The North American Indian Part 12

[Ill.u.s.tration: Evening in the Desert - Navaho]

Evening in the Desert - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

With a large stone knife Locust cut off the horns of the Monsters one by one. With those from the one toward the east he made a long sweep with his arm in that direction, and in the distance sprang up an ocean. In like manner he formed oceans to the south, west, and north with the horns of the remaining three. The creation of rivers followed: with a wave of the hand the Rio Grande, the San Juan, the Colorado, the Little Colorado, and others were made. Hair pulled from the bodies of the Monsters was tossed to the winds and from it sprang frogs, snakes, lizards, and reptiles of every kind.

While Locust was doing this the remainder of the people came up. They stood about on the small bare spots of ground wondering what to do. Among them were the four Winds (Ni?lchi), Black, Blue, Yellow, and White. Each blew toward his respective cardinal point and soon much of the water dried up, leaving a quant.i.ty of bare land. But not a sign of vegetation was there at any hand; all was as barren as the desert sands. Luckily each had brought seeds of many kinds from the world below. These they began planting, finis.h.i.+ng the task in four days.

After the planting, First Man, First Woman, Wolf Chief, and Mountain Lion Chief each made a speech advising the creation of a number of mountains similar to the ones they had had in the lower world. This was agreeable to all, and accordingly the work was begun. The handfuls of earth caught up hurriedly from the tops of the mountains below as they were driven off by the rising flood were taken to the cardinal points and deposited in the same relative positions, an equal distance apart, as were the submerged mountains from which the earth had been taken. First Si?snajini, the White Mountain, was made in the east; then Tsotzilh, the Blue Mountain, in the south; next Dokooslit, the Yellow Mountain, in the west, and lastly Depe?nsa, the Black Mountain, in the north. Having yet portions of each handful of earth remaining, two more mountains, called Choili and Tzilhnuhodihli, were made near the point of emergence in the middle of the rectangle formed by the creation of the other four. To give each mountain color, white sh.e.l.l, turquoise, abalone, and jet were used for those at the cardinal points, while the middle two were colored with a mixture of all these substances.

When the mountains were finished and the people looked about, it was proposed that a sky should be made to cover the earth. "But," said one, "what of the earth itself; is it not too small to furnish food for the people who shall later come to live upon it?" None had thought of this, but reflection, followed by a discussion, brought them all to the one opinion-they would enlarge the earth and at the same time spread the sky above. Accordingly, the chief who had spoken asked if anyone had a piece of turquoise weighing as much as a man, and the skin of a large male deer which had been smothered to death in pollen. First Man answered that he had. A large white sh.e.l.l and the skin of a doe which had been smothered in pollen were next requested. First Woman responded with them. The two skins were then placed on the ground, side by side, with their heads toward the east. Upon the one was put the turquoise and a piece of abalone sh.e.l.l; on the other the white sh.e.l.l and a pearl. First Man and First Woman then called for Kosdilhkih, Black Cloud, and adilhkih, Black Fog. These came and spread out over the skins four times each, lifting and settling each time. When Fog lifted the last time it took up with it the skin with the turquoise and abalone and began to expand, spreading wider and wider until a blue film covered all, in the form of the sky. As the turquoise skin expanded, so also did the white-sh.e.l.l skin, broadening the earth as it grew. During this period of transition the people all travelled eastward, and being Holy People, covered great distances each day. At the end of the fourth day they stopped. Then also the sky and the earth ceased widening, having reached their present dimensions. Since the two skins had been placed with their heads toward the east, the heads of the sky and the earth are now in that direction.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Hasche?lti_ - Navaho]

_Hasche?lti_ - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

This, the Talking G.o.d, is the chief character in Navaho mythology. In the rites in which personated deities minister to a suffering patient this character invariably leads, carrying a four-piece folding wand, _balil_, and uttering a peculiar cry.

As yet there was neither sun nor moon to shed light, only dawn, circling the horizon in the four colors-white in the east, blue in the south, yellow in the west, and black in the north. Deeming it necessary that they should have light to brighten the world, and warmth for the corn and the gra.s.s, on their return to the earth's centre one of the chiefs made a speech advocating the creation of a sun and a moon.

