two orders bearing their names, to wait upon the personators of the
Ka´ᵗsuna whenever they should appear. The representatives of Koshai´ri
and Quer´ränna are supposed to be the exact reproductions of the
originals. The body of Ko´shairi is painted white and striped in black;
that of Quer´ränna is half yellow and half white, dotted with black
crescents. Thus we see stripes and particolors as indicative of the
harlequin is of prehistoric origin. The hair of Ko´shairi is brought
to the front and tied with painted black and white corn husks. The
breechcloth is black cotton (Pl. X A). Quer´ränna’s hair is
brought forward and tied to stand erect (Pl. X B).
Whenever the Ka´ᵗsuna appear in Sia they are attended by the Ko´shairi
and Quer´ränna, they waiting upon the Ka´ᵗsuna, adjusting any of their
wearing apparel which becomes disarranged, etc. They also play the
fool, their buffoonery causing great merriment among the spectators.
After ridding the world of the destroyers of the people, Ma´asewe said
to the ti´ämoni of Sia (the Sia were still living at the white house),
“Now that I have killed the bad people of the world it is well to
organize societies similar to those instituted by Ût´sĕt in the lower
world, and learn from the animals the secrets of medicine.” It must be
understood that all the animals were not bad.
The first society originated by Ma´asewe was the Hĭs´tiän or Knife.
This society being first, because it was through the power of the
knives or arrows given to the boys by the sun father that the enemies
were destroyed; Hĭs´tiän, in this case, meaning the knife or arrow of
lightning.
The next society originated was that of the cougar, then followed the
societies of the bear, the skoyo (giant), the snake, and the ant.
The ho´naaite of each society was furnished with medicine by the
two warriors, this medicine being bits of the hearts of the enemies
destroyed; a portion of each heart being given to each ho´naaite.
Ma´asewe then organized the Ope Society (Warriors), designating himself
as the ho´naaite[14] of the society and his brother as its vicar. He
then appointed six men members of the society, to reside for all time
in the six high mountains of the world, that they might look from
the six cardinal points and discover bad people, and inform the Sia
of an approaching enemy. These six men, in conjunction with Ma´asewe
and U´yuuyewĕ, guide the arrows of the Sia when contending with the
enemy. It will be remembered it was stated in the “Sia Cosmogony” that
Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewĕ went to reside in the interior of the Sandia
mountain.
When these societies had been formed, the animal societies assembled
at the white house and taught the ho´naaites their medicine songs;
previous to this, when the Sia were ill, they received their medicine
direct from the animals, the animals officiating and singing. After
instructing the Sia in their songs, they told them to make stone
images of themselves, that passing over the road of meal they might
enter these images; and so the Indians are sure of the presence of the
animals. The beings pass over the line of meal, entering the fetiches,
where they remain until the close of a ceremonial, and then depart over
the line.
The secret of the fire was not brought to this world, and the fire
society was originated here in this way. The people grew tired of
feeding about on grass, like the deer and other animals, and they
consulted together as to how fire might be obtained. It was finally
decided by the ti´ämoni that a coyote was the best person to steal
the fire from the world below, and he dispatched a messenger for the
coyote. Upon making his appearance the ti´ämoni told of the wish of
himself and his people for fire, and that he wanted him to return to
the world below and bring the fire, and the coyote replied, “It is
well, father; I will go.” Upon reaching the first entrance of the house
of Sûs´sĭstinnako (it was the middle of the night), the coyote found
the snake who guarded the door asleep, and he quickly and quietly
slipped by; the cougar who guarded the second door was also asleep, and
the bear who guarded the third door was sleeping. Upon reaching the
fourth door he found the ho´naaite of the fire asleep, and, slipping
through, he entered the room and found Sûs´sĭstinnako also soundly
sleeping; he hastened to the fire, and, lighting the cedar brand which
was attached to his tail, hurried out. Sûs´sĭstinnako awoke, rubbing
his eyes, just in time to be conscious that some one was leaving the
room. “Who is there?” he cried; “some one has been here,” but before he
could arouse those who guarded the entrance the coyote was far on his
way to the upper world.
