Intichiuma

“ The Intichiuma ceremonies appear to indicate that each totem group was charged with the superintendence of some department of nature, from which it took its name. The control was by magical means to procure for the members of the community, on the one hand, a plentiful supply of all the commodities of which they stood in need; and, on the other hand, an immunity from all the perils and dangers to which man is exposed in his struggle with nature. ”

“ But, in point of fact, we do not find the practice in the more primitively organised tribes outside the Arunta sphere of influence, and we do find the practice most, and most highly organised, in tribes of advanced type, in America and the Torres Isles, quite irrespective of the natural abundance of supplies, which is supposed to account for the very slight development of Intichiuma on the north coast of Australia. ”

“ At present it is not known what is the condition of the tribes which exist in the great western deserts between South Australia and Western Australia. Their social organisation would be of the greatest interest for comparison with that of tribes living in the more fertile parts of this continent.
Taking all into consideration, I feel that the most probable conclusion to arrive at is, that the Intichiuma ceremonies represent a very early form of totemistic beliefs; but beyond that, there are not sufficient data to allow of a safe hypothesis as to the origin of the totemic names. ”

“ The Tidnamadukas collect the blood dropping from their wounds, and scatter it, mixed with "excrement" from the Minkani's cave, over the sandhills, so that they may bring forth the young Woma and Kapiri (carpet-snake) lizard hidden in them. [92]
This ceremony is undoubtedly similar to the Intichiuma ceremonies performed by the men of the Kangaroo totem described by Spencer and Gillen, [93] and the intention is the same, namely, to produce a crop of the totem food-animal. ”

“ Again stooping over the arrow Iktomi continued his repetition of charm words. “Grow fast, grow fast to the bark of the tree,” he whispered. Still the young man moved slowly downward. Suddenly dropping the arrow and standing erect, Iktomi said aloud: “Grow fast to the bark of the tree!” Before the brave could leap from the tree he became tight-grown to the bark.
“Ah! ha!” laughed the bad Iktomi. “I have the magic arrow! I have the beaded buckskins of the great avenger!” Hooting and dancing beneath the tree, he said: “I shall kill the red eagle; I shall wed the chieftain's beautiful daughter!” ”

“ These now lay at the foot of the pyramid on the funeral pyre, and in order to please and propitiate the gods, who had loved and cherished the great Tcheltzada, a number of strangers, including several of the hated white people, were to be slain and their blood sprinkled upon the ashes of the lamented atkayma. All this in honor not alone of the dead, but of his son the new Atkayma Chaka and his most holy brother, the wise and esteemed Datchapa, who as leader of the royal council had decreed the interesting ceremony that was about to take place. ”

“ Then one of them rose to his feet and addressed the assemblage.
“The strangers are all condemned to death,” said he, quietly. “The laws of our fathers, the founders of the Vale and City of Tcha, must be obeyed. Once we pardoned an atkayma of the Itzaex and sent him back to his people, that through fear and in self-protection he might preserve us from further molestation or intrusion. That was deemed a wise action at the time, but it is not necessary for us to spare the atkayma’s son, who stands before us. ”

“ The peacock then spoke to Iktomi: “I have a magic power. My touch will change you in a moment into the most beautiful peacock if you can keep one condition.”
“Yes! yes!” shouted Iktomi, jumping up and down, patting his lips with his palm, which caused his voice to vibrate in a peculiar fashion. “Yes! yes! I could keep ten conditions if only you would change me into a bird with long, bright tail feathers. Oh, I am so ugly! I am so tired of being myself! ”

“ The brisk wind which stirred the fire also played with a squeaky old tree beside Iktomi's wigwam.
From side to side the tree was swaying and crying in an old man's voice, “Help! I'll break! I'll fall!” Iktomi shrugged his great shoulders, but did not once take his eyes from the ducks. The dripping of amber oil into pearly dishes, drop by drop, pleased his hungry eyes. Still the old tree man called for help. “He! What sound is it that makes my ear ache!” exclaimed Iktomi, holding a hand on his ear. ”

