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She persistently refused to marry any
young man in the village. At Red Sand (Palánvisa), a place north-east of
the village, some maidens were playing the game "jumping over the trays."
The maiden mentioned above never played with the other maidens, but one
time she went out intending to play with the maidens. When she came to the
edge of the mesa she sat down and watched the other maidens play. A young
man dressed in a blue Hopi blanket came by and asked her why she did not
play with the other maidens. "Yes," she said, "I never play with them."
Hereupon he sat down beside her and they talked together a little while,
then the maiden returned to her home.
In the evening she was grinding corn. While she was grinding a Katcina
came to the village, danced first near the Coyote (Ish) kiva, then at the
Singer (Táo) kiva, then at the Public plaza (Kíconvee), then at the
Wrinkle (Wíkolapi) kiva, and finally at the Hâmís-kiva. Hereupon he left
the village. The next morning the mána again proceeded to the place at the
edge of the mesa where she had been sitting the previous day, and again
the youth joined her. This time he asked her if she would marry him if her
father and mother were willing. She consented. He told her that if they
were willing he would come and get her the next day. He then told her that
he was the Katcina who was dancing in the village, saying that he would
again dance at the same places as usual, and then after he would be
through she should come and meet him at "The
Place-Where-Scalps-are-Dressed" (Yóvutzrhrokwanpi). Hereupon they parted.
In the evening she was again grinding corn and the Katcina again went
through the village dancing at the places mentioned, and singing the
following song while he was dancing, singing the same song at each place:
Achípolaina, achipolaina,
Koohochunisha, kowishkúnishaa,
Palainaiya ---------------- --aya.
Waa-i-aha-ihihi.
The mána had in the meanwhile obtained the permission of her parents to
marry the youth. The mother filled a tray with meal for her, with which
the mana proceeded to the place named by the Katcina. Here she was met by
the Katcina after he had made his round through the village. From here
they proceeded to the place called Kocántűika, a bluff named after a
certain plant, kocána.
When they arrived here they saw a kiva and a light in it. A voice called
out from the kiva inviting them to come in. They entered and found here a
great many different Katcinas. The youth was the Circle (Póngo) Katcina.
Hereupon the youth handed the mána some píki made of fresh roasting ears,
and also some watermelon slices, which she ate.
They then remained in this kiva, the mána preparing the food for the
Katcinas, and the latter preparing the bridal costume for the mána. Every
night the Póngo Katcina would go to the village and dance, as already
explained. When the bridal costume was finished the mána went home in the
same manner in which brides go home to-day. Her husband followed her, so
they lived in the house of her parents after that. Her parents now found
out that the husband of their daughter was a Katcina.
By and by she bore two children, which were also Circle Katcinas. One time
the young mother was drying corn-meal, stirring it in a pot over the fire.
When she was done with this she left her house and went to the edge of the
mesa outside of the village. Her husband had gone to visit the Katcinas at
the Katcina kiva mentioned before. While the woman was outside of the
village some one approached her. It was the Hotóto Katcina.
He told her that she should go with him, to which she consented. They
descended the mesa south of the village and went southward to Shongópavi.
When the Circle Katcina returned to the house he found his wife gone.
Following her tracks, he found that she had gone away with some one, and
soon heard who it was that had taken her away. He returned to the house,
took his two children and went with them to the Katcina house already
mentioned. Here they remained. The two little Katcinas learned the Katcina
songs and dances.
After a while the father and his two children concluded to try to find the
mother of the two youths. So the people cooked some roasting ears and
other food for them, whereupon they proceeded to the village, taking the
food with them. Here they danced at Pisávi, a place a short distance east
of the Pongóvi kiva. While they danced they sang the following song:
Ahahahahai ahahaai
Ahahahaha ihihihihihi
Umungu uyungnaya
Umungu uchioli
Ahahahahai ihihihihi-hi-hi-hi.
When they were through singing, the father asked the women among the
spectators whether some one would not nurse the children for these
roasting ears that they had brought with them, but no one was willing.
They went to the plaza, repeated their dancing and singing, whereupon the
father again asked the women that some one nurse his children for the
roasting ears, but no one was willing. They then proceeded to the Coyote
kiva, where the same thing was repeated.
No one being willing to nurse the two children, they left the village and
when they came to the last row of houses, where the Katcinas often rest
when they have dances now, a woman approached them declaring that she was
willing to nurse the children. After she had nursed them and they had
given her the roasting ears, they left the village along the trail leading
south-eastward. Here they traced the mother to Sik'ákvu, a bluff on top of
the mesa about three miles southeast of Oraíbi.
Here they found a kiva where they heard some one singing the following
song:
Tciihiihihio tcihihiokaaha,
Tcihihiokaaha tcihihiokaaha,
Ha, ha, ha!
It was the Haháii Wuhti, who was opening comíviki as she was singing. When
they heard the song they looked into the kiva and were noticed by the
Haháii Wuhti. "Oh!" she said, "here I am meeting you with this song.
Recently somebody was fetching your mother by here." The three went into
the kiva and were invited to remain over night. They were fed by the
Haháii Wuhti the comíviki. When they had eaten they danced, singing the
following song:
Ahahahaihahaiiya toywihihiovohokahai,
Ahahaahaaiahaiya toywihihiovohokahai,
Ocarasotikiiihi, polaihainahai,
Kahaahaowkuruhukahai, koaowaikurukahaihai.