After the organization of the cult societies the ti´ämoni, influenced
by Ût´sĕt, commanded the cougar to make his home for all time in the
north; the bear was likewise sent to the west, the badger to the south,
the wolf to the east, the eagle to the heavens, and the shrew to the
earth.
THEURGISTIC RITES.
It is only upon acquaintance with the secret cult societies that one
may glean something of the Indians’ conception of disease, its cause
and cure. It is supposed to be produced almost wholly through one or
two agencies—the occult powers of wizards and witches, and the anger of
certain animals, often insects. Therefore, though some plant medicines
are known to these Indians, their materia medīca may be said to be
purely fetichistic; for when anything of a medicinal character is used
by the theurgist it must be supplemented with fetich medicine and
magical craft.
While there are thirteen secret cult societies with the Zuñi, there are
but eight in Sia, some of these being reduced to a membership of two,
and in one instance to one. While the Zuñi and Sia each has its society
of warriors, the functions of these societies are somewhat different.
The cult societies of the Sia, as well as those of Zuñi, have their
altars and sand paintings; but while each Zuñi altar, with its
medicines and fetiches, is guarded during ceremonials by two members
of the Society of Warriors, this entitling the members of this society
to be present at the meetings of all the cult societies, the Sia have
no such customs. Their altars and fetiches are not protected by others
than the theurgists and vice-theurgists of their respective societies.
At the present time, owing to the depleted numbers of the Society of
Warriors of the Zuñi, some of their altars have but one guardian.
The Society of Warriors has for its director and vicar, like the Zuñi
and the other pueblos, the representatives of the mythologic war
heroes, who, though small in stature, are invulnerable. “Their hearts
are large, for they have the heart of the sun.” The head or director of
a society is termed the elder brother; the vicar, younger brother.
When the cult societies invoke the cloud people to water the earth,
the presence of certain anthropomorphic and zoomorphic beings having
potent influence over the cloud people is assured by the drawing of a
line of meal from the altar to the entrance of the ceremonial chamber,
over which these beings pass, temporarily abiding in the stone images
of themselves which stand before the altar. These beings are exhorted
to use their mystic powers with the cloud people to water the mother
earth, that she may become pregnant and bear to the people of Ha´arts
(the earth) the fruits of her being.
In order to obtain their services the Sia compensate them. The
hä´chamoni (notched stick), which is deposited to convey the message,
invariably has plumes attached to it, these plume offerings being
actual compensation for that which is desired. Other offerings are
made, among which are gaming blocks, hoops for the cloud people to
ride upon, and cigarettes filled with the down of humming birds, corn
pollen, and bits of precious beads. (See Plate XI).
Eagles are kept caged, and turkeys are domesticated for the purpose of
obtaining plumes for these offerings.
It is the prerogative of the ti´ämoni to specify the time for the
meetings of the cult societies, excepting ceremonials for the healing
of the sick by the request of the patient or his friend. These meetings
being entirely under the jurisdiction of the theurgist, who does not
possess within himself the power of healing, he is simply the agent
acting under the influence of those beings who are present in the stone
images.
The gala time is the beginning of the new year in December, when
the cult societies hold synchronal ceremonials extending through a
period of four days and nights, at which time the fetich medicines are
prepared; and those possessing real or imaginary disease gather in the
chamber of the society of which they are members, when the theurgists
and their followers elaborate their practices of mysticism upon their
subjects.
The cult societies have two ways of retaining their complement of
members. An adult or child joins a society after being restored to
health by a theurgist; and a parent may enter a child into a society,
or a boy or girl having arrived at years of discretion, may declare a
desire to join a society.
In the case of a young child the paternal or maternal parent calls upon
the theurgist and, making known his wish, presents him with a handful
of shell mixture,[15] saying, “I wish my child to become a member of
your society that his mind and heart may be strong.” In the case of an
elder boy or girl the clan is first notified, and the applicant then
calls upon the theurgist and, presenting him a handful of the shell
mixture, makes known his wish.
Most of the societies are divided into two or more orders, the more
important order being that in which the members are endowed with the
anagogics of medicine, except in the Snake Society, when the snake
order is essential. One must pass through three degrees before being
permitted to handle the snakes. In the case of minors they can not be
initiated into the third degree until, in the ho´naaite’s judgment,
they are amenable to the rigid rules. A person may belong to two or
more of these societies.
