USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. VII > Part 5
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wildcat, bullsnake, and porcupine, for their journey to their present habitat.
"They arrived on the summit of the San Francisco Mountains, accompanied by certain genii, who deprived them of the valued treas- ures given them by the Sun Woman. They made the first sacrifice of precious stones on that summit. They then continued their journey, visited the various sacred places, and affiliated new members to their tribe, until finally they lived in perfect harmony with the Pueblos. The traces of this early history are to be found in the numerous ruins of the Navaho country."
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CHAPTER IV. THE NAVAHO (Continued).
THEORY OF ORIGIN OF MAN - MAN-EATERS OR MONSTERS - SLAYERS OF THE ENEMIES OR MONSTERS-WOMAN WHO BECOMES A BEAR -THE FLOOD - THE CHANTS - THE WAR DANCE-THE GIRLS' DANCE-BLACKENING OF THE PATIENT - PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS OR DANCES-MOUNTAIN CHANT-ORIGIN OF- FIRE PLAY.
William E. Curtis, in "Children of the Sun," 1883, tells of the Navaho theory of the origin of man, as follows :
"The Navajos, a mighty tribe which inhabits the country between the Zunis and Moquis, and around them both, have their own novel theory of the origin of man. It goes that in the begin- ning all men lived in the center of the earth. One day a Navajo accidentally touched the top of the cave and heard a hollow sound, which awakened their curiosity and tempted them to dig through the ground. After digging some distance they found they were nearing the top, and they sent a raccoon up as a pioneer. He failed to make any progress, and, coming down discouraged, an earth worm was put in his place. He bored a hole through the earth into the air, and sat down to rest awhile, when he discovered four great swans at the four cardinal points, each bearing an arrow under its wing. The swan from the north first rushed upon him, and VII-5
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having thrust his arrow through the body of the worm, retired. This was repeated by the other three. The worm being frightened, went back into his hole with the arrows still through his body. This made the hole large enough for the raccoon to climb up, and after him followed the men. At that time there was no heaven, neither were there sun, moon nor stars. It was deter- mined that these were essential to the comfort and convenience of the Navajos, so a council of old and wise men was called to manufacture them. When the sun was finished it was placed in position on the top of a rock, and the priests puffed smoke in its face. It commenced to rise, and they kept blowing until it reached its pres- ent position."
Continuing from "An Ethnologie Dictionary of the Navaho Language":
THE MAN-EATERS OR MONSTERS.
"The manner in which the sun and moon- bearers carry out their threat of taking a human life on every journey of theirs is shown by the introduction of man-eating monsters. Similar monsters are said to exist in the Pueblo legends, since they flourished when both tribes were united.
"The big yei, was the son of the Sun. He slew his victims with various knives, which he thrust at them. The young of the water mon- ster is described as a plump, but fleet, quadru- ped, having two horns on its snout. The mon- ster crane, which dwelt on the cliffs of the winged rock, or Shiprock, was made by the Sun from a white eagle and white thunder. The
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wandering stone was an offspring of one of the water monsters of the lower world. The three last mentioned monsters were the pets of the sun, who lowered them, together with his son on the summit of Mount Taylor. The son of the Sun made this his abode, while the others sought another vantage ground.
"The pricking vagina was formed by the sun and moon out of the marrow of human bones. She is the parent of the following monsters, giv- ing birth to them by coition with various ani- mate and inanimate objects: The one who kicks from the cliff, and the greyish giant, she con- ceived by a heap of stones. Those who killed by the charm of their eyes, she conceived by the big dark star. The overwhelming vagina, who crushed their victims with this organ, she con- ceived of the cane cactus. The cliffs which crushed together, she bore by combined dark boulders. The tracking bear, was her offspring by the mountain. In a similar manner she brought forth : The twelve antelopes, by plants ; the slicing reeds, by reeds; the impassable crev- ice, by fireclay; the whirlwind of sand by the rainbow; and, finally, the impassable snake.
"As the names imply, most of these monsters pursued their victims to death; all, however, were bent on the destruction of mankind to gratify the sun and the moon.
"In addition, many evils are personified, as : Starvation, hunger, poverty, lousiness, filthiness, (some mention cleanliness as a necessity ) ; old age, decrepitude ; sleepiness ; drowsiness ; the big gray god, and the beetle; the water ox and the water horse.
