638 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



At the first sign of dawn Pa'utiwa dresses. When he is ready the 

 chief of the Great Fire Society kindles fire with the ancient drill 

 which Kwe'lele carries. As soon as the fire appears Kwe'lele lights 

 his torch. The fire keeper takes a brand from his fire and, accom- 

 panied by Kwe'lele with his torch, pekwin, Ko'mosona, Pa'utiwa, 

 and the four Sa'yaha, goes out to the east. At a point well beyond 

 the last house they pause. The fire keeper lays down his brand, 

 and Kwe'lele extinguishes his torch. All pray and sprinkle meal. 

 Then the party returns to the kiva. 



This is the sign to the village that the fire taboo is ended, and imme- 

 diately everyone hastens to take out their fire and sweepings. When 

 they return to the kiva the fire keeper and pekwin pray. Then the 

 people go to their houses to take out the fire from their hearths. 

 They return immediately, and the masked gods dance until daylight. 

 At this time anyone may enter the Idva to receive the blessings of 

 the gods. 



The following prayer is spoken by the fire keeper when he returns 

 from the east in the morning. It was dictated by a member of the 

 Great Fire Society. 



This many are the days 

 Since the sun, who is our father, 

 Stood yonder beside his left hand 

 sacred place.' 



5 Then our fathers 



Having prepared plume wands for 



the rite of their ancestors, 

 And having breathed their prayers 



upon the plume wands, 

 With their sacred cigarette. 

 Their prayer meal 

 10 My fathers 



Laid hold of me. 



When the sun who is our father 



Had yet a little space to go 



To go in to sit down at his sacred 



place. 

 Our two fathers, 

 16 The ones who hold the high places,* 

 Once more assuming human form. 

 With their sacred possessions. 

 With their house chiefs, 

 Their pekwins, 

 Their bow priests, 

 With all of these. 

 They made their roaas come in. 



ma' lesi !^e'wanan-e 



hon ya'toka tatc i'lap a''te'ona 



li-'wan yam we'ciEanem le'Jaci- 



nakwi 

 i'tiulakii te'a'ana 

 5 yam a-'lacinawe 



a''wan hai'to te'likinan ye'lete- 



'una 

 te'lilfinan te'wus a'nulakna 



Eii'cima po'n-e 



ha'lawo'tinan a'^a 

 10 horn a''tatcu 



horn va'tena-tsumeEana'wafia 



hon ya'toka tatc i'lap a''te'ona 



yam le'la cinakwi 



i-'muna kwa'tokatunte'kwi 

 15 ka-w a'n^e'wetcikwi 



hon a-'tcia tatc i'lapa 



te'alan i'lon a"'tci 



a''tci tci'm'on ho"i-ya''Eana 



yam e'leteli'we 

 20 yam Ea'kwa-mosi 



yam pe'kwi'we 



yam a'pi'la'ci'wan'i 



i-'te'tcinici 



a"'tc o'neaJan kwa'toEana 



' i. e. the north, therefore the winter solstice. 



< The War Qods whose shrines are on mountain tops. 



