332 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 175 



the precedent-setting birth." At the same time a knowledge of this 

 myth, which is acquired in dream (Devereux, 1957 b), is a necessary 

 part of each obstetrical shaman's power and therapeutic equipment. 

 The following version was obtained from Ahina Huma :re, Avho was 

 originally a hiwey lak and hiku:pk specialist, but, after helplessly 

 watching his wife die in childbirth, while the movements of his 

 unborn child were still visible, also obtained the power to be a real 

 obstetrician, and not only, inter alia, a specialist in the cure of 

 ghost pregnancies (pt. 4, pp. 150-175) . 



In a land west from here (Parker, Ariz.), at Amata Vihamok, there were 

 Motutc ipa: (Sky-person Male) and Mokukumat(a)" (Earth Female). 

 Other siipernaturals, also born from the union of sky and earth, such as 

 Mastamho, who, according to most versions, is Matavilye's son (Kroeber, 1948) ; 

 and Pahotcate, who, according to Kroeber (1948), is either Mastamho or else 

 Mastamho functioning in a special capacity," were also present. Only 

 Matavilye was still in the womb, acting like a fetus who wishes to die during 

 birth. He tried breech presentation and all other presentations as well . . . 

 except only the normal presentation although he knew the way out (from the 

 womb.)" Finally he decided to be born head first, so as to set an example 

 and a precedent for mankind. In the meantime Sky Male and Earth Female 

 were under the earth." 



Bourke (1889) supplies the additional information that Matavilye's 

 birth was accompanied by earthquakes. 



The only comment called for is that INIatavilye, who eventually died 

 because he chose to die (pt. 7, pp. 286-290), appears to have enter- 

 tained suicidal ideas already in the womb. He gave up these suicidal 

 wishes temporarily, in order to set an example for mankind, but, to- 

 ward the end of his career, his suicidal wishes apparently returned and 

 induced him to die, so as to bring death into being. 



Shamanistic rites for the alleviation of obstetrical complications 

 include formal and explicit references to this myth. (See below.) 



Prenatal preparatiojis for snicide and murder at hirth. — In the fol- 

 lowing discussion no reference will be made to infants who have a 

 difficult birth because their parents violated certain pregnancy and 

 birth taboos (Devereux, 1948 b). It is simply noted that obstetrical 

 difficulties caused by breaches of taboos are dealt with exactly the way 

 the birth difficulties of shamanistic or bewitched fetuses are. 



■'^ It will be rempmbered that Matavilye's death was, likewise, the first and precedent 

 setting death (part 7, pp. 286-290). 



"If Bi)urke (1880) is riRht, it mijrht repay the efforts of a linguist and expert on Indian 

 vcligions to invostisate further this name. 



"Compare such references to Zeus as "Nephelefreretes" = cloud patherer ; "Soter" = he 

 who saves; "Zens katachthonios" (Aeschylus) =Zeus under the earth (Hndes) ; etc. 



■^This specification implies that, like all fetuses (Devereux, 194S b and 1948 e) Matavilye, 

 too, thought of ways of being born while still in the womb. 



™A detailpil discussion of the extraordinary statement that, during his delivery, Mata- 

 vilye's parents were both inside the earth — which Implies that the mother was in her own 

 womb — -was given elsewhere (Devereux, 1948 e). TTnfortunately even a brief summary of 

 that discussion would take us too far afield to warrant its inclusion in the present work. 



