792 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



and he becomes their "child." Each year at the winter solstice his 

 society father, the shaman, makes a prayer stick for him to plant. 



Before the physician is summoned the patient's relatives decide 

 what they will offer him for his services. The gift is held ready. 

 Then the patient's father or some other mature male relative prepares 

 prayer meal, which he \vraps in a corn husk. Into this he puts some 

 bit of the gift for the physician — a thread from a robe, or a bit of the 

 fringe if it is a shawl. This is for the Beast Gods, their "clothing."' 

 With this he goes to the house of the shaman. The two men sit 

 down, remove their headbands and moccasins, clasping hands over 

 the package of meal. The patient's father repeats the following 

 prayer, to which the shaman replies in like spirit:"" 



This day, 



Because of the ill will of the foolish 



ones,'" 

 Our child wears out his spirit. 

 6 Among all our fathers, 

 Life-giving priests," 

 Life-giving pekwins, 

 Life-giving bow priests, 

 We have looked about. 

 10 When all unexpectedly, 

 The divine ones cho,se you 



We, in the daylight 

 Also chose you. 

 15 Now that we have let you know (jf 

 it. 

 Yonder in their house," 

 The divine ones have pa.ssed ymi 



on your road, 

 With the roads of the divine imcs 

 going ahead, 

 20 Into our house 



You will make your road enter. 

 Having sat down quietly. 

 This day. 



With the flesh of the white corn, 

 25 Prayer meal, 



With ground shell, 



We ha#e taken firm hold of our 



fathers. 

 Life-giving priests; 

 With prayer meal held in the hol- 

 low of the left hand ™ 



lu'kii yii'ton'e 



ho"nan le'apEunan-c 



yu"ya'nam a"'wan tse"makwin 

 a'ka 



tse"mek le'n'a hon a^'teaiye. 

 5 le' yam a^'tatcu 



o'na'ya"'nalj' a"'ciwan'i 



o'na"ya''naka pe'kwi'we 



o'na-ya'nalja a'j5i'laciwan'i 



hon a''wun'u'lapnaplf:i 

 10 te'kwant te'afiipa 



ka'pin a''ho'i 



lom a'nawana"wapk:ite'a 



te'Kohanana 



!Jom hon u'nawaira 

 15 lom hon yu'"ya'lj;ina"wapa 



hoi yam he'coian'e 



ka'pin a''ho'i 



torn o'na-e'latenapkii. 



Ka'pin a''ho' a'wau o'nealan- 

 e"kwi'kowa 

 20 ho"na-wa he'col;akwi 



lo o'neal kwa'toEana 



Ion i-'tinan la'EiKapa 



lu'ka yii'ton'e 



to'wa Eohan an ci"nane 

 25 ha'lawo'tinau lo'"o te'a'oua 



hon yam a-'tatcu 



o'na'ya''nalja a'ciwanl 

 a''wan we'cika a'stecokta 

 ha'lawo'tinan a'ka 



IS Dictated by one of the headmen of the Wocl Society. 



1^ The witch, whose ill will has caused the sickness. 



18 Society chiefs. The choice of a shaman is believed to be inspired by the Beast Gods 



•* The ceremonial house of the society. 



^'J The left hand is used in all curing rituals. Also in the rites of the scalp dance. 



