70 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Sulia of the Salitrli : A fetish, he says, is an object of religious vener ,tion 

 wherein the material thing and the spirit witliin it are regarded as one, 

 the two being inseparable. And for the matter of that so also is that 

 given by Dr. Tylor. " Fetishism," he writes, is " the doctrine of 

 spirits embodied in, or attached to, or conveying influence throngh cer- 

 tain material objects."^ Indeed, if one sought to give a definiti'On of the 

 Sulia of the Salish, or the " waqube " of the Omaha and Ponka, it would 

 be impoissible to find a more exact definition than tliis of Dr. Tylor. 

 The only difference between the African fetish and the Sulia of the 

 Salish, perceivable to tihe obiserver, is the manner in which they are 

 severally acquired. Chance seems to be the chief factor in determin- 

 ing the acquisition of the African fetish, whereas amiong the Salish, 

 dreams or visions are the usual siource of their Sulia. This is also 

 the manner of acquisition in several other North American tribes. 

 But if the subject be regarded from a world-wide point of view we shall 

 find that the totem or fetish is acquired in a variety of ways and that 

 of these accidental coincidence deitermines a very large proportion. 

 x\mong North American savages the dream or vision is the usual way, 

 but not exclusively so, Toteims are also frequently acquired, by their 

 owners by direct and personal contact with the object when out hunting 

 ox .fishing. The origin of many of the clan totems of the North-west 

 Coast tribes are accounted for in this way. Some American tribes 

 chose their personal totems by a method of divination. The fetishes 

 of the Zuiiis, which take the place of the Sulia of the Salish, are 

 chiefly stone objects, and as the tutelary deities of the Zunis are mostly 

 animals, these stone objects are the representations of them. The 

 most highly-prized of them " are natural conicretions in which the evi- 

 dent original resemblance to animals has been heightened by artificial 

 means." All these fetishes are supposed to be either actual petrifac- 

 tion of the animals they represent or were such originally. The Zunis 

 say concerning them : " 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 

 in the days of the new. For the spirits of the Wa-ma-à-hâ-i still live, 

 and are pleased to receive from us the Sacred Plume (of the heart — 

 La-sho-a-ni), and sacred necklace of treasure (thlâ-'thle-a) ;, hence they 

 turn their ears and the ears of their brothers in our direction that they 

 may hearken to our prayers (siacred talks) and know our wants." - 

 They are supposed to have originated in the following manner. In 

 " the days of the new " the Sun-Father created from his O'wn being 



^ " Primitive Culture " II, p. 132. 



'^ Zuni Fetichesi. Second Annual Rep. Bur. Am-er. Eth., p. 15. 



