Quechan (Yuma)

(map)

Komashtam'ho caused a great rain and started to flood out the large dangerous animals, but he was persuaded that people needed some of the animals for food. He evaporated the waters with a great fire, turning the land to desert in the process.

Erdoes & Ortiz, 1984, 81.

Komashtam'ho is Kokomaht's son. Marhokuvek was a man whom Komashtam'ho chose to help him plan how things should be done.

In the beginning, the animals were persons. After Kokomaht died and was cremated, they all cut their hair in mourning. Then Komashtam'ho thought, "These animals and birds look not well thus. I will make them persons no longer, but animals."

And when they were just wild animals, Komashtam'ho said, "I would fain kill them all."

But Marhokuvek said, "Nay, do not that!"

So they called the Rain, for Komashtam'ho would cause a flood that should destroy the animals. Now many of the beasts perished in the flood, but not all; for if there should come so great a flood that all the animals would drown, the Indian peoples would die of the cold, for their country is hot because of the burning of Kokomaht and so the Indians cannot bear cold. Marhokuvek told Komashtam'ho to spare the animals for the sake of the people, and Komashtam'ho stopped the rain. So the world is full of animals as well as men, but the animals are wild, and since that time men and animals live no more together, but are fearful of each other.

Natalie Curtis, "Creation Myths of the Cochans (Yuma Indians)", The Craftsman 16 (1909): 565; reprinted in: Natalie Curtis, The Indians' Book, (1923; reprint, New York: Dover, 1968), 566. All but the first two sentences are quoted.