114 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

in a flesh-coloured bathing-suit, imitating the nakedness of
earlier years. The writer was talking to one of the marshals,
a very old man, and remarked how different the present rites
must appear to him.

“Yes,” replied the old man. “But after all, the change is
not so great. In former years we imitated what the super-
natural beings did, now we imitate what our fathers did.”

Many ethnologists, acquainted with the elaborate rituals
carried out on the coast early in this century, have ex-
pressed surprise at the rapidity with which these have dwin-
dled to mere shadows. The writer believes that one factor
for the Bella Coola decline in ritual, is the realization that the
rites are imitative, and that accordingly their significance need
not be lost when further imitation is added.

Further research would undoubtedly have added particu-
lars of the manner in which other Cannibals carried out their
rites, but to obtain the full details of all would have been
detrimental to other types of investigation; it is believed that
the above descriptions are typical. Before passing to other
dances, a few general remarks on the Cannibal ritual may
prove useful.

In view of the arduous character of the dance, and the
necessity for impressing the uninitiated with the great power
of the Cannibals, the marshals usually prohibit a man from
acting unless he is physically strong. Rarely, however, a
woman is allowed to be a Cannibal if she has the necessary
prerogative, but usually only if she is the last survivor of her
family. In such cases the shorter rite is the more common.

As before stated, kusiut origin myths are supposed to be
remembered, but in practice few kukusiut know the history of
their prerogatives. The process of forgetting has undoubtedly
increased in the last few years, but the writer feels confident
that they were never maintained with the same care as origin