No.'^Tir' ^^^^ ^^ CHANGING WOMAN — BASSO 151 



Goodwin (1938, p. 28) suggests, the strength of each can be roughly 

 gaged by the number of times it is employed ceremonially. The Sun, 

 Lightning, and Deer are referred to countless times, whereas certain 

 birds are mentioned very rarely. 



Songs. — In ceremonies, songs are the means by which power is 

 solicited from its particular source and then subsequently controlled. 

 The 32 or more songs sung at na ih es are believed to have first been 

 sung by Changing Woman, and are collectively called goh jon sink' 

 ('fuil-of-great-happiness songs'). With these songs the medicineman \l,„<-^ 

 first calls forth and then directs Changing Woman's power into the / 

 pubescent girl. It resides in her person for 4 days, making her ritual 

 paraphernalia potent. During this period, the pubescent girl personi- 

 fies Changing Woman and is said to be "sacred." She is able to perform 

 marvelous deeds, even to the extent of curing the sick and bringing 

 rain. 



Changing Woman. — ^Long ago, according to the myths, Changing 

 Woman lived ail alone. One day she had sexual intercourse with the 

 Sun, and as a result of this union brought forth nay en ez gane ('Slayer- 

 of-Monsters') , the foremost Western Apache culture hero. Four 

 days later. Changing Woman became pregnant by Water-Old-Man 

 and gave birth to tuh ha tes chine ('Born-of-Water-OId-Man'). The 

 old people say that these half-brothers, or twins, were the first Apaches. 

 As they matured. Changing Woman taught them ail the things Apaches 

 needed to know. As soon as they were old enough, Slayer-of-Monsters 

 and Born-of-Water-Old-Man left home. Making constant use of 

 Changing Woman's advice, they rid the earth of much that was evil. 



Along with her sons, Changing Woman is thought of as one of the 

 founders of Apache culture (some informants said the only founder) 

 and, as such, is regarded with great fondness and admiration. Myths 

 dealing with her teachings and exploits are still recounted, and a part 

 of one of these myths — her sexual intercourse with the Sun — is 

 enacted by the pubescent girl at na ih es.^^ 



Changing Woman's power grants longevity. This is because 

 Changing Woman, unlike other mythological figures, has "never died." 

 Although she grows old, she is always able to recapture her youth. 

 Two different accounts of how this is accomplished were related to me : 



Like everybody, she gets old and has a hard tirae. But when she gets old she 

 doesn't like it. So she walks toward the east and turns around [counterclock- 

 wise] four times. Then she is like a young girl all over again. 



When Changing Woman gets to be a certain old age, she goes walking toward 

 the east. After a while she sees herself in the distance looking like a young girl 

 walking toward her. They both walk until they come together and after that 

 there is only one. She is like a young girl again. 



29 The best recorded myths of the Hfe of Changmg Woman are found in Goodwin (1939) and Goddard 

 (1920). 