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"The monsters usually figure in witchcraft, and are native enemies in distinction from for- eign or human enemies.
THE SLAYERS OF THE ENEMIES OR MONSTERS.
"The mother of the Slayers of Enemies is the child of the Sky and Earth. The nubile cere- mony was not performed over her. She was impregnated, however, by the adulterous Sun, and also conceived of the trickling water of a fall. She gave birth to two children, the child of the Sun being called the Slayer of the Giants (monsters), while the other was called the Child of Water. When they discovered their descent in early youth, the children journeyed to the sun in order to enlist the aid of their father in rid- ding the earth of its monsters. Though the petition included his own offspring, the Big vei, the Sun granted it. In turn Slayer of Enemies slays all the monsters, and thus obtained his name.
"Both divinities occur in many of the legends. The Slayer of monsters is invoked as 'the one who cuts.' The Water Child is invoked as 'he who renews everything,' or, 'he who is versed in all things.'
THE WOMAN WHO BECOMES A BEAR.
"The holy girl previously referred to, and de- scribed as the mother of the bearers of the sun and moon, is again introduced as the tingling maiden, or the maiden who makes a noise. Her brothers, twelve in number, are great hunters. Eventually she married the coyote, who, in turn,
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is slain by some of the neighbors. The coyote had taught her how she might change her form into that of a bear, and in this disguise she slays her brothers, with the exception of the youngest, who slays her. The members of her body, which he scatters in the four directions, are changed. into bears of various kinds.
THE FLOOD
"A flood, destroying all the animals and in- habitants of the earth, is attributed to the sun. The Slayer of the Monsters and his brother, again journey to the sun in quest of riches which their father had promised. He grants them on condition that they slay all the inhabitants on the earth for him. Which condition they finally agree to. The sun then causes it to hail and rain for twelve days and nights, so that the waters covered the highest peaks. The Holy People, however, had hurriedly carried many of the inhabitants of the earth to a place of safety, and their descendants now people the earth. The waters were removed by the heat of the sun, but the traces of that flood are yet visible throughout the Navaho country.
THE CHANTS.
"The origin of Navaho chants is more or less a subject of conjecture and uncertainty, though the native theory is by no means favorable to their foreign origin. But leaving the question of origin aside, the subject of Navaho chants is, we believe, sufficiently intricate and varied to be of absorbing interest to the lover of folklore, as it is practically virgin soil, offering unlimited
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possibilities. Wonderful results have indeed been achieved by such eminent students as Dr. W. Matthews, U. S. A., and A. M. Stephen, whose published and unpublished works have been of valued assistance. Yet a glance at the subjoined list of chants should suggest that com- paratively little has as yet been achieved by way of offering a comprehensive study of Navaho mythology which, in reality, forms the basis and ritual for the chants, since the origin and motive of each chant is based upon its own peculiar legend. And it must be a cause for regret that very few of the singers now living in the tribe are conversant with the chant legends, and, as a matter of record, are very indifferent to acquire such information. In consequence, many of the chants are becoming extinct, and the singers con- versant with legends, songs and prayers are fast disappearing without a possibility of filling such vacancies. It is also well established that much singing and exorcising are continuously prac- ticed by a class of inferior and ignorant appren- tices, whom the Navaho designate as azaoniligi, who offer a mouthful, implying that they make a few prayersticks accompanied by a song or two. Then, too, much of this material is subject for dispute, especially among that set of singers who fabricate legends to suit their own pretensions. Hence, the extinction of the existing and more difficult chants is conceded as inevitable by the remnant of conservative and studious members of the chant lodges, for want of proper pupils. Efforts are consequently being made to obtain a complete account of the various legends with a view of supplementing those already existing,
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such as the night and mountain chants, by Dr. Matthews.
"The various chants may properly be divided into such as do not deal directly with the yei, or Gods, and such as originated with and from the Gods.
"Among the first class, or earlier chants, the 'moving upward,' forms the basis for the others, as its beginning is with the lower worlds, con- tinuing with the emergence from them up to the time of the creation and dispersion of the Gods. The order of the chants would be about as fol- lows :
"The 'moving upward,' a chant which in its various forms is still largely in demand. It is often designated as the ceremony for dispelling witchcraft.
