STEVENSON] FLIGHT AND EETURN OF THE a'sHIWI 61 



Flight of the A'shiwi to To'wa tal'lanne and their Return 



TO the Valley 



The A'shiwi were not destined to remain undisturbed. The}- were 

 compelled by a great flood to seek refuge on a mesa near by, which 

 the}" named To'wa yal'lanne (plate xi) from the quantity' of corn thej^ 

 carried from the lowlands to the mesa, the corn occupying much room 

 in their houses. During the stay of the A'shiwi on the mesa a cave 

 in the southwest wall of To'wa A'aFlanne took the place of He'patinain 

 S3mibolizing the Middle of the world. The Zuiiis claim that many 

 sacred objects were secreted in this cave during the Spanish conquest 

 (see A plate l). 



Though this table-land stands hundreds of feet above the valley the 

 waters rose nearh' to the summit and caused consternation among the 

 A'shiwi, who feared that the flood would sweep them from the face of 

 the earth. It was finall}^ decided that human sacrifice was necessary 

 to appease the angry waters. Consequently a son and a daughter of 

 the Kia'kwemosi " were dressed in their most beautiful clothes, adorned 

 with many precious beads, and then cast into the great sea. The 

 waters iramediateh" began to recede, and the youth and maiden were 

 converted into stone. This columnar rock, known as the "Mother 

 rock," stands for all time as a monument of the peril from which the 

 A'shiwi were happily delivered (plate xii). 



The A'shiwi were glad to descend to the valley, for their trials were 

 great when living on the mesa and the maidens had grown weaiy 

 carrying water up the steep acclivity. They rebuilt Ma"sakia, 

 Hill'ona, or I'tiwanna, and a number of other villages. The most 

 easterly was Kia'kiima, and Ha'wiku was the most westerh^, Ma'*sakia 

 being the center of priestl}" power. But now their peace was disturbed 

 by the Navahos and Apaches, who made repeated attacks, plundering 

 and killing many of their people. Thrilling stories are told by the 

 present Zunis of attacks of the Navahos upon their ancestors, and how 

 the women and children were brutally murdered during the absence 

 of the men from their homes. But the Navahos did not alwa3^s get 

 the better of the community dwellers. The Zunis relate one instance 

 when their people let it be known that they were to have a great dance 

 in the si'aa' te'wita, and so induced man}' of the enemy, who were ever 

 ready to observe the ceremonials of the A'shiwi, to be present. The 

 plaza Avas crowded with the Navahos, when, at a signal from one of 

 the A'shiwi, war clubs did lively work, almost every Navaho present 

 being clubbed to death. 



"See A'shhvanni (Rain priesthood). 



