English
Deer, MuleArapaho
bíh'ihRelated words
deer hide: bih’io
Technical Information
Odocoileus hemionus
Mule Deer and theArapaho
Hayden’s 1863 report gives the word wo’teen-bih’ih for ‘black-tailed deer.’ It is likely that in former times, bih’ih was the general term for deer (as wox still is for bear), but that the two types of deer had more specific names (as the two bears still do today).
In Arapaho mythology and legend, the deer is associated with women and romantic desire. One story tells how a man saw a woman, pursued her, but just as he caught her, she changed into a deer, running away and leaving him looking foolish. This same story is referenced by elders today as a way of criticizing someone for excessive devotion to a task, job or hobby, as well as a woman.
Deer were hunted using calls made of bone or wood, similar to whistles (Kroeber, The Arapaho, p. 22).
A number of places in Colorado were named in association with deer. See Places.