"The chant 'for dispelling foreign enemies,' more popularly known as 'the war dance.'
"The rite of the godmen, which was exten- sively in demand on raids and in war, though at present rarely in use.
"The rite for dispelling monsters. This is also referred to as 'the blackening against witches or native enemies,' in distinction to 'the blackening against foreign enemies,' as the Utes, Comanches, Americans, and the like. The two are war dances, though 'the blackening against foreign enemies,' is ordinarily meant when speaking of a war dance. As both are branches of the 'moving upward,' and the monsters fig- ure largely in this rite, the designation 'native enemies,' is not far fetched.
"The 'renewal' and 'rite of benediction,' is essential to every Navaho chant. Accordingly,
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the nine night ceremonies set one night aside for this blessing, which is referred to as the vigil, while the five and one night ceremonies subse- quently require a special set of songs for their completion. Outside of its connection with the chants, it appears as a one night ceremony of blessing upon the hogan, the members of the family, their chattel and real estate, their crops and occupations, such as weaving and singing, their propensities to greed, at the nubile cere- mony, or the birth of a child, the dedication of a new set of masks, for the purification of the ceremonial paraphernalia, in fact, for almost any phase of domestic life.
"The rite for dispelling the darts of the males, such as lightning, reptiles, and the like.
"The 'owl chant,' which is not in vogue.
"The 'hail chant,' is also extinct.
"The 'big star chant,' is still in vogue.
"The Navaho 'wind chant,' is much in use. The winds are personified and injurious.
"The 'coyote chant,' is disappearing. The rite for the removal of mania and prostitution, which is part of it, is still in vogue.
"The 'feather chant,' is sometimes in demand. The requisites, however, in the shape of numer- ous baskets, buckskins, and the like treasure, as well as the great amount of labor entailed in the preparation of numerous prayersticks, do not add to its popularity.
"The 'water chant,' is not mentioned fre- quently.
"The 'corral rite,' for corralling antelope and deer, was largely in use at the chase at large, which has subsided at present.
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"The female branch of the 'lightning chant,' is still in vogue.
"The rite for trapping eagle, the 'Eagle or bead chant,' is also in demand.
"The other chants, which begin after those just mentioned (or, rather, after the emer- gence), are usually designated as 'the happen- ings of the Holy Ones,' as they relate largely to the yei, or Gods.
"The 'branch mountain chant of the maiden becoming a bear,' (the mountain chant of Dr. Matthews). This, with the chant of beauty (re- lating the metamorphoses of the bear and cop- perhead, by which they inveigle two beautiful maidens into marriage with them), are desig- nated as chants of the same legendary branch, which finally meet again.
"The 'night chant branch.'
"The 'branch of the claw dance.'
"The 'feather shaft dance,' which is often designated as the 'knife chant,' or 'life chant.' "The 'branch of the mountain chant of those sending forth darts.'
"The 'bead' or 'eagle chant of the rock promontory.' This is the bead chant partly de- scribed in the Legends of Dr. Matthews, while the bead chant mentioned above, begins with the monster eagle of Shiprock.
"The 'one day song,' which is so called from the legend in which a person is slain by a bear and revived in one day. This is extinct.
"In addition to these, the 'red ant chant,' and the 'big god chant,' are much in vogue. The latter is often designated as the 'tooth-gum wind chant.'
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"In addition to the three branches mentioned for the Lightning chant, the mountain chant, too, has several variants. Ordinarily, the male mountain chant, is meant when speaking of the mountain chant as such. There exist, also, a female mountain chant, and another variant designated as the mountain chant to the small birds.
"Divination, as preparatory to various chants, is also practiced in one form or another. Di- vination by sight, or star reading, consults the stars and such animals whose sight is very marked, as that of the turkey, or magpie. Di- vination by touch consults the winds and such animals whose sense of hearing is highly devel- oped, as that of the wolf, or felines in general.
"Of the chants in existence, some are con- ducted for nine nights, others for five, and a few for one night only. Thus the night chant, the mountain chant, the wind chant, the coyote chant or the feather chant, the water chant, the big god chant, and the lightning chant, are nine night ceremonies.
