USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. VII > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
248
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
inflammable object, from which it happens that there is fire in everything."
HOW MORNING GREEN LOST HIS POWER OVER THE WIND GODS
AND THE RAIN GODS.
"Morning Green is reputed to have had spe- cial magic power over two supernatural beings, known as Wind-man and Rain-man. It hap- pened at one time that many people were play- ing a game with canes in the main plaza of Morn- ing Green's settlement (Casa Grande), on the south side of the compound; among these were Rain-man and Wind-man. The latter laid a wager that if he lost, his opponent should look on the charms of a certain maid. When Wind- man lost, in revenge he sent a great wind that blew aside her blanket, at which indignity she cried and complained of Wind-man to Morning Green, who was so angry that he made Rain-man blind, obliging him to be led about by his ser- vant, the wind; he also banished both from Casa Grande. They went to the San Bernardino Mountains in what is now California and lived at Eagle Mountain, near the present town of Wadsworth, where as a consequence it rains con- tinually.
"After the banishment of these two the rain ceased at Casa Grande for four years, and Morn- ing Green sent Humming-bird to the moun- tains where Wind-man and Rain-man resided. Humming-bird carried with him a white feather, which he held aloft to detect the presence of the wind. Three times he thus tried to discover Wind-man by the movement of this feather, but
249
THE PIMA.
was not successful. When at last Humming- bird came to a place where there was much green grass he again held up the feather to see whether it showed any movement of the air. It re- sponded by indicating a slight wind, and later he came to the spot where Wind-man and Rain- man were, but found them asleep.
"Humming-bird dropped a little medicine on the breasts of Wind-man and Rain-man, which caused them after a time to move and later to awake. When they had risen from their sleep Humming-bird informed them that Morning Green had sent him to ask them to return and again take up their abode with him at Casa Grande. Rain-man, who had no desire to re- turn, answered, 'Why did Morning Green send us away ?' and Wind-man said : 'Return to Morn- ing Green and tell him to cut off his daughter's hair and make from it a rope. Bring this rope to me and I will tie it about my loins that Rain- man, who is blind, may catch hold of it while I am leading him. But advise all in Casa Grande to take the precaution to repair the roofs of their houses so they will not leak, for when we arrive it will rain violently.' Humming-bird delivered the message to the chief of Casa Grande, and later brought back the twisted rope of human hair. Wind-man and Rain-man had barely started for Casa Grande when it began to rain, and for four days the downpour was so great that every roof leaked. Morning Green vainly used all his power to stop the rain, but the magic availed but little."
250
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
THE BIRTH OF HOK.
"Long ago the Sun god sent a messenger on an errand to the settlement now called Casa Grande. As this messenger proceeded on his way he occupied himself in kicking a stone ball, and on approaching Casa Grande he gave the ball so violent a kick that it landed near a maiden who sat on the housetop making pottery. See- ing the object the girl picked it up and hid it under her belt. When the man sought the stone it was nowhere to be found; he asked the girl if she knew where it fell, but she would not di- vulge what had become of it. Discouraged in his quest the man was about to return to the Sun god, but the girl urged him not to depart but to search more diligently for the ball. She also sought for it, but it was no longer under her belt ; it had disappeared. Later she was with child, and in due time gave birth to a girl baby, which, instead of feet and hands, had claws like a bear or a mountain lion. As this strange child grew older and played with other boys and girls she scratched them so often with her claws that they were afraid of her, and ran away when- ever she appeared. The brothers of the girl were hunters of rabbits, but were unsuccessful. When their sister grew older she followed them to the hunt and their luck changed, so that hence- forth they killed plenty of game. As she ma- tured, however, she outgrew all restraint and became a wild woman. She was then called Hok, and developed into a cannibal monster, who captured her victims wherever she went and carried them in a basket on her back until she
251
THE PIMA.