[Illustration: Bureau of Ethnology. Eleventh Annual Report. Plate XI
Drawn by Mary Irvin Wright. GAST LITH. CO. N.Y.
HÄ´-CHA-MO-NI BEFORE PLUME OFFERINGS ARE ATTACHED.]
Women may be members of the various orders, excepting in the societies
of the Snake, Cougar, or Hunters and Warriors. The Snake division of
the Snake Society has no female members, and the societies of the
Cougar or Hunters and Warriors are composed entirely of men. When one
makes known his desire to enter a society he states to the theurgist
which division he wishes to join.
The objection to handling the snakes keeps the Snake division of this
society limited, though the honor is much greater in belonging to this
division. Upon entering the medicine order of any society the new
member is presented with the fetich ya´ya by the theurgist, who must
practice continency four days previous to preparing the fetich.
The cult societies observe two modes in curing disease: One is by
sucking, and the other by brushing the body with straws and eagle
plumes. The former mode is practiced when Ka-nat-kai-ya (witches) have
caused the malady by casting into the body worms, stones, yarn, etc.;
the latter mode is observed when one is afflicted through angry ants or
other insects, which are thus drawn to the surface and brushed off.
The medicine ceremonials of the cult societies are quite distinct from
their ceremonials for rain.
The only compensation made the theurgist for his practice upon invalids
either in the ceremonial chamber or dwelling is the sacred shell
mixture. It is quite the reverse with all other Indians with whom the
writer is acquainted. The healing of the sick in the ceremonial chamber
is with some of the peublos gratuitous, but generous compensation is
required when the theurgist visits the house of the invalid.
Continency is observed four days previous to a ceremonial, and an
emetic is taken each morning for purification from conjugal relations.
On the fourth day the married members bathe (the men going into the
river) and have their heads washed in yucca suds. This is for physical
purification. The exempting of those who have not been married and
those who have lost a spouse seems a strange and unreasonable edict in
a community where there is an indiscriminate living together of the
people.
The ceremonials here noted occurred after the planting of the grain.
Several of the ordinances had been held previous to the arrival of the
writer. She collected sufficient data, however, to demonstrate the
analogy between the rain ceremonials of the secret cult societies,
their songs bearing the one burden—supplication for rain.
RAIN CEREMONIAL OF THE SNAKE SOCIETY.
The morning was spent by the ho´naaite (theurgist) and his vicar in
the preparation of hä´chamoni[16] and plume offerings. The hä´chamoni
are symbolic of the beings to whom they are offered, the messages or
prayers being conveyed through the notches upon the sticks. These
symbols frequently have hĕr´rotuma (more slender sticks representing
the official staff) bound to them with threads of yucca; Pls. XI and
XII show an incomplete set of hä´chamoni before the plume offerings are
appended, which the Snake Society deposits when rain is desired; Pl.
XIII, specimens of hä´chamoni with plume offerings attached.
About 4 o’clock p.m. the ho´naaite and his younger brother were joined
by the third member of the society, when the ho´naaite began the sand
painting,[17] the first one being laid immediately before the ä´ᵗchîn
(slat altar), which had been erected earlier in the day, and the second
in front of the former (Pl. XIV).
Upon the completion of the paintings the ho´naaite deposited several
long buckskin sacks upon the floor and the three proceeded to remove
such articles as were to be placed before the altar. There were six
ya´ya, four of these being the property of the ho´naaite, two having
come to him through the Snake Society, and two through the Spider, he
being also ho´naaite of the Spider Society, the others belonging to the
vice ho´naaite and third member of the Snake Society.
The ya´ya are most carefully preserved, not only on account of their
sacred value, but also of their intrinsic worth, as the parrot plumes
of which they are partially composed are very costly and difficult
to obtain, they being procured from other Indians, who either make
journeys into Mexico and trade for these plumes with the Indians of
that country, or the Indians on the border secure them and bring them
for traffic among their more northern brothers.
The ya´ya are wrapped first with a piece of soft cloth, then with
buckskin, and finally with another cloth; slender splints are placed
around this outer covering and a long buckskin string secures the
packages.
