The ho´naaite of the cougar society visited the houses of al_The Sia (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))

returned hunters, first entering the house of his vicar. The young

man stood in the center of the room and the ho´naaite embraced him

and repeated a prayer of thanksgiving for his success in the hunt

and his safe return. The old man was then assisted to a seat upon a

wadded blanket and the father of the hunter spread a sheepskin upon the

floor, wool side down, and emptied the contents of the sack which was

taken from the hunter’s horse upon it, which was nothing more than the

desiccated meat and bones of an antelope. The aged man then took from

his pouch a fetich of the cougar, about 3 inches long, and touching

it to the meat of the antelope many times prayed most earnestly for

several minutes. His prayers were addressed to the cougar, thanking him

for his goodness in sending his children over the land that the Sia

might secure them as payment to the cloud people for watering the earth.

In the next house visited the meat of the antelope was spread upon

a bear’s skin, the hair down. The skin of the antelope was folded

lengthwise and laid by the side of the meat, and the skull and antlers

placed at one end. The wife of the hunter laid over the skull many

strings of coral, ko´haqua, and turkis beads, and afterwards spread a

white embroidered Tusayan blanket over the carcass. A small bowl of

sacred meal was deposited in front of the head. The aged ho´naaite

repeated a prayer similar to the one he offered in the first house,

not omitting placing the fetich to the antelope; he then clasped his

hands four times over the skull of the antelope and drew a breath,

after which the hunter lighted a cigarette for the ho´naaite who blew

the first whiff over the antelope and extended the cigarette toward it.

The ho´naaite repeated the prayer in the houses of the four successful

hunters. The other two men were not overlooked, as he embraced them and

repeated a prayer of thanksgiving for their safe return.[23] The war

chief visited all of the houses, but did nothing more than sprinkle the

antelope with corn pollen, drawing in a sacred breath from the game,

puffing the first whiff of his cigarette over it and extending the

cigarette toward it.

When the game is shot, the hunter dips his fetich into the blood,

telling it to drink. The blood is often scraped from fetiches and

drunk in a little water to insure greater success in the hunt. There

are specimens of such fetiches in Mr. Stevenson’s collection in the

National Museum. Some students, through their imperfect knowledge,

have been led into the error of supposing from their new appearance

that these fetiches were of recent manufacture. The game is kept in

the houses of the hunters until the following morning, when it is

taken to the ceremonial house of the ti´ämoni, the war chief deciding

what day it shall be distributed among the ho´naaites of the several

cult societies. It may be one, two, or three days after the return

of the hunters. At the appointed time the ho´naaites assemble in the

ceremonial house of the ti´ämoni, who divides the game, each ho´naaite

carrying his portion to his ceremonial chamber. About noon of the same

day the members of the cult societies assemble in their respective

ceremonial chambers and prepare hä´chamoni; at the same time, if the

society has any female members, they place the game in a pot and cook

it in the fireplace in the ceremonial chamber, but if there be no

female members certain male members are designated for this purpose.

Toward evening the slat altars are erected, and the night is spent in

songs and supplications to the cloud people to gather and water the

earth. Hä´chamoni and the game are deposited before sunrise at four

shrines—to the cougar of the north, the west, the south, and the east,

that they will intercede for the cloud people to gather and water the

earth. Hä´chamoni are also deposited to the sun father that he will

invoke the cloud people to water the earth, and also that he will

embrace the earth that the crops may grow. Others are deposited in the

fields as payment to the cloud people for the services requested of

them.

[Illustration: Bureau of Ethnology. Eleventh Annual Report PLate XXXII

GAST LITH. CO. N.Y.

SIA MASKS.]

SOCIETY OF WARRIORS.

The Society of Warriors and the Knife Society have a ceremonial chamber

in common; and in a certain sense these societies are closely allied,

the former having had originally as its presiding officers Ma´asewe

and U´yuuyewĕ, the twin children of the sun, the latter society having

derived its name from the arrows which were given by the sun father

to the invulnerable twins, and with which they destroyed the enemies

of the earth. Each of these societies, therefore, has a share in the

initiation of a victor.

