Category: History - Other

The Sia (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))

Theurgistic rites 73 Rain ceremonial of the Snake society 76 Rain ceremonial of the Giant society 91 Four-night ceremonial of the Giant society for the healing of a sick boy 97 Rain ceremonial of the Knife society 101 Society of the Quer´ränna 112 Rain ceremonial of the Quer´r...

Chapters

1. Part 1

Theurgistic rites 73 Rain ceremonial of the Snake society 76 Rain ceremonial of the Giant society 91 Four-night ceremonial of the Giant society for the healing of a sick boy 97...

2. Part 2

Thus the railroad, the merchant, and the cowboy, without this purpose in view, are effecting a change which is slowly closing, leaf by leaf, the record of the religious beliefs...

3. Part 3

Upon discovering the approach of the herdsmen and horses many of the women and children, too impatient to await the gathering of them in the corral, hasten to the valley to join...

4. Part 4

Sûs´sĭstinnako placed a huge reed upon the mesa top and said: “My people will pass up through this to the world above.” Ût´sĕt led the way, carrying a sack containing many of th...

5. Part 5

When the Sun ordered the door of the sweat-house opened he was surprised to find the children still alive. He then had them cast into another house, which was very large and fil...

6. Part 6

Ma´asewe then shot one of the arrows a great distance and it made much noise, and it was very beautiful and red. U´yuuyewĕ also shot one of his. “Younger brother,” said Ma´asewe...

7. Part 7

In playing the favorite game of Wash´kasi (Fig. 16), forty pebbles form a square, ten pebbles on a side, with a flat stone in the center of the square. Four flat sticks, painted...

8. Part 8

The spider is an important actor in Sia, Zuñi, and Tusayan mythology. Sia cosmogony tells us the spider was the primus, the creator of all. Sûs´sĭstinnako is referred to as a ma...

9. Part 9

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 a...

10. Part 10

Two women from the east end of the north line joined in the dance, and then a third woman from the south line; three of the women formed in line running north and south; an aged...

11. Part 11

The five ya´ya were placed in line in front of the altar and on the sand-painting, and a miniature bow and arrow were laid before four of them, the captive one having none. Bear...

12. Part 12

The ho´naaite then passing to the north side of the painting stooped with bended knees, holding in his left hand two eagle plumes, and repeated a low prayer; then, taking a smal...

13. Part 13

The men now indulged in a smoke. The writer never observed Sia boys smoking in these ceremonials or at any other time. The cigarettes were lighted from the long stick passed by...

14. Part 14

During the day hä´chmoni and plume offerings are prepared by the ho´naaite, and in the afternoon he arranges the altar, which is quite different from those of the other cult soc...

15. Part 15

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...

16. Part 16

_Free translation_:—White floating clouds. Clouds like the plains come and water the earth. Sun embrace the earth that she may be fruitful. Moon, lion of the north, bear of the...

17. Part 17

The cradle was brought forward by the grandfather, and the diminutive Navajo blanket spread over it. The tiny sheet was laid on the doctress’s lap under the child. The writer wa...

18. Part 18

One day a shurtsûnna (coyote) was passing about and saw a hare sitting before his house, and the coyote thought, “In a minute I will catch you,” and he sprang and caught the har...

19. Part 19

When the world was new the coyote was very industrious. He was always at work passing around the world everywhere. He was never lazy, but his thoughts were not good. He visited...