Archeological Expedition to Arizona in 1895: Seventeenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1895-1896, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1898, pages 519-744Fewkes, Jesse Walter
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Archeological Expedition to Arizona in 1895: Seventeenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1895-1896, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1898, pages 519-744
"The chiefs Wiki and Shimo, and others, have told you their
stories, and surely their ancestors were living here at Walpi
when Awatobi was occupied. It was a large village, and many
people lived there, and the village chief was called Tapolo,
but he was not at peace with his people, and there were
quarreling and trouble. Owing to this conflict only a little
rain fell, but the land was fertile and fair harvests were
still gathered. The Awatobi men were bad (_powako_,
sorcerers). Sometimes they went in small bands among the
fields of the other villagers and cudgeled any solitary
worker they found. If they overtook any woman they ravished
her, and they waylaid hunting parties, taking the game, after
beating and sometimes killing the hunters. There was
considerable trouble in Awatobi, and Tapolo sent to the
Oraibi chief asking him to bring his people and kill the evil
Awatobians. The Oraibi came and fought with them, and many
were killed on both sides, but the Oraibi were not strong
enough to enter the village, and were compelled to withdraw.
On his way back the Oraibi chief stopped at Walpi and talked
with the chiefs there. Said he, 'I can not tell why Tapolo
wants the Oraibi to kill his folks, but we have tried and
have not succeeded very well. Even if we did succeed, what
benefit would come to us who live too far away to occupy the
land? You Walpi people live close to them and have suffered
most at their hands; it is for you to try.' While they were
talking Tapolo had also come, and it was then decided that
other chiefs of all the villages should convene at Walpi to
consult. Couriers were sent out, and when all the chiefs had
arrived Tapolo declared that his people had become sorcerers
(Christians), and hence should all be destroyed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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