First Man and First Woman placed two sacred deerskins on the ground as before. On the buckskin a sh.e.l.l of abalone was placed, on the doeskin a bowl made of pearl. The sh.e.l.l contained a piece of clear quartz crystal, and the bowl a moss agate. The objects were dressed respectively in garments of white, blue, yellow, and black wind, and were carried to the end of the land in the east by First Man and First Woman. With their spirit power astse Hastin and astse Estsan sent both the sh.e.l.l and the bowl far out over the ocean, giving life to the crystal and the agate as they did so, directing that the one who would be known as Chehonaai, the Sun, should journey homeward through the sky by day, shedding light and warmth as he pa.s.sed; the other, Klehonaai, the Moon, must travel the same course by night. To each were given homes of turquoise in the east and west, and none but the Winds and the G.o.ds, Hasche?lti and Haschogan, were to visit them.

Upon their return astse Hastin and astse Estsan were asked if they would leave the sky in so plain a condition, or if they intended to beautify it with jewels. They replied that it was their intention to dot it with many bright stars. All those who had bits of white sh.e.l.l, turquoise, crystal, pearl, or abalone were directed to contribute them for the making of the stars. These were placed upon the two deerskins by First Man and First Woman. The seven stars of the Great Dipper, Nohokos Baku?n, were the first to be set in the sky. Next, those of Nohokos Baad, his female complement, were placed in the blue dome. Then followed Ete?tso and Etetsozi, Sontso and Sontsozi, and Dilgehet, the Small Dipper, Sonhotsi and Klekai Stai, the Milky Way.

In each instance the arrangement of the stars in the constellation was made when the fragments of precious stones were placed upon the skins, where astse Hastin and astse Estsan imparted glowing light to them and delivered them to the Winds to carry to the sky. Only a small portion of the gems had been thus transformed and sent up, when a fine-looking, well-dressed stranger came up to watch the proceedings. In reply to his question as to what was being done, his attention was directed to the sun, the moon, and the many stars already created, while more were soon to follow. The man was Coyote, son of Darkness. He watched the work for a time, when, seeing his chance, he caught the large deerskin containing the pile of jewel fragments and flung it skyward, blowing into the bits four times ere they could fall, scattering them all over the sky. Thus it is that there are myriads of stars irregular in arrangement and without names. As he strode off Coyote explained curtly that there were already enough sacred things to wors.h.i.+p.

Then the Winds were stationed at the horizon to guard the earth, and at the four sacred mountains in the east, south, west, and north, to act as messengers for the Hasche?lti and Haschogan-Talking G.o.ds and House G.o.ds-who had their abodes on them. On the same plane, one behind the other, the Winds were ranged in streaks, White, Blue, Yellow, and Black.

Outside of all Coyote placed a streak of Red Wind. This forced itself to the inside many years later and gave rise to disease and premature death, for as the good Winds are life-breathing, so the evil Winds are life-taking. Even now the Red Wind takes the lives of many children every year.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Haschogan_ - Navaho]

_Haschogan_ - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

Second in general importance only to Hasche?lti among Navaho deities is the House G.o.d, here shown. His position among the G.o.ds is quite parallel with that of peace chief among Indians in life. Like the majority of the myth characters he has numerous counterparts in the various world quarters.

The Digi?n made their homes near Choili, close to the place of emergence.

It was there that all ceremonies took place. From their homes the people saw a dark Cloud settle and cover the top of Choili. For four days it kept lowering until the mountain was completely shrouded in dark blue fog. They did not know whether it portended good or evil, but realized that something of moment was at hand. astse Hastin ascended the mountain through the fog to learn what it meant, but found nothing unusual. As he turned to descend, a faint, apparently distant cry reached his ears, but he paid no heed. Ere long the same sound came to him again; then a third and a fourth time, whereupon he turned and walked in the direction whence it came. On the eastern slope he found a tiny baby, and wrapping it in rays of sunbeams he carried it home to his wife.

The Cloud that descended was a portion of the sky which had come to meet the Earth; from the union of the two Yolkai Estsan, White-Sh.e.l.l Woman, was born. In twelve days the baby had grown to maturity, subsisting on pollen only. astse Hastin and astse Estsan sent messengers to all the Digin to tell them of the marvel and to summon them to a ceremony which would be held four days later. Word was sent also to the G.o.ds on the four sacred mountains.

astse Estsan dressed Yolkai Estsan in fine garments ornamented with beautiful jewels. At the western side of her hogan she placed a sacred deerskin and laid upon it several wool and cotton blankets, covering the whole with a mountain-lion skin. These were arranged as the seat of honor for White-Sh.e.l.l Woman, for whom was about to be held a ceremony celebrating her maturity.

