Zuni Fetiches
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Frank Hamilton Cushing >> Zuni Fetiches
Transcriber's Note:
[n,] represents a small eng.
[N,] represents a capital eng.
['n] represents a small n with a superior acute.
[oe] represents an oe ligature.
['] represents a prime.
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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.
ZUNI FETICHES.
BY
FRANK HAMILTON CUSHING.
CONTENTS.
Zuni philosophy 9
Worship of animals 11
Origin of Zuni Fetichism 12
The Zuni Iliad 12
The Drying of the World 13
Power of the Fetiches 15
Prey Gods of the Six Regions 16
Their origin 16
Po-shai-a[n,]-k'ia 16
Their power as mediators 18
Mi-tsi 18
Their worship 19
Prey Gods of the Hunt 20
Their relation to the others 20
Their origin 20
The distribution of the animals 21
Their varieties 24
The Mountain Lion--Hunter God of the North 25
The Coyote--Hunter God of the West 26
The Wild Cat--Hunter God of the South 27
The Wolf--Hunter God of the East 28
The Eagle--Hunter God of the Upper Regions 29
The Mole--Hunter God of the Lower Regions 30
The Ground Owl and the Falcon 30
Their relative values 30
Their custodian 31
The rites of their worship 32
The Day of the Council of the Fetiches 32
Ceremonials of the hunt 33
Their power 39
Prey Gods of the Priesthood of the Bow 40
The Knife-Feathered Monster, the Mountain Lion,
and the Great White Bear 40
Their resemblance to the Prey Gods of the Hunt 41
The rites of their worship 41
Other Fetiches 44
Fetiches of Navajo origin 44
The pony 44
The sheep 44
Amulets and charms 44
ILLUSTRATIONS
Plate I.--Prey God fetiches 12
II.--Prey God fetiches of the Six Regions 16
III.--Prey God fetiches of the hunt 20
IV.--Mountain Lion fetiches of the chase 24
V.--Coyote fetiches of the chase 26
VI.--Wild Cat fetiches of the chase 27
VII.--Wolf fetiches of the chase 28
VIII.--Eagle fetiches of the chase 29
IX.--Mole and Ground Owl fetiches 30
X.--Shield and fetich of the Priesthood of the Bow 40
XI.--Shield and fetich of the Priesthood of the Bow 40
Fig 1.--Concretion 45
2.--Mineral fetich 45
3.--Fossil fetich 56
ZUNI FETICHES.
BY FRANK H. CUSHING.
ZUNI PHILOSOPHY.
The A-shi-wi, or Zunis, suppose the sun, moon, and stars, the sky,
earth, and sea, in all their phenomena and elements; and all inanimate
objects, as well as plants, animals, and men, to belong to one great
system of all-conscious and interrelated life, in which the degrees of
relationship seem to be determined largely, if not wholly, by the
degrees of resemblance. In this system of life the starting point is
man, the most finished, yet the lowest organism; at least, the lowest
because most dependent and least mysterious. In just so far as an
organism, actual or imaginary, resembles his, is it believed to be
related to him and correspondingly mortal; in just so far as it is
mysterious, is it considered removed from him, further advanced,
powerful, and immortal. It thus happens that the animals, because alike
mortal and endowed with similar physical functions and organs, are
considered more nearly related to man than are the gods; more nearly
related to the gods than is man, because more mysterious, and
characterized by specific instincts and powers which man does not of
himself possess. Again, the elements and phenomena of nature, because
more mysterious, powerful and immortal, seem more closely related to the
higher gods than are the animals; more closely related to the animals
than are the higher gods, because their manifestations often resemble
the operations of the former.
In consequence of this, and through the confusion of the subjective
with the objective, any element or phenomenon in nature, which is
believed to possess a personal existence, is endowed with a personality
analogous to that of the animal whose operations most resemble its
manifestation. For instance, lightning is often given the form of a
serpent, with or without an arrow-pointed tongue, because its course
through the sky is serpentine, its stroke instantaneous and destructive;
yet it is named Wi-lo-lo-a-ne, a word derived not from the name of the
serpent itself, but from that of its most obvious trait, its gliding,
zigzag motion. For this reason, the serpent is supposed to be more
nearly related to lightning than to man; more nearly related to man than
is lightning, because mortal and less mysterious. As further
illustrative of the interminable relationships which are established on
resemblances fancied or actual, the flint arrow-point may be cited.
