The fetich worship of the Zunis naturally reaches its highest and most
interesting development in its relationship to the chase, for the
We-ma-a-ha-i are considered _par excellence_ the gods of the hunt. Of
this class of fetiches, the special priests are the members of the
"Great Coyote People" (Sa-ni-a-k'ia-kwe, or the Hunting Order), their
keepers, the chosen members of the Eagle and Coyote gentes and of the
Prey Brother priesthood.
The fetiches in question (Plate III) represent, with two exceptions, the
same species of prey animals as those supposed to guard the six regions.
These exceptions are, the Coyote (Sus-ki, Plate III, Fig. 2), which
replaces the Black Bear of the West, and the Wild Cat (Te-pi, Plate III,
Fig. 3), which takes the place of the Badger of the South.
In the prayer-songs of the Sa-ni-a-kia-kwe, the names of all of these
prey gods are, with two exceptions, given in the language of the Rio
Grande Indians. This is probably one of the many devices for securing
greater secrecy, and rendering the ceremonials of the Hunter Society
mysterious to other than members. The exceptions are, the Coyote, or
Hunter god of the West, known by the archaic name of Thlae[']-k'iae-tchu,
instead of by its ordinary name of Sus-ki, and the Prey Mole or god of
the Lower regions (Plate III, Fig. 5), which is named Mai-tu-pu, also
archaic, instead of K'iae[']-lu-tsi. Yet in most of the prayer and
ritualistic recitals of this order all of these gods are spoken of by
the names which distinguish them in the other orders of the tribe.
[Illustration: PREY GOD FETICHES OF THE HUNT.]