Devereux] MOHAVE ETHNOPSYCHIATRY AND SUICIDE 191 



"memorial rite," in which representatives of the entire tribe partici- 

 pate (Kroeber, 1925 a, K. M. Stewart, 1947 b) , 



Mohave memorial rites, often called in English "talking to the 

 feathers" (i.e., to the feathered staves), consist essentially of a highly 

 stylized mock battle, enacted by a line of male runners, flanked on each 

 side by a girl runner and by a horseman. In addition, there is also 

 a great deal of funeral oratory or singing, by funeral orators who, by 

 definition (Fathauer, 1951, 1954) are also scalpers (pt. 2, pp. 43-45) 

 and therefore qualified to cure the alien sicknesses (pt. 4, pp. 128-150) . 

 The feathered staves used in this rite are apparently laden with a 

 certain impersonal power. Hence, they may be used only by quali- 

 fied individuals, who must fast and refrain from intercourse during 

 the ritual and must be purified afterward. Apparently these staves 

 are not ordinary personal property, since, when a funeral orator 

 dies, they are not burned with the rest of his property, but, like cer- 

 tain feathers which only shamans may own, are buried in the mud. 

 (See further below.) 



There appear to be three types of "insanity" which are related to 

 funeral and/or memorial rites. 



(c) The derangements of funeral orators and other memorial ritualists who 

 violate taboos obtaining during the ritual period. 



( 6 ) The neuroses of nonritualist mourners who violate certain taboos. 



(c) Hiyam ahwat (mouth red), which afflicts lay persons who presume to 

 handle feathered staves (and, apparently, also certain types of feathers which 

 only shamans may own ) . 



DERANGEMENTS OF TABOO-VIOLATINQ FUNERAL RITUALISTS 



In the course of a lengthy account of his powers and activities as 

 a funeral orator, Hivsu: Tupo:ma (with Hama: Utce: acting as in- 

 terpreter) gave the following incidental information : 



(a) [Could you sing for me the songs, or recite for me the orations which are 

 used by memorial service orators?] No, I cannot do so, because every time I sing 

 these songs I must undergo a purification and I would be starved by the end of 

 that period." Also, I would have to bathe in the river and it is too cold to do so 

 in winter. When we bathe, we are not even allowed to warm ourselves near a 

 fire, lest we should begin to shake and become insane. You would not want your 

 old friend to submit to such an ordeal, would you ? 



(&) People (who participate in the ritual?) must refrain from intercourse 

 for 4 days after each cry, regardless of whether or not it is followed by a 

 memorial feather ritual. If they don't, they go crazy, or else become ill. 



CASE 48 (Informant : Hivsu : Tupo : ma) : 



My friend C. S. did not believe in this prohibition. One day both of us par- 

 ticipated in a funeral (memorial rite) at Needles; we were among the runners. 



" Hivsu : Tupo :ma was a notoriously heavy eater, always ready to joke about his 

 voraciousness. 