“ Iktomi almost choked to death before he could get it out. In the tree the muskrat sat laughing loud. “Next time, say to a visiting friend, 'Be seated beside me, my friend. Let me share with you my food.'”
IKTOMI AND THE COYOTE
AFAR off upon a large level land, a summer sun was shining bright. Here and there over the rolling green were tall bunches of coarse gray weeds. Iktomi in his fringed buckskins walked alone across the prairie with a black bare head glossy in the sunlight. He walked through the grass without following any well-worn footpath. ”

“ In analyzing the distribution patterns with respect to those that extend across the isthmus of Tehuantepec from east to west, we find that 14 per cent of the species do not extend east of the isthmus into Central America and that 19 per cent do not range west of the isthmus into México proper; 61 per cent of the species range to the east and to the west of the isthmus. Of the 36 species of amphibians inhabiting the isthmus only nine species (25 per cent) range across the isthmus, that is, occur on the Gulf and Pacific lowlands, and also range to the east and to the west of the isthmus. ”

“ Takishima’s face had regained its composure. If the Americans had not the letter then it would soon be found. It undoubtedly was in the hands of one of his own countrymen and the secret service men would soon place it in Captain Inaba’s hands.
Takishima pressed Phil’s hand as he rose to his feet.
“I feel better now that I have unburdened myself,” he said earnestly. “You can be certain that Japan wishes above everything to avoid trouble. That does not mean that we will neglect our army and navy, for we see that preparedness for war is the surest road to peace. ”

“ Then said Itakempka: “Greatly I rejoice, O Ithenthiela! You have saved my people. Now shall the sun shine again. Now shall musk-oxen, caribou, moose, and bears live once more in our country. Again shall we see [66] the smoke of many wigwams. Once more shall we hear the voice of many hunters, and ever and anon the war-whoop of the warriors. You have wakened us from our long winter sleep. Take you now my daughter, the fair Etanda, for your wife. But leave me not. You shall stay with me, and be a great chief after me.” So Ithenthiela remained in the shining white home of Itakempka. ”

“ How far Itzamna may be identified with Itzamatul, the especial god of Itzamal, is perhaps doubtful, but at any rate it is a coincidence that both were important gods of healing. As regards Itzamatul it is said that his emblem was a hand, and that he was also known as Kabul, the “Strong Hand”; in this connection it is extremely interesting to note that two of the stelæ at Piedras Negras (Pl. XX) , one at Copan, [228] a relief at Palenque, and a fresco at Santa Rita in British Honduras, show a figure with a head-dress in which a hand appears as the central feature. ”

“ That seemed to settle the case with the Itzaex. Once more they prostrated themselves before Chaka in token of obedience, and the chieftain Gatcha said:
“It is well, O Atkayma. If your uncle, the mighty Datchapa, receives the white men, we have no objection to offer to them.” ”

“ Takishima continued, “have been won through the spilling of much precious blood. So you can see how such thoughts arouse my people. The Emperor is fearful that something unpleasant will occur during the ‘Alaska’s’ visit, and has issued an order from the throne for all to be courteous to the Americans.”
Impey and the “Shimbunshi” letter had danced before Phil’s mind during this long talk with Takishima. ”

“ Phil exclaimed, turning enthusiastically upon him after the two were seated. “You must come on board the ‘Alaska,’ and Syd and I will show you how you would have been existing if you’d been born an American.”
Takishima showed his white teeth in a smile, through the not too abundant black moustache.
“Perry,” Takishima’s face was again grave and there was marked hesitancy in his speech, “you and I are old friends and classmates. By birth we are of widely different races. Your ancestors have been living in what is termed civilization for some hundreds of years. ”

“ A boat was quickly lowered from the [380] “Sylvia” and lay manned at the gangway.
Phil, before entering the boat, went to Takishima’s cabin. He told the crestfallen lieutenant his entire plan and appealed to his fairness to join him and Sydney in this humane enterprise. But Takishima remained unshaken.
“Perry,” he exclaimed earnestly, “my father is a Samurai, and if he had failed as I have, he would have committed hara-kiri ere this; but the modern spirit has made me a coward. ”

