PRIMITIVE CONCEPTS REGARDING THE DEAD 13 



decompose. The intention of the spirit was always vengeful re- 

 gardless whether it had been kind, considerate, loveable and ami- 

 able during life. There was an immediate and automatic trans- 

 formation into a definitive, malicious personality. For example, 

 if a person had not slain another during life, he would make up 

 for it by killing several in his afterlife. There were a hundred or 

 more ways in which a departed soul could show its displeasure. 

 The only recourse in neutralizing such possibilities was to render 

 customary dues and rites to those recently deceased. 



One of the ways in which a dissatisfied ghost might strike 

 was by trying to carry off a survivor by causing his death. This 

 was because it felt lonely, forsaken and missed him as a friend. 

 It wanted to have him near him in his new environment. Should 

 a surviving relative or close friend fall ill and die at this time, all 

 knew that it was the spirit of the newly dead which was respon- 

 sible for the loss. Also, ghosts had a mystical influence over all 

 natural phenomena: they could exert some measure of control 

 over the rain, wind, sun, thunder and lightning. By this means, 

 they could direct their activities to the physical detriment of the 

 social group. 



The effect which the recently dead could exercise over the 

 living depended upon several factors, the manner in which an 

 individual died, and his rank during life. The medicine man, 

 chief, fathers of families and the men who died old and revered 

 continued to be important after their demise in the eyes of the 

 primitive. When such a person succumbed, there was added to 

 his previous power, the mysterious and tremendous potential 

 produced by his new condition as a ghost. He was now able to do 

 much harm; he also occupied an invulnerable position because 

 little or nothing could be done to him' in return. Some tribes 

 responded by mutilation of the dead, by allowing it to liquefy 

 or by attempting to chase away or to mislay its spirit, but, in gen- 

 eral, it was judged to be in order to try to secure its favor and to 

 satisfy its requirements, whatever they might have been. 



The ghost was considered to be most potent and vengeful 

 immediately after death while his mortal remains were undergo- 

 ing decomposition, more specifically until the worms began to 

 destroy its body. Most activities designed to placate the soul oc- 