[Illustration: Bureau of Ethnology. Eleventh Annual Report. Plate
XII
Drawn by Mary Irvin Wright. GAST LITH. CO. N.Y.
HÄ´-CHA-MO-NI BEFORE PLUME OFFERINGS ARE ATTACHED.]
After unwrapping the ya´ya the ho´naaite proceeds to arrange the
fetiches. Three of the ya´ya are placed immediately in front of the
altar upon a paralellogram of meal, which is always drawn at the base
of the altars, and is emblematic of seats for the ya´ya. An image, 8
inches high, of Ko´chinako (Yellow Woman of the North) stands to the
right of the ya´ya, and a wolf of red sandstone, its tail being quite
the length of its body, which is 6 inches, is placed to the left of
the ya´ya, and by the side of this wolf is a bear of black lava, and
next an abalone shell; two cougars of red sandstone, some 12 inches
in length, are posted to the right and left of the altar; an antique
medicine bowl, finely decorated in snake, cloud, and lightning designs,
is placed in front of the three ya´ya; two finely polished adzes, 12
inches long, are laid either side of the medicine bowl, and by these
two large stone knives; two ya´ya stand side by side in front of the
bowl, and before each is a snake’s rattle, each rattle having twelve
buttons; the sixth ya´ya stands on the tail of the sand-painted cougar;
a miniature bow and arrow is laid before each of the six ya´ya; eight
human images are arranged in line in front of the two ya´ya, these
representing Ma´asewe, Úyuuyewĕ, and the six warriors who live in
the six mountains of the cardinal points, the larger figures being 8
and 10 inches high and the smaller ones 4 and 5, the figure of the
Warrior of the North having well-defined eyes and nose in bas-relief.
This figure is decorated with a necklace of bears’ claws, a similar
necklace being around its companion, a clumsy stone hatchet. Most of
the images in this line have a fringe of white wool around the face,
symbolic of clouds. In front of these figures are three fetiches of
Ko´shairi, not over 4 or 5 inches high, with a shell in front of them,
and on either side of the shell there are two wands of turkey plumes
standing in clay holders, the holders having been first modeled into
a ball and then a cavity made by pressing in the finger sufficiently
deep to hold the wand. These holders are sun dried. In front of the
shell is a cross, the only evidence discovered of an apparent influence
of Catholicism. The cross, however, bears no symbol of Christianity
to these Indians. The one referred to was given to a theurgist of the
Snake Society in remote times by a priest so good of heart, they say,
that, though his religion was not theirs, his prayers traveled fast
over the straight road to Ko´pĭshtaia; and so their reverence for this
priest as an honest, truthful man led them to convert the symbol of
Christianity into an object of fetichistic worship. The cross stands
on a 6-inch cube of wood, and is so covered with plumes that only the
tips of the cross are to be seen, and a small bunch of eagle plumes
is attached pendent to the top of the cross with cotton cord. A bear
of white stone, 5 inches long, is placed to the left of the cross and
just back of it a tiny cub. A wolf, also of white stone, and 5 inches
in length, is deposited to the right of the cross. At either end of,
and to the front of, the altar are two massive carvings in relief,
in red sandstone, of coiled snakes. Bear-leg skins, with the claws,
are piled on either side of the altar, and by these gourd rattles and
eagle plumes, in twos, to be used by the members in the ceremonial. A
necklace of bears’ claws, with a whistle attached midway the string,
having two fluffy eagle plumes fastened to the end with native cotton
cord, hangs over the north post of the altar. The ho´naaite wear this
necklace in the evening ceremony. The sacred honey jug (a gourd) and
basket containing the sacred meal, a shell filled with corn pollen, a
buckskin medicine bag, an arrow point, and an ancient square pottery
bowl are grouped in front of the snake fetich on the north side of
the altar, and to the north of this group are other medicine bags and
turkey feather wands, with bunches of fluffy eagle plumes, tipped black
and the other portion dyed a beautiful lemon color, attached to them
with cotton cord. These wands are afterwards held by the women, who
form the line at night on the north side of the room. A Tusayan basket,
containing the offerings, consisting of hä´chamoni, each one being
tipped with a bit of raw cotton and a single plume from the wing of a
humming bird, with plumes attached upright at the base; Hĕr´ro-tume
(staffs) ornamented with plumes, Ta´-wa-ka (gaming blocks and rings
for the clouds to ride upon), Maic’-kûr-i-wa-pai (bunches of plumes
of birds of the cardinal points, zenith and nadir), is deposited in
front of the snake fetich on the south side of the altar, and beyond
this basket are similar wands to those north of the altar, which are
carried in the ceremonial by the women on the south side of the room.