The killing of an enemy is not sufficient to admit a man into the

Society of Warriors; he must return with such trophies as the scalp

and buckskin apparel. The victor carries the scalp on an arrow until

he draws near to the village, when he transfers it to a pole some 5

feet in length, the pole being held with both hands. The victor’s

approach is heralded, and if it be after the sun has eaten his midday

meal he must not enter the village, but remain near it until morning,

food being carried to him by the war chief. In the morning the Society

of the Knife, followed by the Warriors and the male populace of the

town, join the victor. An extended prayer is offered by the ho´naaite

of the Knife Society, and then, addressing the spirit of the enemy, he

says: “You are now no longer our enemy; your scalp is here; you will no

more destroy my people.” The ho´naaite of the Warriors and his vicar

respond, “So! So!” The air is resonant the remainder of the day with

the war song, there being occasional intermissions for prayers; and at

sundown the ho´naaite of the Warriors and his vicar, with the victor,

bearing the pole and scalp between them, lead the way to the village,

followed by the members of the society, and then the Knife Society,

led by its ho´naaite and his vicar. After encircling the village from

right to left, the party enters the ceremonial chamber, when the scalp

is deposited before the meal painting, the ho´naaite of the Knife

Society having prepared the painting and arranged the fetiches about

it in the morning before going to meet the victor. The two large stone

images of Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewĕ, which are brought out only upon the

initiation of a victor into the Society of Warriors, are kept in a room

exclusively their own; these particular fetiches of the war heroes are

never looked upon by women, consequently they have remained undisturbed

in their abiding place a number of years, the exception being when all

the fetiches and paraphernalia of the cult of the Sia were displayed in

1887 for Mr. Stevenson’s and the writer’s inspection. The members of

the Knife Society sit on the west side of the room and the Warriors on

the east side, the ho´naaites of the societies sitting at the north end

of either line, each ho´naaite having his vicar by his side, and the

victor by the side of the vicar of the Warriors; he does not join in

the song, but sits perfectly still. At sunrise the scalp is washed in

yucca suds and cold water by each member of the Knife Society, and the

victor’s hands are then bathed for the first time since the scalping,

and he proceeds to paint his body. The face and lower portion of the

legs are colored red and the remainder black, and galena is then spread

over the greater portion of the face. The Knife Society wears white

cotton embroidered Tusayan kilts and moccasins, and the Warriors wear

kilts of unornamented buckskin, excepting the fringes at the bottom and

the pouch made from the buckskin apparel captured from the enemy. The

victor wears the buckskin kilt, moccasins, and pouch, and he carries a

bow and arrows in his left hand, and the pole with the scalp attached

to it in the right. Each member of the society also carries a bow and

arrows in the left hand and a single arrow in the right. The members of

the Knife Society have gourd rattles in their right hands and bows and

arrows in the left. The hair of all is left flowing.

An arrow point is placed in the mouth of the victor by the ho´naaite of

the Knife Society, and they all then proceed to the plaza, the members

of each society forming in a line and the victor dancing to and fro

between the lines, raising the scalp as high as the pole will reach,

but he does not sing or speak a word. The numbers in the lines are

increased by the men of the village carrying war clubs and firearms,

keeping up a continual volley with their pistols and guns until

the close of the dance at sundown. The women are not debarred from

exhibiting their enthusiasm, and they join in the dance.

Upon their return to the ceremonial chamber the scalp is again

deposited before the meal painting and the ho´naaite of the Knife

Society proceeds with the final epic ritual which completes the

initiation of the victor into the Society of Warriors, closing with

these words: “You are now a member of the Society of Warriors,” and he

then removes the arrow point from the victor’s mouth. The members, in

conjunction with the victor, respond “Yes! Yes!”

