150 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



es and get power. If somebody gets mad or into a fight she may not use her 

 power for him when he blesses her. 



Another man commented: 



She will use her power at na ih es for everybody. They respect her because 

 she can have the power to do this. Nobody gets in trouble around her. 



The pubescent girl and her two partners dance until the medicine 

 man stops singing. Then they leave the dance area and retire to 

 their wickiups. Some of the older people say that "in the old days" 

 medicine men sang 32 songs at bi til tih. Now they sing only 12 or 24. 

 This is to permit the girl to go to sleep early and save her strength 

 for the next day. After the medicine man departs (he, too, must 

 conserve his energy) anyone may sing in his place. In this fashion, 

 dancing continues until around midnight, when bi til tih comes to 

 a close. 



Bi til tih is primarily a social affair at which all in attendance are 

 "introduced" to the girl who will impersonate Changing Woman. 

 But it is more than that. In a sense, bi til tih prepares the spectators 

 for na ih es. The girl, clad in her buckskin and carrying her cane, 

 is a moving sight to manj'- Apaches, one which touches something 

 deep in their nature and to which they respond with great emotion. 

 But at the same time they are mildly apprehensive, knowing that 

 soon she wiU have power. The prospect of power— even Changing 

 Woman's beneficent power — creates a certain tension which, in 

 turn, inspires the sobriety and good behavior considered proper at 

 na ih es. 



NA IH ES 

 INTRODUCTION 



Throughout the foregoing discussion, frequent mention has been 

 made of power, songs, and the mythological figiu-e known as Changing 

 Woman. These topics should be somewhat expanded before pro- 

 ceeding any further. 



Power. — When asked to translate the expression di yih, Apaches 

 say 'power.' But this is only an approximation; there is no word in 

 English that accurately can be substituted for di yih. "Power," in 

 its di yih meaning, is a supernatural force which men may obtain under 

 certain conditions from all phenomena of the Apache universe, includ- 

 ing mythological figures, animals, plants, stones, shells, etc. When 

 used properly, di yih serves as a vital tool, not only as an aid to the 

 individual in his day-to-day existence, but also as a safeguard against 

 the very source from which it is derived. To ward off lightning, one 

 needs Hghtning power; to kiU bear, bear power; to cure snake sickness, 

 snake power. Certain powers are more potent than others and, as 