Although fashioned by man, it is regarded as originally the gift or
"flesh" of lightning, as made by the power of lightning, and rendered
more effective by these connections with the dread element; pursuant of
which idea, the zigzag or lightning marks are added to the shafts of
arrows. A chapter might be written concerning this idea, which may
possibly help to explain the Celtic, Scandinavian, and Japanese beliefs
concerning "elf-shafts," and "thunder-stones," and "bolts."
In like manner, the supernatural beings of man's fancy--the "master
existences"--are supposed to be more nearly related to the personalities
with which the elements and phenomena of nature are endowed than to
either animals or men; because, like those elements and phenomena, and
unlike men and animals, they are connected with remote tradition in a
manner identical with their supposed existence to-day, and therefore are
considered immortal.
To the above descriptions of the supernatural beings of Zuni Theology
should be added the statement that all of these beings are given the
forms either of animals, of monsters compounded of man and beast, or of
man. The animal gods comprise by far the largest class.
In the Zuni, no general name is equivalent to "the gods," unless it be
the two expressions which relate only to the higher or creating and
controlling beings--the "causes," Creators and Masters,
"Pi-kwain=a-ha-i" (Surpassing Beings), and "A-tae-tchu" (All-fathers),
the beings superior to all others in wonder and power, and the "Makers"
as well as the "Finishers" of existence. These last are classed with the
supernatural beings, personalities of nature, object beings, etc., under
one term--
_a._ I-shothl-ti-mon=a-ha-i, from _i-shothl-ti-mo-na_=ever recurring,
immortal, and _a-ha-i_=beings.
Likewise, the animals and animal gods, and sometimes even the
supernatural beings, having animal or combined animal and human
personalities, are designated by one term only--
_b._ K'ia-pin=a-ha-i, from _k'ia-pin-na_=raw, and _a-ha-i_=beings. Of
these, however, three divisions are made:
(1.) K'ia-pin-a-ha-i=game animals, specifically applied to those animals
furnishing flesh to man.
(2.) K'iae-shem-a-ha-i, from _k'iae-we_=water, _she-man_=wanting, and
_a-ha-i_=beings, the water animals, specially applied not only to them,
but also to all animals and animal gods supposed to be associated
sacredly with water, and through which water is supplicated.
(3.) We-ma-a-ha-i, from _we-ma_=prey, and _a-ha-i_=beings, "Prey
Beings," applied alike to the prey animals and their representatives
among the gods. Finally we have the terms--
_c._ Ak-na=a-ha-i, from _ak-na_=done, cooked, or baked, ripe, and
_a-ha-i_=beings, the "Done Beings," referring to mankind; and
_d_. Aesh-i-k'ia=a-ha-i, from _ae[']sh-k'ia_=made, finished, and
_a-ha-i_=beings, "Finished Beings," including the dead of mankind.
That very little distinction is made between these orders of life, or
that they are at least closely related, seems to be indicated by the
absence from the entire language of any general term for _God_. True,
there are many beings in Zuni Mythology godlike in attributes,
anthropomorphic, monstrous, and elemental, which are known as the
"Finishers or makers of the paths of life," while the most superior of
all is called the "Holder of the paths (of our lives)," Ha[']-no-o-na
wi-la-po-na. Not only these gods, but all supernatural beings, men,
animals, plants, and many objects in nature, are regarded as personal
existences, and are included in the one term _a-ha-i_, from _a_, the
plural particle signifying "all," and _ha-i_, being or life,="Life,"
"the Beings." This again leads us to the important and interesting
conclusion that all beings, whether deistic and supernatural, or
animistic and mortal, are regarded as belonging to one system; and that
they are likewise believed to be related by blood seems to be indicated
by the fact that human beings are spoken of as the "children of men,"
while _all_ other beings are referred to as "the Fathers," the
"All-fathers," and "Our Fathers."
THE WORSHIP OF ANIMALS.