On the appointed day all a.s.sembled. The first matter to decide was the number of songs to be sung. Some wished fourteen, others thought twelve sufficient. Hasche?lti, Talking G.o.d, sang the songs and chose to sing fourteen. When he had finished, each of the Holy People sang six songs, making in all two hundred and eighty-two. An entire night was thus consumed. At dawn astse Estsan came into the hogan with a white-sh.e.l.l bowl containing yucca root, a black _tozus_, or water bottle, containing black rain, and a blue one with blue rain. From each bottle she poured a little water upon the yucca root and proceeded to wash Yolkai Estsan and all her finery. That done, Yolkai Estsan was directed to run toward the rising sun for a short distance and return. Many of the young people followed, a chosen singer chanting eight songs during their absence. The ceremony finished, the a.s.semblage returned to their homes, each of the selected singers taking one of the blankets from the seat in return for his services.

Although all the people then on earth were of the Digi?n, only a few had G.o.d-like powers, particularly First Man, First Woman, Yolkai Estsan, and the Winds. The lesser Holy Ones worked much in clay, making pottery and adobe houses. The designs they used in their earthenware, however, were of a sacred nature, to be used only in ceremonials, and when the Fox, Wolf, Badger, Bird, and many other people repeatedly employed sacred symbols to adorn their cooking pots, First Man and his wife became very angry and called a council, which, in addition to themselves, was attended by Chehonaai, Yolkai Estsan, and Ni?lchi, the Wind People.

The wicked people had homes throughout the land, many of which were built of stone, upon the plains, and others in the cliffs. The councillors decided that these people and their homes must be destroyed, but how to effect this was a problem.

First Woman and Chehonaai thought it would be wise to give birth to demoniac monsters and let them devour the evil ones, but First Man objected, and finally the council agreed that the Winds should perform the task by bringing forth a devastating storm. The faithful were warned and given time to seek refuge under the water, inside the sacred mountains, in the higher cliffs, and in the sky. Then the Winds came. For four days terrific storms raged, hurling men and trees and houses through the air like leaves. When they abated hundreds of houses lay in ruins which may yet be traced by heaps of stones scattered throughout the Navaho country.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Antelope Ruin - Canon del Muerto]

Antelope Ruin - Canon del Muerto

_From Copyright Photograph 1906 by E.S. Curtis_

Soon another council of the same dictators was called, this time to discuss how more people might be created. First Man sent Wind messengers to bring Black Fog Boy and Black Cloud Girl, Precious Stone Boy and Precious Stone Girl, White Corn Boy and Yellow Corn Girl, Blue Corn Boy and All-Color Corn Girl, Pollen Boy and Cricket Girl, and Rain Boy and Rain Girl. These twelve were laid side by side on four sacred deerskins and covered with four others. The Spirit Winds of the west came and blew between the skins; the Spirit Winds of the east came and blew also; then came Hasche?lti from the east, with rainbows in his hand, calling "Wu-hu-hu-hu-u"; and Haschogan from the south, with sunbeams in his hand.

They walked up and gently tapped the skins with their bows and beams.

Hasche?lti of the west and Haschogan of the north came next and gently tapped the skins. Then the skins lifted, revealing twelve beautiful young people perfectly formed. astse Hastin bade them arise and stand, and then with Hasche?lti in the lead and Haschogan behind, they four times encircled the sacred mountains Choili and Tzilhnuhodihli, halting close to the hole whence the Holy People emerged. There astse Hastin made them an extended speech, telling them that they had been brought forth from the elements to people the earth; that they must rear children and care for them as kind fathers and mothers, teaching them to be good to one another; and that it would be necessary for them to plant corn and other seeds at once. The Digi?n, First Man continued, were about to leave, to go into the rivers, the oceans, the cliffs, the mountains, off to the horizon, and to the sky, but they would ever keep watch over their people and would help those who showed them respect and reverence in prayer and song. To Yolkai Estsan was entrusted future guardians.h.i.+p of the people. It would be her duty to furnish the he-rain and the she-rain, to fructify all crops, and bring forth abundant gra.s.s and seeds.