wished to devour them. Hok once met two youths, whom she tried to capture, but they ran swiftly away and when she made another at- tempt they blinded her by throwing sand in her eyes. This monster terrorized the whole coun- try to such an extent that the ancients sought her life, but in vain. The culture-hero, Teuhu, endeavored to kill Hok. He turned himself into a snake and furnished the children with rattles; when Hok approached them they shook these rattles and frightened her. Hok first retired to a distant cave in the Santa Catalina Mountains, but later went south to Poso Verde. The people living there were also oppressed by Hok and desired to kill her. Tcuhu sent word to his uncle that there was to be a dance at Casa Grande and asked him to invite Hok to attend. This was a kind of ceremonial dance in which men and women participate, forming a circle and alternating with each other. Several in- vitations were sent to Hok, but she did not ac- cept; at last she promised to attend the dance and to be there at sunset. Touhu danced and smoked with Hok, and the festivities lasted four days and nights. While she was absent the women gathered wood and made a fire in the cave where Hok lived. When she discovered what had taken place she flew to the top of her cave and entered it through a crack open to the sky. At the opening Touhu stood so as to prevent Hok's escape and slew her as she emerged."
252
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
CHAPTER XV.
THE PIMA (Continued).
LEGENDS (CONTINUED) - CREATION LEGEND - FLOOD LEGEND - IRRIGATION - LEGEND OF FEATHER-PLAITED DOCTOR AND TONTO THE CREATION MYTH - COYOTE - CHILDREN OF CLOUD-SKULL AND HIS MAGIC-ORIGIN OF THE HORSE-ABSTRACTS OF NURSERY TALES -FIVE LITTLE ORPHANS AND THEIR AUNT- COYOTE AND THE QUAILS - WOMAN AND COYOTE - PIMA CAPTIVE AND HER SON - COYOTE AND THE BLUEBIRD - BOY AND BEAST-THE NAUGHTY GRANDCHILDREN.
A CREATION LEGEND.
"In the beginning all was dark and there was neither earth nor sky. Earth Doctor (Tcuwut Marka) was the only being then living.
"Earth Doctor took a particle of sweat from his body and made from it a small disk, which he held in his hand and started to go to the west. When he stopped, the sweat showed signs of life, for it trembled; he proceeded and still the material moved. He halted four times in his course and as he stopped the fourth time the disk, which was the nucleus of the earth, be- came stable, and neither trembled nor wavered. He then knew he was at the middle point of the universe. Earth Doctor then made a bush and created small ants to feed on it. He took a louse from his breast, and put it at the root of the bush. This insect found a ring of soil that
253
THE PIMA.
kept growing larger and larger as Earth Doctor danced near it, until it became the earth. In the same way the solid sky was formed. Earth Doctor pounded 'medicine' in a bowl and shortly afterward there appeared over the surface a transparent substance resembling ice. Earth Doctor threw this substance toward the north, where it fell but shortly afterward rose again and then sank below the horizon, never to rise again. He threw another fragment into the south; this struck the earth or sky and bounded back, whereupon he picked it up and again threw it to the south. This time it rose and passed over the sky. These fragments became the sun and the moon, both formed in the same way. Earth Doctor spurted a mouthful of medicine-water into the sky and created the stars, first the larger and then the smaller, the last of all being nebulas like the Milky Way. Having formed the celestial bodies, he made seeds of all food used by man, after which he created men and women from a particle of sweat or grease from his body.
"Buzzard Doctor lives in the Underworld, where there are many people similar to those who inhabit the earth. The entrance to this underworld is in the east.
"As soon as men and women had been created they began to quarrel; this angered Earth Doc- tor and he put them to death. After he had killed all human beings, Earth Doctor and Buz- zard emerged together from the Underworld and the former begged the latter to help him re- create men and women. The result was men who were gray-haired at birth. Earth Doctor
254
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
again destroyed man because he smoked too much, but on the fourth trial there emerged from the earth four men who later became great medicine-men-Land, Buzzard, Teuhu, and Tohouse.
"The youth Touhu became a great warrior and married many women, whom he deserted before children were born."
A FLOOD LEGEND.
"The Pima believed that the flood was caused by Earth Doctor, who stuck his staff into the ground, making a hole out of which water issued, covering the earth. Teuwut, Teuhu, and Tohouse crawled into ollas and floated away. When the earth was covered with water, Hum- mingbird, led by Buzzard, flew into the sky, cry- ing out that they would return after the water should have subsided. Buzzard soared aloft to an opening in the sky, through which he passed, but his companion could not follow him. Both were caught in the passage, and there they hung. Humming-bird cried because it was cold in the sky region, but Woodpecker made a nest of feathers to keep them warm. The flood rose until the water reached them and there may still be seen on the feathers of the woodpecker where the water touched him.
