" "But," said his people, "you are our father; you must not
walk," and the ten K[=o]-y[=e]-m[=e]-shi accompanied him, carrying
him on their backs, relieving each other when fatigued. The
Kaek-l[=o] visited the [=A]h-shi-wi nine days in advance of the
Sae-lae-m[=o]-b[=i]-ya and K[=o]-l[=o]-oo-w[)i]t-si, instructing the
people regarding the K[=o]k-k[=o], how they must represent them in the
future and hold their ceremonials, and telling them that the boys must
be made members of the K[=o]k-k[=o], and that this particular ceremony
must occur but once in four years. He also gave to the people the
history of himself, how the duck had befriended him and led him to the
home of his people.
BIRTH CUSTOMS.
Having now briefly sketched the mythology relating to the ceremonials
to be described, I invite your attention to the main subject of the
present paper: the Religious Life of the Zuni Child.
First we will notice the birth customs.
Zuni child life may be divided into two parts. One I will call the
practical or domestic; the other, the mythologic or religious. The
former is fairly exemplified in the habits, customs, games, and
experiences of our own domestic child life. The other is essentially
different; in it are involved the ceremonials, legends, and myths
which surround the Zuni child from its birth.
Previous to the birth of a child, if a daughter be desired, the
husband and wife proceed together to the "mother" rock, and at her
feet make offerings and prayers, imploring her to intercede with
the great father, the Sun, to give to them a daughter, and that this
daughter may grow to be all that is good in woman; that she may be
endowed with the power of weaving beautifully and may be skilled in
the potter's art.
Pages:
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26