Then the Digi?n took their departure, vanis.h.i.+ng the people knew not whither. Yolkai Estsan turned westward to her whitesh.e.l.l home on the horizon, far out across the wide waters. Arriving there she determined to make a few more people. Cuticle rubbed from her body, with bits of white sh.e.l.l, turquoise, abalone, and jet, she placed between two sacred deerskins, male and female, and called for the Spirit Winds of the east, the Spirit Winds of the west, Hasche?lti and Haschogan, who came and breathed upon and tapped the deerskins as once before, and lo! there arose four pairs of people.

Each pair was given a walking-stick-one of white sh.e.l.l to one, staffs of turquoise, abalone, and jet respectively to the others. Black Fog and Black Cloud came and spread out over the water. Upon these the new people took up their journey eastward to join others like themselves. For four days they travelled on Fog and Cloud, reaching the earth at the end of the fourth day, where, on the following day, they were welcomed by Chehonaai, the Sun. There, too, the Bear, the Wolf, the Great Snake, the Mountain Lion, the Weasel, and the Porcupine met them at the direction of Yolkai Estsan, to guard them on their long land journey. The Lightning also she made, to protect them from above.

They journeyed eastward, stopping to camp and rest at the end of the first day. For water they had but to prod the earth with their walking-sticks and a spring gushed forth. The first of the four, the man of White Sh.e.l.l, stuck his staff into the ground and water came up at once. "The water is close," he remarked, from which speech he took his name, for the others henceforth called him To Ahani, Water Is Close. The following night the Turquoise Woman brought water, but it was bitter, so she said, from which fact she took her name of To Dichini, Bitter Water. The man who tried for water on the third night found only a muddy flow, so the others called him Hashkli?shni, Mud. The fourth night they camped in sight of the Dine?

(Navaho) whom they had come to join. The woman of the fourth pair called attention to the houses in the caves, after which they called her Ki?nya ani, Houses in the Cliffs.(7)

The following day they were welcomed by the twelve who had been created and given dominion over the land but a short time before, and from these twenty have the pure-blood Navaho descended.

MIRACLE PERFORMERS

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Naye?nezgani_ - Navaho]

_Naye?nezgani_ - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

Two of the most important characters in Navaho mythology are twin miracle-performing sons of White-Sh.e.l.l Woman, Yolkai Estsan, chief G.o.ddess. This plate pictures the leader of the two-the first conceived and the first-born, whose father is the sun. His name means "Slayer of Alien G.o.ds," from _ana_, alien; _ye_, G.o.ds; _agani_, to kill. By him, with the a.s.sistance of Tobadzischi?ni, his twin brother, were killed numerous bird, animal, rock, and human monsters, typifying evils, who wantonly destroyed human life.

When the Spirit People came upon this earth from below they made six sacred mountains, four on the distant horizon at the cardinal points and two in the centre, Choili and Tzilhnuhodiihli. On the eastern slope of Choili, brought forth as the daughter of Earth and Sky, was born Yolkai Estsan, White-Sh.e.l.l Woman. First Man took her to his home near Tzilhnuhodihli, where she matured in twelve days into a beautiful woman with supernatural powers. Later she lived in a home of her own at the foot of this mountain. It was while there that she gave birth to twin boys who became saviours of their people, slaying alien G.o.ds who were fast depopulating the earth.

Yolkai Estsan would often lie on the eastern slope of the mountain as the sun rose through the morning, and when the day grew warm would seek the shade of jutting rocks from which trickled s.h.i.+ning drops of water. Quite unknown to herself she had conceived one day from the sunbeams and the dripping water. When she became aware that she was to become a mother Yolkai Estsan was made very happy, for she did not enjoy living alone.

Soon she found herself the proud possessor of twin boys. The first-born and the stronger came to be known in his youth as Naye?nezgani, Slayer of Alien G.o.ds; the other was always known as Tobadzischi?ni, Born From Water.

Their prenatal life covered a period of only twelve days, and maturity was attained in thirty-two days after pa.s.sing through eight changes, one of which came every four days.