"The olla in which Teuhu was concealed floated far away into the southwest, but that containing Earth Doctor went northwest. The third, in which was Tohouse, went east. The tracks of the ollas of Earth Doctor and Tohouse Doctor crossed several times and as they did so Earth Doctor addressed the other as Elder
255
THE PIMA.
Brother. There were seven persons saved from the flood, and these were called brothers. Their names are Touwut, Teuhu, Tohouse, Buzzard, Woodpecker, Humming-bird, and an unknown. When the water had subsided these seven broth- ers held a council to determine the position of the middle of the earth. Woodpecker was sent to the east and Humming-bird to the west, to find it. Three times they returned without suc- cess, but on their fourth meeting they reported that they had found the middle of the earth.
"Teuhu plucked a hair from the right side of his head and, putting it in his mouth, drew it back and forth, stretching it and miraculously forming a snake, which he laid on the earth at his north side. He took a hair from the left side of his head and, stretching it out as before, created a second snake, which he laid at the west side. He then laid one at the south and another at the east. These snakes prevent the water from flooding the land and cause it to flow in channels or rivers. Touhu created ants, which he put on the wet ground; these threw up hills that became dry land. After the water had subsided Earth Doctor, Touhu, and Tohouse set themselves to re-create men, having agreed not to inform one another what kind of beings each would make. To prevent one another from see- ing their work they faced in different direc- tions-Earth Doctor to the east, Tohouse to the south, and Touhu to the west. When their creations were finished it was found that Teuhu had made men similar in form to those now liv- ing, but that Tohouse's men had webbed fingers like ducks, while those created by Earth Doctor
256
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
had but one leg each and subsisted not on food, but on smells, which they inhaled. Touhu asked Tohouse why he made his men with webbed fingers. 'That they may live in water,' re- sponded Tohouse. Touhu was dissatisfied with the beings made by Tohouse, and he threw them into the water, where they became ducks. The creations of Earth Doctor became fishes and snakes; he was much pleased with his children, which descended into the Underworld where he daily visits them.
"When Earth Doctor stuck his staff into the ground to cause the flood, and water covered the earth, most of the people perished, but some es- caped and followed White Feather, who fled to the top of Superstition Mountains. The water rose, covering all the valley until it was as high as the line of white sandstone which is a conspicuous landmark. White Feather, sur- rounded by his followers, tried all his magic in vain to prevent the further rise of the flood. When he saw he was powerless to prevent this, he gathered all his people and consulted them, saying, 'I have exhausted all magic powers but one, which I will now try.' Taking in his left hand a medicine stone from his pouch, he held it at arm's length, at the same time extend- ing his right hand toward the sky. After he had sung four songs he raised his hand and seized the lightning and with it struck the stone which he held. This broke into splinters with a peal of thunder and all his people were trans- formed into the pinnacles of stone which can now be seen projecting from the summit of one of the peaks of the Superstition Mountains.
257
THE PIMA.
"The followers of Touhu and Tohouse united and built a house. Four days after this house was begun Teuhu sent Tohouse to visit a people he had created, in order to learn what language they spoke. When Tohouse found that they spoke Apache and so reported, Touhu assigned them to the land of cold wind and rain. Touhu again sent Tohouse to discover whether there were other people on the earth; returning after a time the latter reported to Touhu that he had heard of men speaking Mohave, Yuma, and Maricopa, but not Pima. After four days Tcuhu again sent Tohouse to search for any men allied to his people, and he reported find- ing those who continually said, 'Ston, ston,' 'it is hot.' He returned and told Touhu he had found lost brothers, because he had detected in their speech a Pima word. Touhu said they must be his people; he said also: 'I will give them dark cool nights in which they can sleep, and I will send them dreams and they shall be able to interpret these dreams.' All these peoples were gathered into the house Touhu had built (Casa Grande ?). But after a while there were bickerings and quarrels among men. The Apache left for the mountains where they said they also would have dreams and thus they be- came the hereditary enemies of the Pima. At this time all the Pima inhabited the Salt River Valley, not far from the site of the present Phoenix.
"White Feather and his people lived in a settlement called Sturavrik Civanaváaki, near Tempe, the site of which is now a large mound. VII-17
258
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
According to some legends this chief was the first man who taught the Pima irrigation and he showed them also how to plant corn. Through his guidance his people became prosperous and all the Pima congregated at his settlement to trade.
