RELIGION oI

instructed people about the significance of death omens; it
was Raven who showed them the use of slings; and it was
Raven who constructed secluded caves and ledges to serve as
meeting-places for chiefs.

In brief, the Bella Coola regard Raven as an explorer,
teacher, and inventor, whose power, obtained from A7guntim,
enabled him to construct and outwit his maker, but not to
create. Much of his work was for the good of mankind, but
much was evil and malicious, an aspect which belongs to
mythology. Essentially human, Raven could have been in-
cluded among anthropomorphic, as well as among zoomorphic
beings. He differs from most of the supernatural ones in
belonging entirely to the past, as his descendants have none
of the first Raven’s power. It is doubtful whether he still
exists, but in any case he has long since ceased to take any
interest in the affairs of the Bella Coola, who consider him
only as a figure of mythology and ancient history.

SUPERNATURAL BEINGS OF THE VEGETABLE AND MINERAL
KINGDOMS

Bella Coola beliefs concerning anthropomorphic and zoo-
morphic beings are relatively clear and exact; their appearance
is known, their powers and functions recognized. The super-
natural attributes of trees and plants are less definite. d/gun-
tam created the former in the beginning of time, and they were
consequently able to talk and act like human beings at that
distant period. Owing to the degeneration of man, mortals
are no longer able to converse with trees, although the latter
can still understand our remarks. In a vague way, the Bella
Coola continue to think of trees as having human personalities,
but so little is known of their powers, and they enter so seldom
into contact or conflict with mortals, that they are practically
ignored.

In an equally vague manner, Nature is regarded as a
Mother, giving birth to the trees and plants. One of the
kusiut dances portrays this birth of the flowers every spring