ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



[kTH. ANN. 47 



Into our warm bodies taking their 



breath, 

 We shall add to your breath. 

 Then also far off on aU sides 

 I have fathers: 

 Priest of the north, ** 

 Priest of the west, 

 Priest of the south, 

 Priest of the east, 

 Priest of above, 

 Priest of below; 

 Our sun father, 

 Our moon mother. 

 The sky. 

 The Milky Way, 

 The Great Bear, 

 The Pleiades, 

 The seed stars,™ 

 And all the little sparkling stars, 

 Priests, 



Asking for their life-giving breath, 

 Their breath of old age. 

 Their breath of waters, 

 Their breath of seeds. 

 Their breath of fecundity, 



Their breath of riches, 



Their breath of strong spirit. 



Their breath of power, 



Their breath of all good fortune whereof 



they are possessed. 

 Asking for their breath. 

 Into our warm bodies taking tlieir 



breath, 

 We shall add to your breath. 

 Do not despise the breath of your 



fathers. 

 But draw it into your body. 

 That our roads may reach to wliere the 



life-giving road of our sun father 



comes out. 

 That, clasping one another tight. 

 Holding one another fast, 

 We ma3' finish our roads togetlier; 

 That this may be, I add to your breath 



now. 

 To this end: 



May my father bless you with life; 

 May your road reach to Dawn Lake, 

 May your road be fulfilled. 



ha'lawG'tinan'e 



prayer meal 



ye'lete'unapka 



(you) prepared 



li'wan Ea'liciankwin 



hither in the west 



ta"na 



direction 



^ The title "priest" seems to be applied to anyone endowed with the means of securing or bestowing 

 blessings, regardless of whether they are human or immortal. The reference here is to supematurals. 

 M Un unidentified constellation. 