"The people of a settlement near Mesa could not build a canal because the ground in the vicinity was so hard, so they asked Touhu to aid them. He sang magic songs for four days, and at the fourth song the ground softened and the people easily excavated the ditch, but the water would not run in it. Touhu found he was powerless to make it do so and advised them to invite Towa Quaatam Ochse, an old woman who lived in the west by the great water, to aid them. She was summoned and sent word to the Mesa people to assemble in their council-house, and await her coming. They gathered and awaited her coming but she did not appear. At night a man passing that way saw her standing at the highest point of the canal blowing 'medicine' along the ditch. Later there came a great wind that dug out a wide channel and water ran in the canal. The Casa Grande people, it is said, learned the art of irrigating from those living on the site of Tempe, who were taught by Teuhu.
"Feather-plaited Doctor was an evil-minded youth who lived at Wukkakotk, north of Casa Grande. Tonto visited Feather-plaited Doctor, but the latter would not notice him, although he made the customary offering of four cigarettes. Three times Tonto repeated his visit to Feather- plaited Doctor, and on the third visit the latter accused him of being a gossip and on that ac-
259
THE PIMA.
count refused to have anything to do with him. On the last visit he told Tonto that although he did not like him he did not object to his visits. but he warned him, if he wished to see him, not to gamble at night and not to have anything to do with women without his permission. At that time there was a man who wished to gamble with Tonto but, forewarned, the latter refused. When Tonto was asked the reason, he revealed his promise to Feather-plaited Doctor and said he must get permission. Tonto was allowed by Feather-plaited Doctor to gamble with this man. but was warned not to play again if he was beaten; but should he win twice he must desist by all means from further playing.
"The game at which Tonto gambled was that known as the 'cane game,' and on this occa- sion Feather-plaited Civan marked the canes. Tonto played and won twice from his opponent ; he would not play a third time, but carried all he had won to the house of Feather-plaited Civan. Whenever he played with the marked canes, he won, so that one of his opponents con- sulted Touhu to learn the reason. Touhu in- formed him that the sticks were endowed with magic derived from the sun, which gave them supernatural power over all others.
"Tcuhu then told a maid to search under trees and gather in the early morning the feath- ers of eagles, crows, buzzards, and hawks, bind them together, and bring them to him. After these feathers had been brought Touhu in- structed her to strip every feather to its mid- rib and cut each into short sections. Having roasted the feathers with meal of popcorn, the
260
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
girl placed them on a basket tray. She was then instructed to fill two small bowls with 'medicine' and to carry them to a spring near the place where Tonto was going to play the next game. Before Tonto began this game he declared he was thirsty and started for the spring, kicking before him the stone ball. When he reached the spring he perceived the girl and fell in love with her. She promised to marry him if her parents were willing. The maid handed Tonto a drink of the 'medicine' instead of water; at the first draught he began to tremble; a second caused him to shake vio- lently, and at the third feathers began to form all over his body, and shortly afterwards he took the form of a bird resembling the eagle. When the maid had witnessed this metamorpho- sis, she sought the man with whom Tonto had agreed to gamble and told him Tonto had be- come a bird, at the same time pointing to an eagle perched on a rock near the spring. The man tried to shoot Eagle, but he flew away and alighted on the top of a peak of the Supersti- tion Mountains, which shook violently as Eagle landed thereon. In his flight Eagle carried off the maid, now called Baat, with whom he lived. He killed many people dwelling near his home and heaped their bodies in a great pile near the cave in which he made his home. He became so dangerous, in fact, that the survivors asked Touhu's aid; he promised to come in four days, but did not do so. A new messenger was sent with the same request and he again promised to come in four days, but again failed to fulfill his promise. Touhu told the messenger to bring
261
THE PIMA.
him ashes, and the man brought mesquite char- coal, which he did not wish. Touhu procured charcoal from cactus fruit and, having ground the seeds into fine meal, he fashioned it into the form of a big knife. He then procured a flex- ible stick, such as grows in the White Moun- tains, and other pointed sticks resembling bone awls. Having made four of these sticks, he sharpened them and started forth to overcome Eagle, leaving word that if he was killed a smoke would be seen for four days, but that if he killed Eagle, a cloud would hang over the place of the combat. Touhu traveled eastward a long distance and came to the mountain where Eagle lived, in between perpendicular preci- pices, surrounded by deep fissures. Touhu metamorphosed himself into a fly and hid him- self in this fissure where he slept that night. On the following day he changed himself back into a man, stuck the sticks into the crevices of the cliff, and by their help climbed up to the crag in which Eagle had his home.