It naturally follows from the Zuni's philosophy of life, that his
worship, while directed to the more mysterious and remote powers of
nature, or, as he regards them, existences, should relate more
especially to the animals; that, in fact, the animals, as more nearly
related to himself than are these existences, more nearly related to
these existences than to himself, should be frequently made to serve as
mediators between them and him. We find this to be the case. It follows
likewise that in his inability to differentiate the objective from the
subjective, he should establish relationships between natural objects
which resemble animals and the animals themselves; that he should even
ultimately imitate these animals for the sake of establishing such
relationships, using such accidental resemblances as his _motives_, and
thus developing a conventionality in all art connected with his worship.
It follows that the special requirements of his life or of the life of
his ancestors should influence him to select as his favored mediators or
aids those animals which seemed best fitted, through peculiar
characteristics and powers, to meet these requirements. This, too, we
find to be the case, for, preeminently a man of war and the chase, like
all savages, the Zuni has chosen above all other animals those which
supply him with food and useful material, together with the animals
which prey on them, giving preference to the latter. Hence, while the
name of the former class is applied preferably as a _general_ term to
all animals and animal gods, as previously explained, the name of the
latter is used with equal preference as a term for all fetiches
(We-ma-we), whether of the prey animals themselves or of other animals
and beings. Of course it is equally natural, since they are connected
with man both in the scale of being and in the power to supply his
physical wants more nearly than are the higher gods, that the animals or
animal gods should greatly outnumber and even give character to all
others. We find that the Fetiches of the Zunis relate mostly to the
animal gods, and principally to the prey gods.
ORIGIN OF ZUNI FETICHISM.
This fetichism seems to have arisen from the relationships heretofore
alluded to, and to be founded on the myths which have been invented to
account for those relationships. It is therefore not surprising that
those fetiches most valued by the Zunis should be either natural
concretions (Plate I, Fig. 6), or objects in which the evident original
resemblance to animals has been only heightened by artificial means
(Plate IV, Fig. 7; Plate V, Fig. 4; Plate VI, Figs. 3,6, 8; Plate VIII,
Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5; Plate IX, Fig. 1).
Another highly prized class of fetiches are, on the contrary, those
which are elaborately carved, but show evidence, in their polish and
dark patina, of great antiquity. They are either such as have been found
by the Zunis about pueblos formerly inhabited by their ancestors or are
tribal possessions which have been handed down from generation to
generation, until their makers, and even the fact that they were made by
any member of the tribe, have been forgotten. It is supposed by the
priests (A-shi-wa-ni) of Zuni that not only these, but all true
fetiches, are either actual petrifactions of the animals they represent,
or were such originally. Upon this supposition is founded the following
tradition, taken, as are others to follow, from a remarkable mythologic
epic, which I have entitled the Zuni Iliad.
[Illustration: PREY GOD FETICHES.]
THE ZUNI ILIAD.
Although oral, this epic is of great length, metrical, rythmical even
in parts, and filled with archaic expressions nowhere to be found in the
modern Zuni. It is to be regretted that the original diction cannot here
be preserved. I have been unable, however, to record literally even
portions of this piece of aboriginal literature, as it is jealously
guarded by the priests, who are its keepers, and is publicly repeated by
them only once in four years, and then only in the presence of the
priests of the various orders. As a member of one of the latter, I was
enabled to listen to one-fourth of it during the last recitation,
which occurred in February, 1881. I therefore give mere abstracts,
mostly furnished from memory, and greatly condensed, but pronounced
correct, so far as they go, by one of the above-mentioned priests.
THE DRYING OF THE WORLD.
In the days when all was new, men lived in the four caverns of the lower
regions (A-wi-ten te-huthl-na-kwin=the "Four Wombs of the World"). In
the lowermost one of these men first came to know of their existence. It
was dark, and as men increased they began to crowd one another and were
very unhappy. Wise men came into existence among them, whose children
supplicated them that they should obtain deliverance from such a
condition of life.
It was then that the "Holder of the Paths of Life," the Sun-father,
created from his own being two children, who fell to earth for the good
of all beings (U-a-nam atch-pi-ah-k'oa). The Sun-father endowed these
children with immortal youth, with power even as his own power, and
created for them a bow (A-mi-to-lan-ne,=the Rain Bow) and an arrow
(Wi-lo-lo-a-ne,=Lightning). For them he made also a shield like unto his
own, of magic power, and a knife of flint, the great magic war knife
(Sa-wa-ni-k'ia ae[']-tchi-e-ne). The shield (Pi-al-lan-ne) was a mere
network of sacred cords (Pi-tsau-pi-wi,=cotton) on a hoop of wood, and
to the center of this net-shield was attached the magic knife.