[Illustration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY ELEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXXIII

PRAYER TO THE RISING SUN.]

The cotton shirt and trousers are then donned and the scalp is carried

to the scalp-house (a cavity in the earth covered with a mound of

stone) and deposited with food for the spirit of the departed enemy.

Again returning to the ceremonial chamber, fast is broken for the

first time during the day, when a feast, which is served by the

female relatives of the victor, is enjoyed. After the meal they go to

the river and remove all evidences of the paint upon their bodies.

Continency is observed four days.

The few songs of the cult which the writer was able to collect are

direct invocations for rain, or for the presence of zoomorphic beings

in ceremonials for healing the sick, a few words sufficing for many

unexpressed ideas. The epic ritual of the Sia is so elaborate that

much time and careful instruction are required to impress it upon the

mind, and the younger men either have not the mind necessary for the

retention of the ritual or will not tax their memories; therefore the

web of Sia myth and religion is woven into the minds of but few.

The aged theurgists were eager to intrust to the writer the keeping of

their songs, which are an elaborate record of the lives of their mythic

heroes and of the Sia themselves.

The Sia sometimes adopt the poet’s license in their songs and alter a

word; for example, the name for “badger” is tuo´pi, but is changed in

the sko´yo song for rain to tupi´na, because, they say, the latter word

renders the stanza more rhythmical. And, again, different words are

synonymously used.

The hĭs´tiän and quer´ränna have each a similar song of petition for

rain, this song having been given to the hĭs´tiän by the sun. It will

be remembered that the name of this society indicates the knives or

arrows of lightning given to the heroes by their sun father.

SONGS.

A RAIN SONG OF THE SHU´-WI CHAI´ÄN (SNAKE SOCIETY).

1. Hĕn´-na-ti 2. Hĕn´-na-ti shi´-wan-na

He´-äsh He´-äsh shi-wan-na

Pûr´-tu-wĭsh-ta Pûr´-tu-wĭsh-ta shi-wan-na

Kŏw-mots Kŏw-mots shi´-wan-na

Kash´-ti-arts Kash´-ti-arts shi´-wan-na

Ka´-chard Ka´-chard shi´-wan-na

(1) _Translation_:—Hĕnnati, white floating masks, behind which the

cloud people pass about over ti´ni´a for recreation; He´äsh, masks like

the plains, behind which the cloud people pass over ti´ni´a to water

the earth; Pûrtuwĭshta, lightning people; Kŏwmots, thunder people;

Kashtiarts, rainbow people; Ka´chard, rain, the word being used in this

instance, however, as an emphatic invocation to the rulers of the cloud

people.

(2) Shi´wanna, people.

_Free translation_:—An appeal to the priests of ti´nia. Let the white

floating clouds—the clouds like the plains—the lightning, thunder,

rainbow, and cloud peoples, water the earth. Let the people of the

white floating clouds—the people of the clouds like the plains—the

lightning, thunder, rainbow and cloud peoples—come and work for us, and

water the earth.

3. Sha´-ka-ka 4. Sha´-ka-ka shi´-wan-na

Shwi´-ti-ra-wa-na Shwi´-ti-ra-wa-na shi´-wan-na

Mai´-chi-na Mai´-chi-na shi´-wan-na

Shwi´-si-ni-ha-na-we Shwi´-si-ni-ha-na-we shi´-wan-na

Marsh´-ti-tä-mo Marsh’ ti-tä-mo shi’-wan-na

Mor´-ri-tä-mo Mor´-ri-tä-mo shi´-wan-na

_Translation_:—Sha´kaka, spruce of the north; Shwi´tirawana, pine of

the west. Mai´china, oak of the south. Shwi´sinihanawe, aspen of the

east. Marsh´titämo, cedar of the zenith; Mor´ritämo, oak of the nadir.

(2) Shi´wanna, people.

