English Translation
44. Prayers Recited While Preparing the Gahe
David Fatty
Big Blue Mountain Spirit in the east,
The blue mirage has been spread out,
Of that, the inside of [your] home is made;
You, whose body is holy,1
Of that, [your] home is made.
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
Your life is shaking2.
The yellow mirage has been spread out,
Of that, the inside of [your] home is made;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you.
Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
Your spiritually hale body is made of white clouds;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it.
Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
Your body is holy.
He is leader of the Mountain Spirits, they have said,
A holy Mountain Spirit.
You are happy over me, I am happy over you.
In the east,
Your spiritually hale body is made of blue clouds;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
That being so, it is good.
Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
Leader of the Mountain Spirits, holy Mountain Spirit,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
That being so, it is good.
Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
Your spiritually hale body is made of white clouds;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
That being so, it is good.
Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
That being so, it is good.
I am grateful for it,
I am happy over you, you are happy over me.
Big Blue Mountain Spirit in the east,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the blue mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
Of this, there is good,
I am grateful for it.
Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
Your spiritually hale body is made of yellow clouds;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
Of this, there is good,
I am grateful for it.
Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the yellow mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the white mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big Blue Mountain Spirit in the east,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the blue mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the yellow mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
That being so, I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the white mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
Your spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
Holy Mountain Spirit, leader of the Mountain Spirits,
You are happy over me, I am happy over you,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big Blue Mountain Spirit in the east,
His spiritually hale body is made of the blue mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
His spiritually hale body is made of the yellow mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
His spiritually hale body is made of the white mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
His spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big Blue Mountain Spirit in the east,
His spiritually hale body is made of the blue mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big Yellow Mountain Spirit in the south,
His spiritually hale body is made of the yellow mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
The Big White Mountain Spirit in the west,
His spiritually hale body is made of the white mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, the leader of the Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him.
The Big Black Mountain Spirit in the north,
His spiritually hale body is made of the black mirage;
The holy Mountain Spirit, Mountain Spirits,
He is happy over me, I am happy over him,
I am happy over it,
I am grateful for it.
Ethnological Notes
Morris Opler
44.1
The shaman is addressing the Mountain Spirits.
44.2
This refers to the fact that the masked dancers, before going to the ceremonial grounds, hold their masks in their hands and shake them while the shaman prays and sings.