These children cut the face of the world with their magic knife, and
were borne down upon their shield into the caverns in which all men
dwelt. There, as the leaders of men, they lived with their children,
mankind.
They listened to the supplications of the priests. They built a ladder
to the roof of the first cave and widened with their flint knife and
shield the aperture through which they had entered. Then they led men
forth into the second cavern, which was larger and not quite so dark.
Ere long men multiplied and bemoaned their condition as before. Again
they besought their priests, whose supplications were once more listened
to by the divine children. As before, they led all mankind into the
third world. Here it was still larger and like twilight, for the light
of the Sun himself sifted down through the opening. To these poor
creatures (children) of the dark the opening itself seemed a blazing
sun.
But as time went on men multiplied even as they had before, and at last,
as at first, bemoaned their condition. Again the two children listened
to their supplications, and it was then that the children of men first
saw the light of their father, the Sun.
The world had been covered with water. It was damp and unstable.
Earthquakes disturbed its surface. Strange beings rose up through it,
monsters and animals of prey. As upon an island in the middle of a great
water, the children of men were led forth into the light of their
father, the Sun. It blinded and heated them so that they cried to one
another in anguish, and fell down, and covered their eyes with their
bare hands and arms, for men were black then, like the caves they came
from, and naked, save for a covering at the loins of rush, like yucca
fiber, and sandals of the same, and their eyes, like the owl's, were
unused to the daylight.
Eastward the two children began to lead them, toward the Home of the
Sun-father.
Now, it happened that the two children, saw that the earth must be dried
and hardened, for wherever the foot touched the soil water gathered--as
may be seen even in the rocks to-day--and the monsters which rose forth
from the deep devoured the children of men. Therefore they consulted
together and sought the advice of their creator, the Sun-father. By his
directions, they placed their magic shield upon the wet earth. They drew
four lines a step apart upon the soft sands. Then the older brother said
to the younger, "Wilt thou, or shall I, take the lead?"
"I will take the lead," said the younger.
"Stand thou upon the last line," said the older.
And when they had laid upon the magic shield the rainbow, and across it
the arrows of lightning, toward all the quarters of the world, the
younger brother took his station facing toward the right. The older
brother took his station facing toward the left. When all was ready,
both braced themselves to run. The older brother drew his arrow to the
head, let fly, and struck the rainbow and the lightning arrows midway,
where they crossed. Instantly, _thlu-tchu!_ shot the arrows of lightning
in every direction, and fire rolled over the face of the earth, and the
two gods followed the courses of their arrows of lightning.
Now that the surface of the earth was hardened, even the animals of
prey, powerful and like the fathers (gods) themselves, would have
devoured the children of men; and the Two thought it was not well that
they should all be permitted to live, "for," said they, "alike will the
children of men and the children of the animals of prey multiply
themselves. The animals of prey are provided with talons and teeth; men
are but poor, the finished beings of earth, therefore the weaker."
Whenever they came across the pathway of one of these animals, were he
great mountain lion or but a mere mole, they struck him with the fire of
lightning which they carried in their magic shield. _Thlu!_ and
instantly he was shriveled and burnt into stone.
Then said they to the animals that they had thus changed to stone, "That
ye may not be evil unto men, but that ye may be a great good unto them,
have we changed you into rode everlasting. By the magic breath of prey,
by the heart that shall endure forever within you, shall ye be made to
serve instead of to devour mankind."
Thus was the surface of the earth hardened and scorched and many of all
kinds of beings changed to stone. Thus, too, it happens that we find,
here and there throughout the world, their forms, sometimes large like
the beings themselves, sometimes shriveled and distorted. And we often
see among the rocks the forms of many beings that live no longer, which
shows us that all was different in the "days of the new."
Of these petrifactions, which are of course mere concretions or
strangely eroded rock-forms, the Zunis say, "Whomsoever of us may be met
with the light of such great good fortune may _see_ (discover, find)
them and should treasure them for the sake of the sacred (magic) power
which was given them in the days of the new. For the spirits of the
We-ma-a-ha-i still live, and are pleased to receive from us the Sacred
Plume (of the heart--Lae-sho-a-ni), and sacred necklace of treasure
(Thla-thle-a); hence they turn their ears and the ears of their brothers
in our direction that they may hearken to our prayers (sacred talks) and
know our wants."
