A--Chalhke{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh Nalin, Night Girl
B--Kuterastan, The One Who Lives Above
C--Stenatlihan, Woman Without Parents
D--Chuganaai Skhin, Sun Boy
E--Chuganaai, The Sun
F--Kleganaai, The Moon
G--Yadilhkih Binalze, Sky Messengers
H--Nigostu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n Bika Binalze, Earth Messengers
I, J--Naste{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh, Makers of Dreams and Visions
K--Hadilhkih, Lightning
Disc L
1--Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani, Slayer of Alien Gods
2--Dutli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shi Skhin, Turquoise Boy
3--Yolkai Skhin, White-Shell Boy
4--Hadintin Skhin, Pollen Boy
Disc M
1--Tubadzischi{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni, Born From Water
2--Yadilhkih Skhin, Sky Boy
3--Yolkai Skhin, White-Shell Boy
4--Hadintin Skhin, Pollen Boy
Disc N
1--Yolkai Nali{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, White-Shell Girl
2--Dutli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shi Nali{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, Turquoise Girl
3--Enasho Dilu{~COMBINING BREVE~}hkli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shen, Black Alien Talker
4--Hadintin Nali{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, Pollen Girl
Disc O
1--Hadintin Nali{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, Pollen Girl
2--Nilchidilhkizn, The Wind
3--Yolkai Nalii{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, White-Shell Girl
4 --Yakosha Skhin, Frost Boy
P--Gauncho - Gods
Q--Gaunchine{~COMBINING BREVE~} - Gods
R--Gaun - Gods
S--Gaunchi - Gods
H--Another maltese cross, symbolizing four spirits of the air, who act as
messengers of the gods. They are supposed to communicate with the
medicine-men, bringing to them words of wisdom from the several gods as
they sit and chant in ceremony, or when they are fasting. Their name,
Nigostu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n Bika Binalze, Earth Messengers, indicates that their powers
extend to both the earth and the sky.
I and J symbolize spirits of the air who reveal to the medicine-men the
wonders they claim to know in a priestly way. Such revelations are made to
them in visions as they sit and drum and sing when endeavoring to discover
some new cure for an affliction, or to initiate new customs that might be
pleasing to the gods. The priests often take a medicine skin of this sort
and go out into the mountains, where they fast and sing over it for hours
at a time, awaiting the coming of the spirits.
K--It is supposed that any of the various gods have the power of calling on
the lightning to carry messages from one to the other. Wherever shown in
the symbolism of the Apache, lightning lines are drawn to indicate
communication from one god to another.
Disc L 1--Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani is the first son of Stenatlihan, who was made to
conceive by the sun's rays as she lay asleep on the eastern slope of a
mountain. He is the War God and miracle performer, the culture hero who in
parallel legends appears in many North American aboriginal cults. Great
monsters in the form of giant antelopes, rolling stones, and beasts of
hideous conception are supposed to have inhabited the earth for a time,
destroying its people. These monsters typify only the evils of this life;
in fact death itself is spoken of in many legends as one of the monsters,
in such form engaging in a long discussion with the miracle performer to
prove that he should not be destroyed; if he were, the earth would become
overpopulated. With his bow and arrow and turquoise lance Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani
banished these curses from earth. He himself was invulnerable as he
appeared before these monsters, for the reason that he always buried his
veins near a tree before attacking them. After he had killed them all, he
and his younger brother, Tubadzischi{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni, quarrelled. The Bluebird revealed
to the latter the spot where Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani kept his veins buried, so he
sought them out and shot arrows into them, thus killing him. Other myths
relate how Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani was later resurrected, and he is still prayed to
as the chief War God.
[Illustration: Apache Girl]