626 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



[eTH. ANN. 47 



45 To where the road of our sun father 

 goes 



May our roads reach; 



May our roads be fulfilled; 



May we grow old; 

 50 May we be blessed with life. 



45 yam ya'toka ta'tcu 



an o'nan-e 



o'nealan te"tcina 



hon a-'wona ya''tu 



hon a-'lacitu 

 50 hon te'£dhanan va'niktcia'tu. 



A Monthly Offering of Prayer Sticks 



At each fidl moon (in some societies at the new moon) each member 

 of a society offers prayer sticks. In addition to special offerings pre- 

 scribed by the society there are two to four short black sticks for the 

 ancestors and, for males, one similar black stick, with the addition of 

 a duck feather, for the katcinas. The sticks are buried in the corn- 

 field or at Red Earth, a point on the river bank east of the town. 

 The prayer sticks are deposited with the following prayer, which was 

 secured from one of the headmen of the Wood Society. 



This many are the days 



Since our moon mother, 



Yonder in the west 



Appeared still small. 



When she became fully grown 



Seeking yonder along the river courses 



The ones who are our fatliers, 



Male willow, 



Female willow, 



Four times cutting the straight young 



shoots. 

 To my house 

 I brought my road. 

 This day. 



With my warm human hands 

 I took hold of them. 

 I gave my plume wands human form. 

 With the striped cloud tail 

 Of the one who is my grandfather, 

 The male turkey, 

 With eagle's thin cloud tail, 

 With the striped cloud wings 

 And massed cloud tails 

 Of aU the birds of summer, 

 With these four times I gave my phmie 



wands human form. 

 With the flesh of the one who is my 



mother. 

 Cotton woman. 



Even a poorly made cotton thread, 

 Four times encircling them and tying 



it about their bodies, 

 I gave the plume wands human form. 

 With the flesh of the one who is our 



mother. 



Black paint woman, 



Four times covering them with flesh, 



I gave my plume wands human form. 



In a short time the plume wands were 

 ready. 



Taking the plume wands, 



I made my road go forth. 



Yonder with prayers 



We took our road. 



Thinking, " Let it be here," 



Our earth mother 



We passed upon her road. 



Our fathers, 



There on your earth mother, 



There wliere you are waiting your 

 plume wands 



We have passed you on your roads. 



There where you are all gathered to- 

 gether in beauty 



Now that you are to receive your plume 

 wands. 



You are gathered together. 



This day I give you plume wands. 



By means of your supernatural wisdom 



You will clothe yourself with the jjlume 



wands. 

 Wherever you abide permanently. 

 At the place of the first beginning, 

 Touching one another with your plume 



wands, 

 You will bend down to talk together. 

 From where you abide permanently, 

 Your little wind-blown cloud, 



