have ornaments hanging from their noses and people will know them and say ‘That is a great man.’” Then they ran a short distance and returned four times; then they jumped into the river. “Now we shall be water birds,” they said.

97. Some others become valley birds.—Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said to the others: “You know in what places you will like to live, whether among the willows or the cottonwoods or elsewhere. This country will belong to you, and you will stay here.”159

M. Mountain Birds Transformed at Rattlesnake’s Playfield: 98-101

98. Rest led back to Miakwa’orve.—Now some of them had not yet turned into birds. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše said: “We will go back to Miakwa’orve: we want to do something more.” Then he started with Hatšinye-kunuya and with those that were still people. When they came to Avi-kutaparve, they stood there. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “We have done what he wanted us to do: we have made them birds. We have made it that those who will live in this country in the water and near the river will be here. And they know how to marry: they will have children and so they will continue. You know how: you saw Ampoṭ-yamaθam-kuvevare become married. Those who will live here have learned from that. But some will marry a woman and feel well, but later they will become sick. We will tell about that also. There will be men who dream about that, and such men will know how to cure venereal disease. We will not tell you that here, but we will go where the darkness goes, and when we come to another place like Miakwa’orve, we will tell you there. Rattlesnake’s Playground160 is that place. We will make you birds there, mountain birds, who will not be about here. And there will be some who will dream about us at that place.”

99. Thrasher and Mockingbird at Rattlesnake’s Playground teach veneral cure.—Then they started; and near sunset they arrived at Rattlesnake’s Playground. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “When you have intercourse, you will think you feel good. But some of you will be sick from that. Some women will have a baby. When it is born, it will cause them great pain in the belly. The pain will go back into them and will be a sickness in the bones.” Then they hooked their middle fingers into the middle fingers of the people who were still with them and swung them to the left. This they did to all of them, saying: “You will understand.” After they had been swung, all sat looking at the ground, and appeared thin and sickly. Then the two talked to them again, and sang four songs. When they had sung the four songs, the flesh had returned to them and they were healthy once more; and they all shouted and laughed.

100. More songs for this.—The two said to them: “You have seen us do that: you all know it now. When someone dreams about us, let him tell what we have said. When they cure sickness, let them say what we have said, and the sick person will get well. Sometimes a man will like a woman. She will sleep with him and soon he will be sick. Or she will like him, and kiss him, their saliva will come on each other, they will become sick, and have pains in the body. Then sing about us and you will cure them.” Then they sang again for them.161

101. At Three Mountains, Thrasher, Mockingbird, and rest turn to mountain birds.—Now in the morning Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya wanted them to try to fly; they wished them to learn flying. Four times they all rose into the air and settled again, Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya with the others. Then they flew off, northward to Three Mountains.162 When they arrived there, they were birds, and no longer knew where they came from. Then Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya said: “Now we know nothing. Now we think no more, for we are birds. We are Thrasher and Mockingbird. When you dream of us, and tell of us and of Three Mountains, for a person that is sick, you will cure him. Say: ‘I saw them do that: I heard them say that.’ Then the person will become well. Tell them that we said so and so.”

N. Leftover Straggler Reaches the Sea: 102

102. Hakutatkole, left for Pošoik sickness, goes south to sea and becomes a bird.—Now when the others had all flown off to Three Mountains, one of them, Hakutatkole, nevertheless had stayed at Rattlesnake’s Playground. He was sick with pošoik163 in his mouth. Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya had said: “We do not want that kind of man with us,” and had left him. So he went south, alone, until he reached Halyuilyve. Now at Konyokuvilyo and Ha’tana there was another man, Himeikwe-halyepoma, who also taught, but about other things. Hakutatkole, coming to where he lived, approached him with his hand over his mouth; but Himeikwe-halyepoma, coming to meet him, pulled away his hand from his mouth, and said: “Do not come here!” and pushed him away. So Hakutatkole went south to the sea,164 and there he, too, became a bird.

Notes

126 Left his human body.

127 Sunwise circuit beginning in north.

128 Amaṭ-ehe.

129 There is a reference to Kapeta or Tortoise singing and story in Handbook, p. 763.

130 There is little on record about the Yaroyare song-cycle. The narrator, on another occasion, coupled Yaroyare and Ipa-m-imītše (person-wail) as dealing with Matavilya’s sickness and death at Ha’avulypo, of the dreamers laying their hand on him, and the like. They sing and tell about this at people’s death, he said. He knew one man who had dreamed this: his name was Kolhonyešuδuk (alive in 1903), who was a doctor, but only for ahwe’-ahnok, “foreign sickness” due to eating alien tribes’ food.—Another informant, Atšyôra-hunyava, did not mention Yaroyare but coupled Ipa-m-imītše with Humahnān, a cycle named after a black, hard, stinking beetle. Both singings use no rattle or other instrument and belong to doctors who cure sickness due to eating hawk-wounded birds, or birds killed by oneself, or to birds which cause young babies to be sick with white stools.—All this does not sound like having much to do with courtship and play.

131 Mohave dancing is described in Handbook, pp. 746, 765.

132 θinyere.

133 The bird’s call.

134 Have-lik or have-kwet means clitoris.

135 East of Avikwame, close to the river in Arizona. The second name means “playfield-place.”

136 Ahma.

137 One of the rather rare explicit “because then, therefore now” explanations.

138 A bird with red wing pits. It lives in cottonwood trees.

139 A small peak, sharp and erect, about six miles north of the Hoatšavameve just mentioned. Ku-nu’ulye, tumescence.

140 “Some men dream of this place or this man. Then they will fail to obtain wives. They will say of a woman: ‘I should like to have her,’ but they will never marry her.”

141 Sakumaha.

142 The oriole is reputed noisy.

143 The three preceding suitors did not come from among the people standing in rows at Miakwa’orwe, and are evidently thought to have returned to their homes after being rejected.

144 An overflow lake or slough from the river. Hanemo means duck.

145 Atšqeuqa, the American bittern, or great blue heron, whose cry is qau, qau.

146 Through the valley in which Ibex lies.

147 South of Ibex.

148 Kamaluik, as in note 120. Such women do not stay with one husband, but have no children and change from one man to another.

149 Hoskive, the mourning dove.

150 Where Dove had just come from, and where Mastamho rose from the river (par. 83).

151 Kasunyo is the American gold-eye; kurrauve seems to refer to running.

152 That is, dive, evidently.

153 Av’akwaθpine. The identification is not sure.

154 Or pintail? Hanemo. Cf. note 18.

155 Probably red-headed, since the name was misapplied to a specimen of a pileated woodpecker.

156 A bird similar to the king rail.

157 Halyekūpa, to be distinguished from halyepūka, the loon.

158 Said to be a land bird, the varied thrush; see minyesa’atalyka just above.

159 They became land birds.

160 Hayekwire-nye-matāre, a dry lake bed which the railroad crosses between Mojave station and Kramer. It is described as about fifteen miles east of Mojave, wide, level, entirely without vegetation, and surrounded by mountains.

161 Making the total number of songs used by the doctors of such sickness much greater than the four first mentioned. In addition, the narrator stated, Ikinye-istum-kwamitše and Hatšinye-kunuya sang other songs, later learned by other people, to cure different kinds of sickness; but of that he himself did not dream.

162 Avi-hamoka, described as being “near Tehachapi.”

163 A minor skin disease, for which the Mohave do not employ doctors. They fear it as contagious, however, and others do not use the clothing or food dishes of the person afflicted. Hakutatkole is said to have received this sickness from swallowing sea fog: the bird is spotted inside the mouth.

164 Cf. his illness being from sea fog.