22 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

this undoubtedly leads them to believe in the powers which
they claim. Each kusiut prerogative has had one of three
origins:

(a) It was brought down by the first people. Before
coming to this earth each of them saw in the land above his
patron, who instructed him in a type of dance, and told him
where his repository on this world would be. It is assumed
that the earliest men were in contact with all the supernatural
beings before coming to this earth, but it is believed that each
was “blind” to the patrons of his fellows, and thus had only
one.

(b) It was derived from an experience with one of the
supernatural beings of this world. In this case the repository
was either at a spot indicated by the apparition, or at the
actual scene of the vision.

(c) A powerful chief sometimes altered an ancestral to a
kusiut name. It is believed that this occurred comparatively
frequently in ancient times when chiefs had semi-supernatural
power. In such cases each followed his own inclination in the
choice of a patron,‘ and usually made his own repository within
his house, giving strength to it by killing and burying a slave
there. Although several Bella Coola informants described
this, Kimsquit Indians denied that it could ever have taken
place. They say that all repositories were long ago dug by
Nunudjixnum, a male supernatural being sent down by AE
guntam at the beginning of time to prepare the habitations of
Anolikwotsaix and her husband. After doing this, he re-
turned to the land above where he has since resided.

It will thus be seen that the prerogative of a kusiut is always
derived from some experience of an ancestor. In carrying out
the rite, the dancer feels that he is continuing the works of his
forbears, a factor which increases his desire that neither error
nor carelessness on his part shall dim the prestige of the society
before the uninitiated. And, further, a man who has spent

ge EN gy ae ee ed i ee
‘The Bella Coola cite such actions as proof of the amazing abilities of their
ancestors.