No^ tcT' ^^' ^^^^ ^^ CHANGING WOMAN — ^BASSO 125 



as well as the pubescent girl, will benefit. A second reason that 

 na ih es is held less and less is its prohibitive cost. As will be shown 

 below, the amount of money and work required is staggering, and 

 this condition makes the ceremony impossible for most people. In 

 fact, Apaches say "only rich people give na ih es." 



The decision to hold na ih es is usually made before a girl has her 

 first menses. When she is 11 or 12 years old, her parents and grand- 

 parents discuss the possibilities of having a dance. If, as occasionally 

 happens, parents are hesitant, a grandparent will supply the in- 

 centive to foUow the "old ways." One informant recalled: 



I wasn't sure about having a dance. My wife wanted to because she had one 

 when she was a girl. Now, some people think it's old-fashioned and the medicine 

 men don't have the power. It costs a lot, too. We didn't know what to do. 

 Then it came close to when my daughter was to bleed for the first time, so we 

 had to get going. Then my mother came to my camp and said, "I hear you 

 won't give my granddaughter na ih es. Why don't you have her one? I am an 

 old lady but I am still strong. Na ih es did that." We decided it was good to 

 have na ih es. 



Another man said: 



I wanted my daughter to have one [na ih es]. Some people say it doesn't 

 mean anything, but I think it is good. It sure was good for the old people. 

 Maybe they had more power than today. 



Still another informant, of a different opinion, related: 



Two years ago, my daughter had her first [period] and some people said I 

 should have na ih es for her. But I don't believe in those superstitions so I said 

 no. 



A girl's parents wiU not contemplate na ih es unless they can afford 

 it. Although clan relatives relieve some of the burden with gifts of 

 food and money, the financial expense of the ceremony falls in large 

 part on members of the girl's extended family. 



A father, who recently gave na ih es for his daughter, said: 



Me and my wife started saving money about 6 months before she [his daughter] 

 had her first [period]. I saved on gas and my wife didn't buy as many things at 

 the store [trading post]. My brother and his wife tried to save a Httle. So did 

 my wife's parents, but they didn't save very much. We did most of it. When 

 she had her first we had about $200 saved up, but it wasn't enough and just 

 before the dance my wife had to borrow another $50 from her brother to buy 

 flour and sugar with. It was a long time 'til we could pay him back. 



Relations between the girl's family and their blood kin must be 

 unstrained because, without the contributions of kinsmen, there 

 would be too much work for an extended family, even a large one, to 

 accommodate. If, for any reason, serious tensions exist between 

 them, plans for the dance are postponed until the difl&culties can be 

 resolved. If this is impossible, the idea of holding na ih es may be 

 completely abandoned. 



74T-014— 66 9 



