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Titre : Annual report of the Bureau of American ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian institution

Auteur : Bureau of American ethnology (Washington, D.C.). Auteur du texte

Éditeur : Government printing office (Washington)

Date d'édition : 1929

Contributeur : Powell, John Wesley (1834-1902). Directeur de publication

Notice du catalogue : http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb37575968z

Notice du catalogue : https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb37575968z/date

Type : texte

Type : publication en série imprimée

Langue : anglais

Format : Nombre total de vues : 40082

Description : 1929

Description : 1929 (N47)-1930.

Description : Note : Index.

Droits : Consultable en ligne

Droits : Public domain

Identifiant : ark:/12148/bpt6k27660k

Source : Bibliothèque nationale de France

Conservation numérique : Bibliothèque nationale de France

Date de mise en ligne : 15/10/2007

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been acquired by legitimate means. It must be learned according to definite technique from someone who has the right to use it, and it must be paid for. Otherwise "maybe you can say it but it won't mean anything, or maybe you'll forget it when the time cornes to say it." Hence the confusion concerning just what is and what is not "esoteric" in Pueblo ritual. Enowledge of the details of "esoteric" ceremonies is widely diffused, but the power to perform any ceremony effectively is restricted. And since there is an illdefined feeling that in teaching prayers, "giving them away," as the Zurns say, the teacher loses some of the power over them, men are "stingy" with their religioD.~ Therefore a man who will tell readily enough a long dimcult prayer that he has learned out of curiosity, or as an investment against the time when the present owner dies, will balk at telling a simple common little prayer for offering corn meal to the sun, which everyone knows, but which nevertheless "belongs" to him in a way that the other does not. Hence the paradoxical situation that theverylast person to ask for an a-ciwani prayer is one of that group. This, incidentally, is one of the reasons why Christian missionaries are ludicrous in the eyes of Zunis. "They throw away their religion as if it weren't worth anything and expect us to believe it." Such conduct is not only ridiculous but irreverent.

There are other formulse at Zuni besides prayers and songs. Many ritualistic acts, such as offering corn meal or prayer sticks, are of this character. Once the writer caused considerable perturbation by sprinkling corn meal upon a Zuni altar. "Because sprinkling corn meal is like a prayer; even if you don't say anything you are asking for good luck, and because you are strong when you go away you will take ail our good luck with you to your country." Similarly no one at Zuni would make me a prayer stick to offer with the offerings of my family at the solstice, although many connived at my acquiring prayer sticks for scientific purposes.

SINGING AND DANCING

Singing and dancing by large groups hold an important place in public and secret rituals. Many ritual acts are accompanied by song. There are special song sequences for setting up and taking down altars, for mixing medicine water or soapsuds, for bathing the head at initiations, to accompany various acts of curing. These are ail special songs of the curing societies. Like prayers, they must be :o This was made painfully evident to the writer in the death of one of her best informants who, among other things, told her many prayers in text. During his last illness he related a dream which he be!ieved portended death and remarked, Yes, now I must die. I have given you all my religion and I have no way to protect myself." He died two days later. He was suspected of sorcery and his death was a source of general satisfaction. Another friend of the writer, a rain priest, who had always withheld esoteric information, remarked, Now your friend is dead. He gave away his religion as if it were of no vaJue, and now he is dead." He was voicing public opinion.