WHOLE VOL, ARAUCANIAN CHILD LIFE — HILGER 37 



old man slaughters a sheep. Others are invited. If the old man is 

 rich, he may give the child a horse or a heifer as a gift, and from 

 then on he will continue to give the boy gifts until he is two or three 

 years old. The father names the boy by saying to those present that 

 this old man gives his name to the boy. The old man then takes the 

 boy in his arms and says, *Gk)d care for you. During the remainder 

 of my life, you will be my I'aku. I am your father.' Then the father 

 of the child answers for the child, T will be your I'aku. I will be 

 your child.' Then the wife of the old man, if she is there, says, T will 

 be your mother. Come to me if ever you are in need.' Then the old 

 man and the father shake hands. From then on that person and the 

 child call each other I'aku. The feast ends with much drinking of 

 chicha. A I'akutun is made so that the name of a grandfather or 

 great-grandfather or some other person will not be lost." 



There was no set age at which a child was named. Generally, how- 

 ever, it was given a name when less than two years of age ; often it 

 was named shortly after birth. 



According to Cooper's sources (1946, pp. 732-733), the naming 

 feast followed the period of the mother's seclusion after delivery. 

 At the feast a white lamb was sacrificed, at least in more recent years. 

 Some of the blood was sprinkled in the four cardinal directions and 

 the remainder poured into the hole in the ground where the umbilical 

 cord had been deposited. South of Tolten, a tree was planted at the 

 name-giving feast of a male child. Informants of the present study 

 had no knowledge of these customs, except that of the naming feast 

 itself. 



Sometimes a boy's name was changed; very rarely, a girl's. If 

 a noted cacique came on a visit, "such as the cacique from the Pacific 

 coast or Loncoche or Pitrufquen," a father might change the name of 

 a young son to that of the cacique, especially if the cacique was also 

 well known because of his oratorical abilities. If a father disliked 

 a young son's name, he might give him a new name. "A boy near 

 here was called Autiiman until he was five or six years old. His father 

 disliked this name and changed it to Kallullar|ka." It also happened 

 that a relative who had been away for a long time came for an un- 

 expected visit. He would walk into a ruka and say, "I want this boy 

 as my namesake. I want the boy to have my name." And from then 

 on "the boy will have this relative's name and he loses his other name." 

 If a boy wishes to have his name changed to that of a relative, the 

 father confers with the relative about it. If all is agreeable, the change 

 will be made at a naming feast held in the boy's home. On rare 