POWER OF THE FETICHES.
This tradition not only furnishes additional evidence relative to the
preceding statements, but also, taken in connection with the following
belief, shows quite clearly to the native wherein lies the power of his
fetiches. It is supposed that the hearts of the great animals of prey
are infused with a spirit or medicine of magic influence over the hearts
of the animals they prey upon, or the game animals (K'ia-pin-a-ha-i);
that their breaths (the "Breath of Life"--Ha-i-an-pi-nan-ne--and soul
are synonymous in Zuni Mythology), derived from their hearts, and
breathed upon their prey, whether near or far, never fail to overcome
them, piercing their hearts and causing their limbs to stiffen, and the
animals themselves to lose their strength. Moreover, the roar or cry of
a beast of prey is accounted its Sa-wa-ni-k'ia, or magic medicine of
destruction, which, heard by the game animals, is fatal to them, because
it charms their senses, as does the breath their hearts. Since the
mountain lion, for example, lives by the blood ("life fluid") and flesh
of the game animals, and by these alone, he is endowed not only with the
above powers, but with peculiar powers in the senses of sight and smell.
Moreover, these powers, as derived from his heart, are preserved in his
fetich, since his heart still lives, even though his person be changed
to stone.
PREY GODS OF THE SIX REGIONS.
THEIR ORIGIN.
Therefore it happens that the use of these fetiches is chiefly connected
with the chase. To this, however, there are some exceptions. One of
these may be partly explained by the following myth concerning
Po-shai-a[n,]-k'ia, the God (Father) of the Medicine societies or sacred
esoteric orders, of which there are twelve in Zuni, and others among the
different pueblo tribes. He is supposed to have appeared in human form,
poorly clad, and therefore reviled by men; to have taught the ancestors
of the Zuni, Taos, Oraibi, and Coconino Indians their agricultural and
other arts, their systems of worship by means of plumed and painted
prayer-sticks; to have organized their medicine societies; and then to
have disappeared toward his home in Shi-pae-pu-li-ma (from
_shi-pi-a_=mist, vapor; _u-lin_=surrounding; and _i-mo-na_=sitting place
of--"The mist-enveloped city"), and to have vanished beneath the world,
whence he is said to have departed for the home of the Sun. He is still
the conscious auditor of the prayers of his children, the invisible
ruler of the spiritual Shi-pae-pu-li-ma, and of the lesser gods of the
medicine orders, the principal "Finisher of the Paths of our Lives." He
is, so far as any identity can be established, the "Montezuma" of
popular and usually erroneous Mexican tradition.
PO-SHAI-A[N,]-K'IA.
In ancient times, while yet all beings belonged to one family,
Po-shai-a[n,]-k'ia, the father of our sacred bands, lived with his
children (disciples) in the City of the Mists, the middle place (center)
of the Medicine societies of the world. There he was guarded on all
sides by his six warriors, A-pi-thlan shi-wa-ni (_pi-thlan_=bow,
_shi-wa-ni_=priests), the prey gods; toward the North by the Mountain
Lion (Long Tail); toward the West by the Bear (Clumsy Foot); toward the
South by the Badger (Black Mark Face); toward the East by the Wolf (Hang
Tail); above by the Eagle (White Cap); and below by the Mole. When he
was about to go forth into the world, he divided the universe into six
regions, namely, the North (Pi[']sh-lan-kwin tah-na=Direction of the
Swept or Barren place); the West (K'iae[']-li-shi-in-kwin
tah-na=Direction of the Home of the Waters); the South (A-la-ho-in-kwin
tah-na=Direction of the Place of the Beautiful Bed); the East
(Te-lu-a-in-kwin tah-na=Direction of the Home of Day); the Upper Regions
(I-ya-ma-in-kwin tah-na=Direction of the Home of the High); and the
Lower Regions (Ma-ne-lam-in-kwin tah-na=Direction of the Home of the
Low)."
[Illustration: PREY GOD FETICHES OF THE SIX REGIONS.]
All, save the first of these terms, are archaic. The modern names for
the West, South, East, Upper and Lower Regions signifying
respectively--"The Place of Evening," "The Place of the Salt Lake" (Las
Salinas), "The Place whence comes the Day," "The Above," and "The
Below."