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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.)
Éditeur : Government printing office (Washington)
Date d'édition : 1895-1964
Contributeur : Powell, John Wesley (1834-1902). Directeur de publication
Type : texte,publication en série imprimée
Langue : Anglais
Format : application/pdf
Identifiant : ark:/12148/cb37575968z/date
Identifiant : ISSN 0097269X
Source : Bibliothèque nationale de France
Relation : http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb37575968z
Description : Périodicité : Annuel
Description : Etat de collection : n. 1 (1879)-n. 48 (1931)
Provenance : bnf.fr
Date de mise en ligne : 12/01/2009
1929 (N47)-1930. Note : Index.
Page
(Screen 546 / 1186)
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514 INTRODUCTION TO ZDNI CEREMONIALISM [ETn.ANN.d7
ineluded in the sacred paraphernalia of the priests-pots of sacred
black paint, round stones, "thunder stones," obsidian knives, and
other objects, ail of which were brought from the lower world. The
e~to'we themselves are each in two parts, Ea/etow'e, water fetish,
and tcu~e~to'we, corn fetish. The rain-making function is decidedly
the more important.
In addition to the objects on the altar of their retreat, the chief
priesthood is said to maintain a permanent altar in the fourth under-
ground room of their house. In addition to the usual obj ects on priestly
altars, this altar contains two columns of rock, one of crystal and one
of turquoise, a heart-shaped rock which is "the heart of the world,"
with arteries reaching to the four cardinal points, and various prayer
sticks, including two, male and female, which are "the life of the
people." Ail objects on the altar, including thé e~to'we, are said to
be petrified. This altar is the center of the world, the spot beneath
the heart of Eânastep'a when he stretched out his arms. Only the
high priest himself has access to this chamber.44
The priests, as such, hold no public ceremonies, although their
presence is necessary at many ceremonies of other groups. Their
own ceremonies for the Uwanami are held in secret in the houses
where their fetishes are kept.
At the winter solstice the priesthoods observe a one-night retreat.
Following the planting of the prayer sticks to the sun is a taboo
period of 10 days, during which many rites are celebrated. On the
fifth or sixth night (depending on the phase of the moon) each priest-
hood goes into retreat in its ceremonial house. During the day the
priests make prayer sticks for the Uwanami of the different directions.
Before sunset these are deposited at a distant spring. When the
messengers return from the spring thé various sacred objects are
removed from their jars and placed on a meal painting, along with ears
of corn, clay models of peach trees, animals, even money, upon which
the blessing of increase is invoked. All night prayers are chanted
and songs sung. The ceremony ends at sunrise. This ceremony is
repeated by all the priests in their respective houses at the two full
moons following.
The great ceremonies of the priests occur after the summer solstice.
At this time rain is urgently needed for the young corn plants just
rising out of the ground. Thé rainy season starts about July 1.
Should the rains be delayed beyond that date great hardship is
suffered.
Four days following the summer planting of prayer sticks tbe
priesthoods begin their great series of summer retreats which last from
"Information concerning this altar was secured from a fairly reliable informant who gained access to it
and made a very remarkable painting of it. The author does not consider the information quite beyond
question, but gives it for what it may be worth.
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