Five stone knives complete the group. A white stone bear, 12 inches
long, is placed in front of the whole, and a parrot is attached to the
top of the central slat figure. (Pl. XV) Unfortunately, the
flash-light photograph of the altar of the Snake Society made during
the ceremonial failed to develop well, and, guarding against possible
failure, the writer succeeded in having the ho´naaite arrange the altar
at another time. The fear of discovery induced such haste that the
fetiches, which are kept carefully stored away in different houses,
were not all brought out on this occasion.[18]
When the altar is completed the ho´naaite and his associates stand
before it and supplicate the presence of the pai´ätämo and Ko´pishtaia,
who are here represented by images of themselves, these images
becoming the abiding places of the beings invoked. After the prayer,
the ho´naaite and his vicar sit upon their folded blankets near the
fireplace, where a low fire burns, and with a supply of tobacco and
corn husks content themselves with cigarettes until the opening of the
evening ceremony.
By 9 o’clock the Snake society was joined in the chai-än-ni-kai
(ceremonial chamber) archaic, Su´ᵗ-sĕr-ra-kai by the Kapĭna, it being
the prerogative of the hónaaite of one organization to invite other
societies to take part in his ceremonies. They formed in line, sitting
back of the altar; the hónaaite being in the rear of the central slat
figure, which symbolized the hónaaite of the cult society of the cloud
people. The other members were seated in the rear, as near as could be,
of the corresponding symbolic figures of the cloud and lightning
people. A boy of 8 years of age, who lay sleeping as the writer entered
the room, was aroused to take his position in the line, and a boy of
4 years, who had been sleeping upon a sheepskin, spread on the floor
between two of the women, was led from the room by one of them, as he
had not entered the degree when he might hear the songs and see the
making of the medicine water.
[Illustration: Bureau of Ethnology. Eleventh Annual Report. Plate
XIII
Drawn by Mary Irvin Wright. GAST LITH. CO. N.Y.
HÄ´-CHA-MO-NI WITH PLUMES ATTACHED.]
The women formed right angles with the line of men, four sitting on
the north side of the room and four on the south side. The elder
female member sat at the west end of the line on the north side of the
room. The men wore breechcloths of white cotton; the hónaaite and the
ti´ämoni wore embroidered Tusayan kilts for breechcloths. The hair was
done up as usual, but no headkerchief was worn. The boy and men held
oh´-shi-e-kats (gourd rattles) in their right hands and hi´-shä-mi (two
eagle plumes) in the left.
The women were attired in their black wool dresses, the calico gown
being discarded, and red sashes, wearing the conventional cue and bang.
The neck and arms were exposed and the feet and lower limbs were bare.
Each woman held two wands of turkey plumes in the right hand, and both
men and women wore numerous strings of coral and kohaqua beads with
bunches of turkis (properly earrings) attached pendent to the necklaces.
The ceremonial opened with the rattle and song, the women accompanying
the men in the song. After a short stanza, which closed, as all the
stanzas do, with a rapid manipulation of the rattle, the second stanza
was almost immediately begun, when the vicar (Pl. XVII) standing before
the altar shook his rattle for a moment and then waved it in a circle
over the altar. He repeated this motion six times, for the cardinal
points, and returned to his seat before the closing of the stanza. The
circle indicated that all the cloud people of the world were invoked to
water the earth.
On the opening of the third stanza all arose and the hónaaite reaching
over the altar took a yá-ya in either hand, he having previously
laid his rattle and eagle plumes by the altar. This stanza was sung
with great vivacity by the men, who swayed their bodies to the right
and left in rhythmical motion, while the women waved their wands
monotonously. The movement of the arms of both the men and women was
from the elbow, the upper arms being apparently pinioned to the sides;
there was no raising of the feet, but simply the bending of the knees.