In the morning they proceeded eastward. In the evening of the next day
they arrived at a place called Owl Spring (Móngkba). Here they found
another Haháii Wuhti in a kiva, who was also engaged in opening comíviki.
She was singing the same song that the other Haháii Wuhti had been
singing. When the three arrived they looked into the kiva. When the woman
noticed them she said, "Utí! here you some one is going about and I am
meeting you with this song. Recently some one fetched your mother by
here."
They went in and were fed by the Haháii Wuhti, whereupon they again danced
and sang the same song which they sang at the place of the other Haháii
Wuhti. They stayed over night at this kiva., and during the night the
Haháii Wuhti went to Kí'shiwuu, where many different kinds of Katcinas had
a dance. When one party had danced and gone away, another party would come
and perform their dance and leave. {p. 69} Then another party, and so on.
When all had danced, Haháii Wuhti returned to her home and told the three
Circle Katcinas about the dance. She told them about it; then they also
went and performed a dance at Kí'shiwuu, which, it seems, was not far
away. When they were through they again returned to Móngkba. Here they
remained until it became morning.
In the morning Haháii Wuhti again went to Kí'shiwuu to be present at
another dance, the three Circle Katcinas remaining behind. When they had
all danced Haháii Wuhti again Invited the three Katcinas. The people who
had seen them in the last dance during the night and had not observed them
during the day were waiting for them, thinking that they probably would
come. They went over and also performed their dance.
Before they went over Haháii Wuhti told them that their mother was at
Kí'shiwuu and that she would see them dance and she would certainly be
anxious to return with them. They performed their dance on the public
plaza, singing the same song that they had sung at the places of the two
Haháii Wuhtis, When they were through they again returned and soon met
their mother, who had recognized them and had gone before them. So they
took their mother back with them.
Before they reached Móngkba night befell them, so they stopped. The father
said to the two children they should go ahead to their grandmother, the
Haháii Wuhti, which they did. He then took a pointed stick and killed his
wife with it by thrusting it into her throat. Leaving the body at the
place, he followed his two sons, but before he reached the place where
they were the skeleton of his wife followed him.
The two boys had safely gotten into the house of their grandmother, but
their father ran away, being followed by the skeleton. He finally arrived
at the First Mesa, rushed into the village of Háno and there into a kiva
where a number of women were making jugs. He begged them to hide him as
something was pursuing him. Hereupon one of the women hid him under a pile
of clay which they were using for making their pottery.
The skeleton then arrived, saving, "Havá! Did my husband not come here_"
she asked. "No," they replied. "Yes," the skeleton said, "because his
tracks end here," and hereupon she entered the kiva. She threw aside all
the piles of clay and material that was lying there, and finally came to
the pile under which the man was hidden.
When he noticed that she was close by he jumped up, ran up the ladder and
westward towards Wálpi, being pursued by the skeleton of his wife. In
Wálpi he again entered a kiva. Here they were practicing a war dance.
"Hide me quickly," he said, "some one is following me." "Come here," they
said, and handed him a drum. So he beat the drum. The skeleton soon
arrived and entered the kiva after having spoken the same words as in Háno.
She shoved the dancers aside, but when she came to the one who was beating
the drum, he threw aside the drum and rushed out, running to Mishóngnovi.
Here he again rushed into a kiva where they were assembled for the Lagón
ceremony. The women were making trays. He again asked to be hidden as he
was being pursued by some one. One of the women told him to be seated in
her lap, which he did. She covered him with a tray that she was working on
and continued her work. Soon the skeleton arrived, asked the same
questions, and was again answered in the negative.
She came in, looked around, driving the women from one place of the kiva
into another, until she arrived at the one who had her husband. When he
saw that he could not remain hidden he rushed out and ran towards
Shongópavi. Here they also were assembled for the Lagón ceremony and the
same thing was repeated that took place in Mishóngnovi.
From here he ran towards Matö'vi (about fifteen miles south of Shongópavi).
At this place the Flute society had a ceremony. They were assembled at the
spring when he arrived, He again repeated the same request to be hidden,
as he was being pursued. They told him to go into the spring to a certain
sunflower stalk that was growing in the spring.
This he should mount and hide in its top. He did so. When the skeleton
arrived and asked whether her husband was not there the Flute priest told
her, "Yes, he has entered the spring." So she went to the edge of that
spring and entered it. Looking into the water she saw the sunflower stalk
reflected in the water and on top of it her husband. Thinking that he was
in the water she dived in and disappeared.
The pursued man came down and joined the Flute players. On the fourth day
they heard somebody pound yucca roots in the water. When the sun rose the
woman came out of the water, dressed in a bridal costume, and carrying in
her arms a reed receptacle which contained another bridal robe and the
white belt.
She appeared in exactly the same manner as the newly married bride appears
on the morning when she returns from the home of her husband to that of
her own mother. When she came out the two priests called the two together,
placed them back to back, made a road with sacred meal for each one; the
one road southward, and the other northward. The priests told them to
proceed four steps, each one in the direction they were facing.
Then they should turn and meet again. But the man returned when he had
taken three steps instead of four. The Flute priests were very angry and
called at the woman to run. She started, and her husband started after
her. "You shall always follow each other this way," the Flute priests
said. They both ran westward, and are still running in that way. The two
stars, Nangö'sohu pursue each other because one constantly follows the
other, sometimes overtaking it and then again remaining behind, are these
two personages.
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