T he M ohave “G host D octor ”

The Mohave, along with the other River Yumans, had a number of beliefs centering around the idea of ghosts.’ The “ghost doctor” or n%v% sumw, was a shaman who possessed the ability, as a result of experiencing a power dream, to deal with ghosts in a variety of situations. Following cremation, the soul remained near the site of the pyre four days. At the end of this time the soul changed into a ghost which was then able to see the road to the afterworld. This started at Topock and ran south into the desert in the neighborhood of the Bill Williams River.’ In the afterworld the ghosts met their dead relatives and friends and lived a pleasant existence, plentiful food being provided by four “vines,” one each of corn, beans, melons, and pumpkins. After a time in the afterworld the first of several metamorphoses occurred, which finally resulted in charcoal in the desert, the &a1 stage. In addition to this conception, the Mohave believed that some people turned into owls after death. As one informant phrased it, “the owls are persons-the dead ones.” If cremation did not completely destroy the heart, the small piece remaining turned into an owl. A drop of blood from the heart would also develop into an owl. This supposedly accounts for the fact that newly hatched owls are quite red. A shaman who killed a person by witchcraft watched the site of his victim’s cremation for four days to see if a baby owl would appear. The baby owl would hide in the brush until the older owls came to get him. When the owl grew up his cry would tell the name of the -man who bewitched him. The shaman tried to prevent this by capturing the baby owl and throwing it in the river. Owls were dangerous omens; an owl crying near the house a t twilight meant a death in the family. The n%v8i mmuc, or ghost doctor, was faniliar with the spirit world in all its ramifications. He obtained his power in a dream as a child, but did not start to practice until early adulthood. In his hair he wore owl feathers, which had been dipped in red paint. The ghost doctor was able to cure people who became ill as a result of violating the funeral taboos or dreaming of dead relatives or friends. People afflicted with the ghost sickness were afraid of darkness, experienced nightmares, were unable to sleep at night, and cried for long periods of time. The shaman could also produce these symptoms by witchcraft, causing the victim to see whirlwinds, in which ghosts travelled, and to have bad dreams, which produced the sickness. The ghost doctor also could take people to the spirit yorld, although he did not encourage this because it was dangerous. He warned the person who wished to see a dead relative: “Be careful. If our hands slip apart, I’ll have to look for you all night. If I don’t find you before morning we will both be stuck here.” The shaman and the person who was to accompany him dressed in their best clothes and painted themselves. About twilight they built a small brush shelter and then lay down to sleep with their hands clasped. In less than an hour they were transported to the afterworld. The ghost doctor knew exactly where the person’s family was, so they wtnt directly there.