Apparently the Washo have no specific ritual to encourage conception. They
are extremely fond of children and desire as many as possible. No Washo
has ever heard of, or will admit having heard of, infanticide among the
Washo, although they have heard of the practice among other Indians. The
birth of an illegitimate child, despite the attitude of whites, is greeted
with as much joy as that of a legitimate child.
However, it is believed that conception can be prevented by manipulation
of the afterbirth. When the afterbirth is expelled it is wrapped in a
piece of deer hide or cloth and buried. It is always placed right side up
if a woman desires to continue bearing children. If she wishes not to have
children it is buried upside down. If at a later time she wishes to become
pregnant, she will turn the earth where the upside-down afterbirth was
buried. Informants say that not many people do this any more, mainly
because younger women go to the hospital to have their babies, but that
many people know how and some may still do it.
Certain Indians are reported to be able to prevent the birth of children
without the knowledge of the woman concerned. This requires the
cooperation of a woman who has just had a child and who will give the
magician the afterbirth. It is then buried or hidden upside down and the
woman concerned will not become pregnant. The method of transferring the
influence of the afterbirth from the real mother to the victim was not
explained, and in fact the practice was revealed with a good deal of
reluctance.