_Free translation_:—Cloud priest who ascends to ti´nia through the

heart of the spruce of the north; cloud priest who ascends to ti´nia

through the heart of the pine of the west; cloud priest who ascends

to ti´nia through the heart of the oak of the south; cloud priest who

ascends to ti´nia through the heart of the aspen of the east; cloud

priest who ascends to ti´nia through the heart of the cedar of the

zenith; cloud priest who ascends to ti´nia, through the heart of the

oak of the nadir; send your people to work for us, that the waters of

the six great springs may impregnate our mother, the earth, that she

may give to us the fruits of her being.

Though the trees of the cardinal points are addressed, the supplication

is understood to be made to priestly rulers of the cloud peoples of the

cardinal points.

5. Hĕn´-na-ti ka´-shi-wan-na

He´-äsh ka´shi-wan-na

Pûr´-tu-wĭsh-ta ka´shi-wan-na

Kŏw-mots ka´shi-wan-na

Kash-ti-arts ka´shi-wan-na

Ka´chard ka´shi-wan-na

ka´shi-wan-na (all people).

_Free translation_:—All the white floating clouds—all the clouds like

the plains—all the lightning, thunder, rainbow and cloud peoples, come

and work for us.

6. Sha´-ka-ka ka´-shi-wan-na

hwi´-ti-ra-wa-na ka´-shi-wan-na

Mai´-chi-na ka´-shi-wan-na

Shwi´-si-ni-ha-na-we ka´-shi-wan-na

Marsh´-ti-tä-mo ka´-shi-wan-na

Mor´-ri-tä-mo ka´-shi-wan-na

_Free translation_:—

Priest of the spruce of the north, send all your people to work for

us;

Priest of the pine of the west, send all your people to work for us;

Priest of the oak of the south, send all your people to work for us;

Priest of the aspen of the east, send all your people to work for us;

Priest of the cedar of the zenith, send all your people to work for

us;

Priest of the oak of the nadir, send all your people to work for us.

7. Hĕn´-na-ti ho´-chän-ni

He´-äsh ho´-chän-ni

Pûr-tu-wĭsh-ta ho´-chän-ni

Kŏw´-mots ho´-chän-ni

Kash´-ti-arts ho´-chän-ni

Ka´-chard ho´-chän-ni

_Translation_:—Ho´chänni, arch ruler of the cloud priests of the world.

_Free translation_:—

Ho´chänni of the white floating clouds of the world;

Ho´chänni of the clouds like the plains of the world (referring to the

cloud people behind their masks);

Ho´chänni of the lightning peoples of the world;

Ho´chänni of the thunder peoples of the world;

Ho´chänni of the rainbow peoples of the world;

Ho´chänni of the cloud peoples of the world—send all your peoples to

work for us.

8. Sha-´ka-ka ho´-chän-ni

Shwi´ti-ra-wa-na ho´-chän-ni

Mai´-chi-na ho´-chän-ni

Shwi´si-ni-ha-na-we ho´-chän-ni

Marsh´-ti-tä-mo ho´-chän-ni

Mor´-ri-tä-mo ho´-chän-ni

_Free translation_:—

Ho´chänni of the spruce of the north;

Ho´chänni of the pine of the west;

Ho´chänni of the oak of the south;

Ho´chänni of the aspen of the east;

Ho´chänni of the cedar of the zenith;

Ho´chänni of the oak of the nadir; send all your peoples to work

for us, that the waters of the six great springs of the world may

impregnate our mother the earth, that she may give to us the

fruits of her being.

A SONG OF THE SHU´WI CHAI´ÄN (SNAKE SOCIETY) FOR HEALING THE SICK.

1. Ska´-to-we chai´-än Quĭs´-sĕr-a chai´-än

Ka´-span-na chai´-än Hu´-wa-ka-chai´-än

Ko´-quai-ra chai’-än Ya´-ai chai´-än

_Translation_:—Snake Society of the north, Snake Society of the west,

Snake Society of the south, Snake Society of the east, Snake Society of

the zenith, Snake Society of the nadir, come here and work with us.

