778 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



His father's brother hands him a bundle of prayer sticks made for 

 him by male members of the clan. 



The uncle: 



This many are the days 



Since our fathers, 



Priests of the masked gods, 



Cula'witsi, pekwin, priest 

 5 Sayataca, bow priest, 



Hutntu, bow priest, 



Yamuhaktu, bow jiriests, 



Ca'lako, bow priests, 



All the masked gods 

 10 Made their roads come hitlier. 



Wlierever perfect plume wands liad 

 been left for tliem. 



They made their roads ascend. 



Sitting down quietly tliey came 

 to day. 



Next day, 

 15 Laying down all tlieir gifts — 



Their seeds, 



Their riches, 



All that they had brought tied about 

 tlieir waists — 

 20 Back to their own country 



They took tlieir way. 



Leaving their children'' to stay 

 quietly 



They took their way. 

 25 And wherever plume wands liad 

 been left for tliem 



Their cliildren 



With their words issuing forth, 



With their sighing breath. 



Stayed in our houses. 



All their days being past 

 30 This day 



For the one who is our father, 



Molanhakto, 



We have prepared plume wands. 

 35 Our children, 



Whoever of tliem wished to grow 



old, 

 Upon the plume wands wliich tliey 



had prepared 

 Breathed their sacred words. 

 Here to our house 



le'si te'wanan'e 

 ho"na'wan a"'tatcu 

 koKwa-'ciwan-i 

 cu'lawitsi pe'kwin ci'wan'i 

 5 sai'yataca pi"laci'wani 

 hututu pi"taci'wani 

 ya'muhakt a'pi'laci'wan-i 

 ca'lako pi"laci'wan"i 

 kj'ko te'mla 

 10 o'neat i'Kiina 



yam te'Iiljinan ya'na w^'talaCi'- 



kowa 

 o'neal ye'maEiina 

 i''tinan la'kinan a"'wanlewalfa. 



te'wap ya'tone 

 15 yam kwaliol temla 



yam to'waconan'e 



yam u'tenane 



a-'hatapiya a'wi''kowa 



W3"'tala'feuna 

 20 yam 'ulo'nakwi o'neal a'Eana 



yam te'apEuna-we 



ti'nan laEuna. 



o'neal a^'kiinawapa 



a"'wan te'ap£una"we 

 25 hoi yam te'likinan wa'talaEi 

 te'a'kowa 



yam pe'nan kwai"inan alfii 



yam he'ciatinan a'fea 



he'cota'an a^'tealja. 



a-'wan te'mla te'wapa 

 30 lu'ka ya'ton'e 



yam tatc i'li te"ona 



mo'lanhakto 



an hai'to 



hon te'lilfina' ye'lete'unaplfa. 

 35 ho"na'wan tca'we 



hoi tcu-'wa la'cina tse"makowa 



te'likina ye'leteukowa 



Je'wusu ya'nulana 

 lio"nawan he'cotakwi 



1^ The katcinas, who remained behind to dance in all the Ca'lako houses. 