"The Bead, or eagle chant, and the wind chants, and rites of divination, as the big star, and by touch, as well as the prostitutes' chant, are also conducted for five nights, while the witchcraft chant is now always conducted for five nights only, though formerly nine nights were required. Similarly, the red ant chant, and the beauty chant, are five night ceremonies.
"The blessing, is now a one night ceremony, though originally of four nights duration. The knife or feather-shaft chant, and the Chiricahua wind chant, too, are of one night's duration.
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"The list, while fairly comprehensive, may possibly be increased by some extinct chants, such as the earth chant, and others.
THE WAR DANCE.
"The so-called war dance, extensively in vogue with the Navaho to-day, originated with the mother of the Slayer of Monsters and the Child of Water. For, it is said, when they had slain the monster, the sun of the Son, they car- ried his scalp as a trophy and hung it on a tree previous to reporting it to their mother. While relating to her of the encounter with the mon- ster, they swooned and lay unconscious, where- upon, it is said, their mother prepared a con- coction from herbs struck by lightning, sprinkled them with it, and shot a spruce and pine arrow over their bodies, thus reviving them.
"Accordingly, to-day, this ceremony is con- ducted in cases of swooning, or weakness and in- disposition attributed to the sight of blood, or of a violent death of man or beast, especially if this has occurred to a pregnant woman, or even to a husband or father during the period of her pregnancy. While no special season seems to be prescribed, the ceremony is most fre- quently conducted in the summer and fall of the year. The singers performing it are known as the anaji, enemy, or war singers, as in addition to this ceremony they were also in possession of all the rites prescribed for the warpath and raids.
"The special features of the war dance are the carrying of the rattlestick, the dance of the Navaho girls, and the blackening of the patient.
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"The rattle consists of a juniper stick about a yard long, or the length of a cord held at arm's length from the tip of the left hand to the right nipple. This stick is held upright in the left hand, the fist resting on the knee, while with the finger-nail of the right thumb incisions are made in zigzag form to represent a bow. As custom varies, some of the old people supervising this function insist that the opening of the bow, or the end where the bowstring is slipped over the notch, be made at the upper right hand corner, while others require the opening in the opposite, or lower right hand corner. Similarly, the in- cision made on the rear of the stick, to represent the queue, varies with the opening made for the bow. Such as make the opening of the bow in the upper right hand corner make that of the queue in the lower left hand corner, while the opening in the lower right hand corner of the bow requires a similar opening in the upper left hand corner of the queue.
"This done, the singer applies a mixture of animal tissue to the stick and blackens it with the ashes of burnt weeds. He then places a bundle of weeds at the point of the stick, to- gether with a yellow tail feather of a turkey. He crosses the base of the bundle with two eagle feathers, and adds a buckskin thong previously spliced in four and knotted with the small toes of deer, to dangle at its side. The whole is then wrapped and secured to the stick with sacred buckskin. Neighbors and friends then trim the stick with hair cords, which at present take the form of vari-colored calico bands. These are tied to the stick between the bundle of weeds and
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the grip, in which manner it is carried forth by the patient to a place usually some ten and more miles distant, where the ceremony is continued. In some instances the scalp of a slain American, Mexican, Ute or Comanche is substituted for the bundle of weeds, though at present such scalps are in possession of very few persons.
THE GIRLS' DANCE.
"The carrying of the rattlestick from one locality to another is always participated in by a throng of interested visitors, and usually pro- ceeds in a frantic rush. Arriving at its desti- nation the hair cords are removed from the shaft and distributed among the residents of that locality, who anxiously apply for them, and frequently weave them into saddle blankets and small rugs.
"Toward evening an ordinary cooking pot is converted into a drum by throwing a few pebbles into it and covering the top with a piece of goat or buckskin, which is secured around the rim with a cord or thong. This improvised drum is continuously beaten with a small stick while the maidens select a partner from the throng of visitors to dance with. Married women are ex- cluded from this dance, though it is permissible to select a partner from among the married men. Frequently young men pay for the exclu- sive privilege of dancing with a sweetheart or favorite on each of the three nights.