2. Ho´-na-ai-te Ska´-to-we chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ka´-span-na chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ko´-quai-ra chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Quĭs´-sĕr-a chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Hu´-wa-ka chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ya´-ai chai´-än

An appeal to the ho´-naaites of the snake societies of the cardinal

points to be present and work for the curing of the sick.

3. Mo´-kaite chai´-än Ka´-kan chai´-än

Ko´-hai chai´-än Tiä´-mi chai´-än

Tu-o´-pi chai´-än Mai´tu-bo chai´-än.

An appeal to the animals of the cardinal points to be present at the

ceremonial of healing.

4. Ho´-na-ai-te Mo´-kaite chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ko´-hai chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Tu-o´-pi chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ka´-kan chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Ti-ä´-mi chai´-än

Ho´-na-ai-te Mai´-tu-bo chai´-än

An appeal to the ho´naaites of the animal societies of the cardinal

points to be present at the ceremonial.

A RAIN SONG OF THE SKO´YO CHAI´ÄN (GIANT SOCIETY).

1. Cher-ĕs ti mu ko wai´ yä tu ai´ ya mi wa wa Ĭsh to wa

Middle of the door of my medicine is Arrow of

world below shi´pa-po precious, it is lightning

as my heart

tiᵗkä ᵗsi mai ah kosh´ te än

come to us echo

2. Kai´ nu a we eh sha ka ka ka´ shi wan na ti ka´ ru ᵗsin i ah

Who is it “spruce of all your people your thoughts

north”

3. Kai´ nu ah we he hĕn´ na ti ka´ ru ᵗsin i ah

Who is it “white floating your thoughts

clouds”

ti´ kä ᵗsi mai ah ka´ shi wan na ti ka´ ru ᵗsin i ah

come to us all your people your thoughts

ti´ kä ᵗsi mai ah

come to us

4. Kai´ nu ah we eh he´äsh shi ᵗsi ka´ru ᵗsin i ah

Who is it “clouds like the your thoughts

plains”

ti´ kä ᵗsi mai ah

come to us

5. Kai´ nu ah we he ĭsh to wa ka´ru ᵗsin i ah

Who is it “arrow of your thoughts

lightning”

ti´ kä ᵗsi mai ah

come to me

6. Kai´ nu ah we eh ha´ a ᵗsi ᵗsi´ at ᵗsi n̄i ka´ shi wan na ti

Who is it “earth horizon” all your people

ka´ ru ᵗsin i ah ti´ kä ᵗsi mai ah

your thought come to us

_Free translation_:—We, the ancient ones, ascended from the middle of

the world below, through the door of the entrance to the lower world,

we hold our songs to the cloud, lightning, and thunder peoples as we

hold our own hearts; our medicine is precious. (Addressing the people

of ti´nia:) We entreat you to send your thoughts to us that we may sing

your songs straight, so that they will pass over the straight road to

the cloud priests that they may cover the earth with water, so that she

may bear all that is good for us.

Lightning people, send your arrows to the middle of the earth, hear the

echo (meaning that the thunder people are flapping their wings among

the cloud and lightning peoples). Who is it (the singers pointing to

the north)? The people of the spruce of the north. All your people

and your thoughts come to us. Who is it? People of the white floating

clouds. Your thoughts come to us, all your people and your thoughts

come to us. Who is it (pointing above)? People of the clouds like the

plains. Your thought comes to us. Who is it? The lightning people. Your

thoughts come to us. Who is it? Cloud people at the horizon. All your

people and your thoughts come to us.

A SONG OF THE SKO´YO CHAI´ÄN (GIANT SOCIETY) FOR HEALING THE SICK.

Ah´...ha...ha...wa´-mi

Sand painting

1. Kai´-nu-a...we...eh mo´kai-ra ho´-na-wa-ai-te

Who is it cougar theurgist

nu-ro-wa-ah ka´-ᵗsi-ma-ah