The Yanas were fond of astronomical myths, or myths of the upper
world. The morning star and the moon appear in them frequently. The
great sweat-house of the sun is the dome of heaven.
The name of the mysterious and mighty old uncle, Igupa Topa, seems to
me to be derived from Iguna, chief sweat-house, and Tuina or Toina,
the sun. Tuina is the prevailing pronunciation, but Toina is used
also. Igupa is the regular form of son of Iguna, as is Topa of Toina.
He is a person whose strength is well known to the sun, who has
evidently a clear perception of how dangerous a person he is.
The shooting of Wakara into the sky is a curious variant of the
tree-bending by Tulchuherris and Sas in the Wintu myth.