712 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



They spoke to those inside the place of 



our first beginning.-' 

 Yonder following all the springs, 

 On all the mossy mountains, 

 In all the wooded places, 

 At the encircling ocean, 

 With my prayer plumes. 

 With my sacred meal. 

 With my sacred words. 

 They talked to those within. 

 Winter, 

 Summer, 



Through the cycle of the months, 

 Though my prayer plumes were but 



poor ones. 

 There toward the south. 

 Wherever my fathers' roads come out-' 

 I continued to give them prayer plumes. 



And when the cycle of months was at 



an end 

 My fathers 2" made their rain roads 



come in 

 To their fathers. 

 Their mothers. 



Those that first came into being. 

 Sharing one another's desire, they sat 



down together. 

 With the flesh of their mother. 

 Cotton woman, 

 Even a cord badly made, 

 A soiled cotton cord. 

 With this four times 

 They made the daj' counts ^' into living 



beings. 

 Saying, "Let it be now," 

 They sent for me. 



I came to my fathers. 



Where they were waiting for me. 



With their day count 



They took hold of me fast. 



Carrying their day count 



I came back to my house. 



Saying, "Let it be now," 



And carrying the prayer plumes which 

 I had prepared, 



Yonder to the south 



With pra3'ers, I made my road go forth. 



To the place ever since the first begin- 

 ning called "Ants go in," 22 



My road reached. 



There where my fathers' water-filled 

 roads come out, 



I gave them plume wands; 



I gave them prayer feathers; 



There I asked for light for you. 



That you may finish your roads, 



That you may grow old. 



That j'ou may have corn. 



That you may have beans. 



That J'OU may have squash, 



That you may have wheat. 



That you may kill game. 



That you may be blessed with riches. 



For all this I asked. 



Then over toward the west ^^ 



Where the road of my fathers comes in, 



I gave them plume wands. 



And now, when all of their days were 



past. 

 Over toward the west, 



" The rain makers. 



2> At various springs in the mountains south of Zuiii. At the present time these are visited in the follow- 

 ing order: Uhanaa (snow hanging), January; Alapatsi frock wedge), February; Atsinakwi (painted rock) 

 March; PicuEaia (poison water weed spring), April; Eanula (mesa wall spring, lit., water against some- 

 thing), May; Toloknana, two plantings, in June and July; Kate'tci (evil smelling water), August; Opum- 

 pia (sack of meal hanging), September; Ayayakya (bluebird), October (ko haito). The matter, howeve 

 is not so simple, and there are always arguments as to the dates and places of planting. The first planting 

 need not be at the full moon. If the New Year is at the full moon the first planting may be immediately 

 after or delayed a month. If it takes place the end of January there is disagreement concerning the advis- 

 ability of planting twice at Toloknana and as to whether the last planting at Ayayakya should be made at 

 the full moon or the first quarter. The final decision rests with the personator of Sayataca. No matter 

 when the plantings are made, it is always necessary at the end to postpone the festival because the houses 

 are not ready. This is done after consultation with the f ekwin, so that the dates may not conflict with 

 his dates for the winter solstice. 



311 The priests. 



=1 A cotton string containing 49 knots. Starting with the following morning, one knot is untied each 

 morning, the last being untied at daybreak the morning the gods go out after their night of dancing in the 

 houses. One such string is given to the Sayataca impersonator, one to the father of the Koyemei. 



" Halon Kwaton, at the foot of Corn Mountain. M. C. Stevenson records ko haito as being made at this 

 place. In 1927 and in preceding years this ceremony took place at Ayayakya, on the opposite side of the 

 valley. 



» The plantings to the west are at intervals of 10 days. They are not at springs. 



