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48 MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND
his individual name. "But what is he in Walpi?"
' ' He is a chua, ' ' that is, he belongs to the important
Snake clan and his totem signature is a crawling rep
tile.
It affords great amusement to the Hopi when a per
son, not acquainted with their customs, asks a man his
name ; it is also very embarrassing to the man asked,
unless there is a third party at hand to volunteer the
service, because no Hopi can be prevailed on to speak
his own name for fear of the bad consequences fol
lowing "giving himself away."