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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



other loud and contentious, knew that her mission to people the 

 island was nearing. 



To her solitude two lives were coming, 1 one peaceful and patient, 

 the other restless and vicious. The latter, discovering light under 

 his mother's arm, thrust himself through, to contentions and 

 strife, the right born entered life for freedom and peace. 



These were the Do-ya-da-no, the twin brothers, Spirits of Good, 

 and Evil. 2 Foreknowing their powers, each claimed dominion, 

 and a struggle between them began, Hah-gweh-di-yu claiming the 

 right to beautify the island, while Hah-gweh-da-et-gah determined 

 to destroy. Each went his way, and where peace had reigned 

 discord and strife prevailed. 



The Sun, Moon and Stars 



At the birth of Hah-gweh-di-yu his Sky Mother, Ata-en-sic, 

 had died, and the island was still dim in the dawn of its new life 

 when, grieving at his mother's death, he shaped the sky with the 

 palm of his hand, and creating the Sun from her face, 3 lifted it 



1 In this version the twin boys are made the firstborn. The full versions always relate 

 the birth of a daughter who becomes impregnated by the wind and gives birth to the twins, 

 dies upon their birth and leaves them to the care of the Sky Woman, the heaven mother. 



2 The idea of moral dualism is found more or less developed in the beliefs of most primitive 

 races. Probably in its most primitive form the idea is not of a moral dualism but the idea 

 of the conflict of constructive and destructive forces. Evolving either naturally or changed 

 by contact with civilized peoples, the dualism of warring powers took upon itself the dualism 

 of the moral forces. The modern cosmologic myth names the two spirits, the Good and 

 the Evil, but when Father Broebeuf visited the Hurons in 1636 he found them named Iosk- 

 eha, the White One and Tawiscara, the Dark One. 



The Wyandot names are, Tseh-seh-howh-hooh-nyk, Man Made of Fire, and Ta-weh- 

 skah-sooh-nyk, Made of Flint. 



The idea of the Light God and the Dark God is a most significant one and leads to fields 

 of fruitful research. The idea is fundamentally that of light and day, and darkness and 

 night; day with its sun light and activity and night with its blackness and unseen terrors. 

 This underlying idea has influenced the dualistic theology of all nations. The Egyptian god 

 Osiris is the Sun God, and Seti his brother the God of Darkness. In the Zend-Avesta, 

 in the conflict of Light and Darkness, Ahura-Mazda and Anra-Mainyn, are the good and 

 evil spirits, Ormuzd and Ahriman, and in modern Christianity where the Spirit of Light is 

 in conflict with the Prince of Darkness. 



3 The Senecas still honor the Sun, En-de-ka Da'-kwa, in a sun dance and call the ceremony 

 En-de-ka Da'-kwa Da-non-di-non-io' (sun thanksgiving). The ceremony has no certain 

 time but is called by any one who dreams that it is necessary for the welfare of the settle- 

 ment. The dance begins at noon, when arrows are shot up at the sun while the people 

 give their war cries, for the sun loves the sound and symbols of battle. The rite takes place 

 in open air and begins with the chant of the sun song holder who casts tobacco into a fire. 

 Twice again showers of arrows are shot as offerings to the sun when the great feather dance 

 is performed in honor of Endcka Dakwa. 



The moon is likewise honored by the Senecas in the ceremony of the Soi-ka-da-kwa 

 Don-di-nion-nio, moon thanksgiving , The ceremony is called by any one who may be com 

 manded by a dream to do so, or may be ordered through the advice of a diviner, teller of 

 the future and of necessities. In the moon ceremony the holder of the moon song recites 

 his thanksgiving ritual and casts the sacred tobacco upon the flames of the ceremonial fire. 

 The moon is " amused " by the game of peach stones, though anciently deer bone buttons 

 were used. The ceremony takes place after sunset and lasts until midnight when a feast 

 is distributed to terminate the rite. 



