Devereux] MOHAVE ETHNOPSYCHIATRY AND SUICIDE 269 



main faithful to him very long. For example, she had affairs with two of 

 her husband's brothers, C. and K. M. Despite these affairs, her four children 

 were presumed to have been fathered by her husband. The oldest one, Melyikha 

 (L. M.), married a Walapai Indian, and had a son, who, since his mother's 

 death, lives with his part-Chemehuevi maternal grandmother K. F. H. F.'s sec- 

 ond child, Tcekuvar Manye: (good laugh) was, in 1938, about 17 years of age 

 and single. Her third child was stillborn. Her last child was Nepe :he. 



Nepe :he's mother died when he was about 4 years old, so that he, and also 

 his older brother Tcekuvar Manye:, had to be raised by their grandmother, 

 K. F., who sent them for their education to the Agency elementary school. In 

 the summer Nepe :he never stays long in any one place, but lives in a variety 

 of homes. Sometimes he stayed for a while with his father, who was married at 

 that time to Syiily (H. N.). This household also contains Syuly's three 

 children by a previous husband, Sukat of the Nyoltc gens, son of Amily 

 Nyunye : ( a certain kind of edible field-rat's road. ) 



At other times, Nepe : he lives in the household of this paternal aunt Melyikha 

 (I. B.), the wife of Hayu:ny Himitc (cricket's cry) of the Tcate gens. The 

 same household also contains Melyikha :'s daughter Tcatc (P.) her daughter's 

 husband, Hanavtci :p Humatc (a-little-bird food — so called because he is very 

 thin), of the O :otc gens, and their 2-year-old son Me:ta (no meaning). 



K. F.'s house may be thought of as Nepe : he's principal residence. This old 

 woman's mother was a Mohave woman named O :otc. Pier father was 

 mostly Chemehuevi, with, apparently, some admixture of white blood. K. F. 

 is quite fluent in the Mohave language and also speaks some English. She is 

 described by all as a very kind person. Her household also shelters several 

 other children, most of whom are Chemehuevi. 



In reply to a direct inquiry, informant E. S. said that Nepe : he does not feel 

 discriminated against because of his mixed blood : "No one ever made fun of 

 him because of that." When I suggested that Nepe : he may perhaps be 

 reacting against, and trying to forget, the fact that he is part Chemehuevi, 

 (a group whom the Mohave consider inferior) E. S. stated that K. F. herself 

 suspected something of that kind, since she occasionally remarked that 

 Nepe:he does not seem to like the Chemehuevi. In this context it may be 

 interesting to note that, during the school year, when Nepe :he can play with 

 Mohave children at school, he lives with his grandmother and her Chemehuevi 

 foster children, whereas during his vacations he tends to move around among his 

 Mohave relatives. 



Nepe :he's delinquency appears to have two main facets : 



(1) He does not remain in one household, but moves around a great deal. 

 "Maybe he will get worse as he gets older." 



(2) A more usual fact, according to the Mohave themselves, is his tendency 

 to steal. He does not steal systematically from any particular person, but 

 pilfers small things whenever he can conveniently do so. For example, once, 

 while staying with his paternal uncle K. M., the uncle caught him trying to 

 break into the B. home, which is located near the plumbing plant. The owner 

 of that home, Mr. B., is said to be a Cherokee Indian, married to a Chemehuevi 

 woman. When the uncle asked Nepe :he precisely what he had intended to 

 steal, the boy refused to answer. He was not given corporal punishment, and 

 was merely told not to do such things. This happened roughly in 1937, when 

 the boy was about 10 or 11 years old. Since he began to misbehave in so atypical 

 a manner at so early an age, the Mohave assume that he will get worse as he 

 grows older. 