"The dancers perform in a circle, though no special order is prescribed. Each maiden, standing behind her partner, grasps his side and completes a circle or two with him, reversing
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the circle occasionally to avoid dizziness. As all participants hum and sing while in action, the whole ceremony has been popularly desig- nated by this feature as 'they all hum moving.' After completing these motions several times, the girl releases her partner and, unless other- wise stipulated, charges a fee of five to twenty- five cents for the privilege granted, or an equal amount for the privilege of being released. The dance is continued until about midnight, when the party disperses to retire.
"On the following morning the rattle is again carried to some other distant place and is borne, not by the patient, but by one acquainted with the prayers required for its final deposit, who, thereafter, takes charge of the rattle until the close of the ceremony. In the evening of the day, the girls' dance is repeated as on the pre- ceding night, and is in turn followed on the third morning by the bearing of the rattle to the place selected for the close of the ceremony. Here the patient is blackened about noon.
THE BLACKENING OF THE PATIENT. "At noon of the third day the body of the patient is painted black. Juniper branches, with yarrow, meadow rue, and pine needles, are previously pulverized, then thrown into a bowl of water, and stirred. One of the assistants now takes a dab of this mixture between his fingers and applies it in turn against the soles, the knees, legs, chest, back, shoulders, mouth and head of the patient, who then sips of the mixture before bathing his whole body with it. Thereupon the assistant chews some pennyroyal and foxtail
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grass, and, holding his hands to the sun, sput- ters the liquid over them. He then proceeds to press the body of the patient, who is seated, turning it first one way, then another, and re- peating this four times. This done his body is rubbed with sheep tallow and the usual mixture of animal tissues, after which the ashes of the above mentioned burnt weeds are spread over the entire body, while the patient's face is painted red with a mixture of red clay and grease, with stripes of black drawn across the cheeks and the entire chin. He is now made to step, or rather rest his feet, in dirt dug up by a gopher, which is held in a blanket before him, putting first his left then the right foot into it. The charm, consisting of a tail feather of the roadrunner wrapped with eagle down feathers, is now tied to his hair. Wristlets too, made of braided leaves of slender yucca, are tied to his wrists, while buckskin saddle-bags, studded with white beads, (which are purchased from the Utes), serve as shoulder bands, crossing each shoulder to the hips. Finally, the bill of a crow is secured to the palm of the right hand, and is used in this manner. The patient remains rigged in these trimmings throughout the after- noon and evening, and partakes of a plain gruel, after previously saluting the sun by inhaling the sun's breath, that is, accompanying inhalation with a gesture toward the sun.
"As usual, the day and ceremony are closed with the dance of the girls, after which the singer removes the trimmings from the patient, as also that of the rattle, instructing the bearer of it to securely deposit the shaft. This he does
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amid prayer, and a secluded crevice or ledge of rock is selected for deposition.
ADDENDA.
"In addition to the above it was learned that the war dance is conducted for dispelling foreign enemies only, whether they be real or imaginary. If, accordingly, in fancy one is pursued by for- eigners, such as Americans, Comanches, Utes, Pueblo Cliff-Dwellers, or others, and is indis- posed on this account, he calls upon the war singers to destroy these enemies. This accounts too, for the custom of coveting a tuft of hair, a piece of a legging, a whole or the part of a scalp, a piece of bone or clothing belonging to an Apa- che, Ute, or other foreigner, or purchasing them when seen at a curio store. When these objects are in possession of a friend, no time or labor is spared to acquire portions of them if desired for immediate use. A journey of this kind is termed going on the war-path, and the parts of the enemy required, or designated as desirable for the rattlestick, are usually indicated by the astrologers and divinators called upon previ- ously to trace the source of illness. If success- fully obtained, the bone, hair, rag, or other trophy, is tied to the horse's tail to avoid con- tamination, and is hurried without delay to its destination. Otherwise, too, such trophies are held at some distance from one's person while in their transportation, being tied to a stick and placed at some distance from the camp, while at home they are hidden in some distant hide- spot for future use. This is a remnant of an old war custom whereby the moist scalp was car-
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ried in a similar manner, and contamination, or rather, pursuit, by the spirit of the slain, avoided by means of the blackening, or war dance, held soon after a skirmish. The medicine pouches of the war singers were, therefore, frequently pro- vided with such trophies as hair, finger-nails, and finger tips of slain enemies, or the collar- bone of the enemy, for the purpose of conduct- ing their war rites.
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