Page:IJAL vol 1.djvu/139

 NO. 2

��TEPECANO PRAYERS

��iir'rnida

will go repulsing

��ganavarick6k'dakam that which is sickness.

��kuni'puamtan ha'gicdara naparinda't Then I you beg pardon that thou art my=

Mother,

��in.6'k' my Father.

��kua'nibi'aka Then I will have

��masp6de~r more power

��Jb'm'ho'ganahivo'is kupi'mianva - 'kda

than even he who is bewitching. Then ye not will give

li-se-'nsia ku'pix6.puita-"riwa'da

that anywhere us small shall make

��permission

hidicto'nkam6kot this heat with.

��hoganavarinciu'c He who is our Morning Star

��avi'pubo.in.da'giunihida kuvia'mina'p.hak'- he hither me will come cleansing that not in me back*

��go cia will fall

��gact6nkam that heat.

��hidi This

��na'varinu'umi.hoko ni'puns6sbida

which are my ceremonial arrows with I me will go protecting.

kuvia'mindam.ha'ctuacumdunia konkih&p.i Then not over me anything itself will make. With= which thus is.

pima'tok piminka'ok kudio's.pdcam- Ye know. Ye me hear. Then God ye

6'ra'dak'am withinness.

NOTE

When a man is ill and suspects witchcraft he sends for a doctor of reputation. The latter bathes and fasts seven days. It is revealed to him in his dreams and later veri- fied by examination of the patient whether he is sickened by will of God, by a chan, by disembodied spirits, or by witchcraft. Knead- ing and squeezing the joints is one of the cri- teria, sucking being another, the drawing of blood being a certain sign of witchcraft.

Having assured himself of the cause, the doctor brings his ceremonial arrows and other paraphernalia. First three arrows are placed around the patient's head and another at

��his feet, stuck in the ground. The one to the left of the head is then raised and carried to the foot and these two are lifted, one in either hand, and pointed in turn to the east, north, west, south and zenith, the prayer being repeated five times, once to each direc- tion. Then the five ceremonial circuits are performed around the sick man and he is sucked vigorously. The arrows are then re- placed, two at the head and two at the feet. The doctor stands at the foot, then goes to the right and performs the sucking operation again. He then goes to the patient's head and spits in his hand to note the result of the sucking treatment. This is repeated five times on different parts of the body, each time returning to the sick man's head by a counter-clockwise direction. Usually some tangible object is extracted by these means. To finish the treatment the doctor seizes all four arrows, two in either hand, and circles them over the patient to purify him. The treatment is repeated every three days for five times and is said to be generally effica- cious.

TRANSLATION

Hail ! my Mother, my Morning Star. I be- seech thee that this heat may take itself hence. My Morning Star must stretch unto me his hand from beneath the east where he be- longeth. Then shall this invalid recover. Mayhap something is lacking that thus they bewitch him. But it must not be so. Thou wilt cleanse him with the cold and with thy ar- rows; with your white chimal will ye cast aside the pestilence. Therefore do I implore you, my Lord and my Lady. I must have more power than even he who is bewitching. Ye will not allow him to molest us with this heat. Our Morning Star will come to cleanse me that this heat may not return unto me. With my arrows will I shield myself, that no ill may befall me. So be it! Know ye it and hear me!

May God bless you.

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