70 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BuU. 175 



Information from Tcatc {Data h) : 



Since Apen Ismalyk lives at Needles, I do not know very much about him, 

 I only heard of him. He is about 30 years old. (Correct age: 49.) People 

 say that he is a shaman, but he has never used his power. Hence, when 

 he is full of his power, he goes crazy. He sometimes sings songs that are 

 used in his (power) dreams, but he sings them only when he is alone (i.e., 

 when he thinks he is alone). Today, even though he is insane, he has already 

 cured some diseases. 



I was at someone's funeral and he got there while they were singing some 

 songs. First he gave a talk in English, and, naturally, I did not understand 

 what he said. Then he began to talk in Mohave, but I did not understand that 

 either. He also sang some songs, but people did not know what he sang. He 

 did this all night long. 



When he went insane, they brought him first to this (Parker) hospital, and 

 then they took him to the State Hospital. Then I heard that Madhily Nyunye :, 

 his nephew (actually first cousin, according to Pulyi:k), made a trip to the 

 State Hospital and told the doctors that the Indians never want one of their 

 people to be taken away from his home and family, to die some place else. 

 He explained that the Indians always kept their seriously ill people home with 

 them, partly so that they would know just how they died, and partly also 

 because they want to take care of the remains according to Indian rites and 

 customs. So, somehow or other, I finally heard that Apen Ismalyk was 

 returned to Needles. 



His grandfather Atcoo : r Hote : va also had a spell of insanity before he be- 

 gan to cure ; power seems hereditary in that family. Apen Ismalyk is also 

 related to that family of the Mah gens in which there were cases of incest, 

 shamanism and witchcraft, as well as of witch killing (pt. 5, pp. 245-247). One 

 member of that family, Yellak Hi : ha, also called "Lakiha :", once doctored me 

 when I had the black measles. He was the one who attempted to have sexual 

 relations with his mother (Devereux, 1939a). 



[Did you know that Hama : Utce :'s father-in-law thought that Apen Isma- 

 lyk may have killed a white prospector?] No, I didn't. It surprises me. 



When people have power, but refuse to become shamans, they go crazy like 

 Apen Ismalyk. After they begin to cure, it helps them some. His grand- 

 father Atcoor Hote : va also was that way for a while. 



Information from Pulyi: Jc (Data i) : 



This informant was used solely for the purpose of clarifying some details, in- 

 cluding Mohave names and their spelling. He defined the real kinship between 

 Apen Ismalyk, Madhily Nyunye : , and Ayulk Itcerk, and gave the correct 

 spelling of these and several other names. He explained that M. L. — a very 

 progressive Mohave — was also present at Apen Ismalyk's lunacy hearing. 

 However, he was unable to say whether Apen Ismalyk had been actually 

 circumcised, or simply incised, to relieve phymosis. He agreed that Apen 

 Ismalyk became insane (yamomk) due to his refusal to become a practic- 

 ing shaman. 



Comment 



Diagnosis. — The oflScial diagnosis of "manic-depressive psychosis, manic 

 phase, complicated by typhoid fever delirium" seems insufficiently supported by 

 the available evidence. The diagnosis of "transitory confusional state, prob- 

 ably triggered off by typhoid delirium" is suggested. 



Mohave diof/nosis. — The Mohave felt certain that Apen Ismalyk's psychosis 

 was caused by his refusal to become a practicing shaman. The patient himself 