“ And so long as he is a naughty fairy, he cannot find a single friend. No one helps him when he is in trouble. No one really loves him. Those who come to admire his handsome beaded jacket and long fringed leggins soon go away sick and tired of his vain, vain words and heartless laughter.
Thus Iktomi lives alone in a cone-shaped wigwam upon the plain. One day he sat hungry within his teepee. Suddenly he rushed out, dragging after him his blanket. Quickly spreading it on the ground, he tore up dry tall grass with both his hands and tossed it fast into the blanket. ”

“ As the startled ducks sat uneasily on the ground, Iktomi changed his tune into a minor strain. These were the words he sang:
“Istokmus wacipo, tuwayatunwanpi kinhan ista nisasapi kta,” which is, “With eyes closed you must dance. He who dares to open his eyes, forever red eyes shall have.”
Up rose the circle of seated ducks and holding their wings close against their sides began to dance to the rhythm of Iktomi's song and drum.
With eyes closed they did dance! Iktomi ceased to beat his drum. He began to sing louder and faster. He seemed to be moving about in the center of the ring. ”

“ A festival of fairy-land is the Itsukushima, celebrated at Miyajima, on the Inland Sea, from the fifteenth to the seventeenth of June. Brilliant decorations are everywhere—on the long avenue by which the shrine is approached, and over the water, where bamboo-trees have been set up, and flags and lanterns are hung from them. ”

“ Just as the episode between Gilgamesh and the maiden Sabitum is made the occasion for introducing reflections on the inevitable fate of man to encounter death, so the meeting of Enkidu with the woman becomes the medium of impressing the lesson of human progress through the substitution of bread and wine for milk and water, through the institution of the family, and through work and the laying up of resources. This is the significance of the address to Enkidu in column 4 of the Pennsylvania tablet, even though certain expressions in it are somewhat obscure. ”

“ Imitating the swaying strides of the avenger, he walked away with a face turned slightly skyward.
“Oh, set me free! I am glued to the tree like its own bark! Cut me loose!” moaned the prisoner.
A young woman, carrying on her strong back a bundle of tightly bound willow sticks, passed near by the lonely teepee. She heard the wailing man's voice. She paused to listen to the sad words. Looking around she saw nowhere a human creature. “It may be a spirit,” thought she.
“Oh! cut me loose! set me free! Iktomi has played me false! He has made me bark of his tree!” ”

“ There are not many of the ancient race of Tcha, and they live so secluded in their mountain fastness that nothing definite is known concerning them. When Chaka’s father was a young man he, with a band of followers, unconsciously invaded the territory of the Tcha and climbed the mountain near their sacred retreat. The atkayma and his men were promptly seized and carried into the hidden city, where all were destroyed except the Itzaex ruler. ”

“ Little is known of the mythic systems of any of these peoples save the Chibcha. The Antioquians preserved a deluge-myth (as doubtless did all the other Colombians) ; and they recognized a creator-god, Abirá, a spirit of evil, Canicubá, and a goddess, Dabeciba, who was the same as Dabaiba, the Darien Mother of the Creator. Cieza de León says [118] that the Antioquians "carve the likeness of a devil, very fierce and in human form, with other images and figures of cats which they worship; when they require water or sunshine for their crops, they seek aid from these idols." ”

“ Where one or two strong states had been before there were now a score of weak ones. In the wars of this period the once great cities of the League were destroyed and abandoned; new and far less advanced cities were founded to take their place. The remnant of the Xiu family retired to Mani; the Comom became lords of Zotuta. Itzamal seems to have become a sacerdotal state under the dominion of the Chel family. The Itzas, in whom our chief interest lies, probably withdrew far to the south and founded their power in the region about Lake Peten. ”

“ At this time the God made a request, saying:—'Let the person named Ichikaha, of the family of the Omi of Kasuga, be made to attend to them.' Therefore by the Emperor's command, (VI. 24.) Ichikaha was caused to attend to them. He was the first ancestor of the Mononobe [61] no Obito."
A.D. 58. 87th year, Spring, 2nd month, 5th day. Inishiki no Mikoto spake to his younger sister, Oho-naka-tsu-hime no Mikoto, saying:—"I am old, and unable to have charge of the divine treasures. Henceforward thou must have charge of them." Oho-naka-tsu-hime refused, saying:—"I am a feeble woman. ”