"This story of Eagle seems to be a variant of that previously recorded in which the avian being killed was the monster Hok. Here Teuhu found only a captive woman, who said the mon- ster had gone to procure victims. Touhu hav- ing revealed his mission, they agreed on a signal, and he changed into a fly. When Eagle re- turned, although suspicious, he went to sleep and the woman whistled three times. At the last whistle Touhu returned to human form and decapitated Eagle, throwing his head, limbs and body to the four world quarters. Then the woman sprinkled 'medicine' on a pile of bones,
262
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
the remains of former victims, and brought them to life. Thereupon all descended from the mountain over which hovered dense clouds, the signal that the monster was dead."
The 26th Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, of the Smithsonian Insti- tution, for 1904-05, gives the following abstracts of myths of the Pimas :
THE CREATION MYTH.
"Out of primeval darkness spirit of Earth Doctor developed. He first created creosote bush from dust. Next created black ants and termites ; these caused the world to develop and Earth Doctor created the sky. Then made gray spider and commanded it to spin web connect- ing edges of earth and sky. Threw blocks of ice into the sky for sun and moon and spray of water for stars, large stars made from magic crystal, and milky way by walking stick dipped in ashes. All living things then created and human beings from images of clay. Earth be- comes overpopulated, as there was no death yet, so Earth Doctor pulled the sky down on the earth and crushed everything to death. But he came through a hole to the other side and made a new creation. After a time Elder Brother, a rival to Earth Doctor, arose and threatened to destroy the people again. This accomplished, through the child of Elder Brother's agent and South Doctor's daughter, who was the last of the youth's many wives. Child was abandoned and its tears caused a flood that overwhelmed the earth. Elder Brother was saved in his olla, Coyote on a log, father and child by turning into
263
THE PIMA.
birds, Earth Doctor by hiding in his staff, and some people by going into a hole in the earth made by Earth Doctor.
"After the flood Elder Brother was the ruler and Earth Doctor and Coyote his subordinates. When they found the middle of the land they all took part in a new creation. First death caused by Rattlesnake biting Rabbit. Burning corpse stolen by Coyote; afterwards he abused the woman and in retaliation the magicians con- cealed all the useful animals in a cave; these released by Coyote.
"Vantre supplied with magic gambling sticks by Feather-breathing Sí van. Elder Brother interfered and caused Vantre to be turned into an eagle. Eagle lived on mountain and preyed on the people until killed by Elder Brother.
"Tarsnamkam sent his parrot to steal tur- quoises at Casa Grande; sent football to daugh- ter of Sí van there; child born from this became the monster Hâ-ak, who killed and ate children until destroyed by Elder Brother. Tobacco plant grew from grave of old woman who had stolen Hâ-âk's blood.
"Elder Brother fell into disfavor with the people, who killed him several times, but he always came to life again, until the magic power of Vulture was invoked, who killed him through the agency of the sun. Came to life once more. but sank through a hole to the underworld, where the survivors of the flood lived. Some of these came above under his leadership and con- quered the people there."
264
HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
COYOTE.
"After closing up by his laughter the hole through which the underworld people were com- ing up, Coyote wandered to the west, and one day made two other coyotes from his image in the water, Sandy Coyote and Yellow Coyote. They sailed on logs across the water, but Yellow became blind and they turned back and went to live near the Grand Canyon. Gambled with each other and Sandy won; Yellow assisted by Finish, who causes Duck and Black Beetle to run a race, in which latter won for Yellow. Sandy finally won Yellow's body and soul and killed him. Death finally avenged by his son, who won from Sandy by Stratagem."
CHILDREN OF CLOUD.
"Twin boys immediate result of marriage of Cloud and the beautiful mat maker, who had re- fused all suitors. Boys grow up, inquire for father, sent to the east to find him. Meet Wind, their uncle, and Cloud, their father. Tested by rain, thunder, and lightning, and accepted. After long visit start for home; encounter Raven, Hawk, Eagle, and Coyote; stand on each side of trail to avoid latter and are transformed into mescal."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.