Ceremonial of Hasjelti Dailjis and Mythical Sand Painting of the Navajo IndiansStevenson, James
Religion
Ceremonial of Hasjelti Dailjis and Mythical Sand Painting of the Navajo Indians
Stevenson, James
Navajo Indians -- Rites and ceremonies
During the ceremony an Apache basket containing meal was brought in and
placed at the feet of the rainbow goddess. The invalid entered the lodge,
which had become quite filled with privileged spectators, and receiving
the basket of meal, sprinkled the figures from left to right; he then
removed all his clothing except his breech cloth and stood east of the
painting. Hostjoghon stepped to the head of the rainbow goddess and taking
the small gourd of medicine water dipped the cedar twig into the water and
sprinkled the figures, then touched the twig to the feet, heart, and head
of each figure, commencing at the male figure to the north and passing
south, then beginning with the female figures to the north and passing
south. The invalid took his seat in the center of the painting with his
knees drawn to his chin. Hostjoghon held the medicine gourd over each
figure and passed it to the invalid, who took four sips, Hostjoghon
hooting each time he passed the gourd to the invalid. After returning the
gourd and twig to their former position he placed the palms of his hands
to the feet and head of each figure and then placed his palms on the
corresponding parts of the invalid’s body, and pressed his head several
times between his hands. After touching any part of the invalid,
Hostjoghon threw his hands upward and gave one of his characteristic
hoots. The song-priest placed coals in front of the invalid and herbs upon
them, as he had done the day before, and then retired. The coals were
afterwards thrown out of the fire opening and the crowd rushed to the
painting to rub their bodies with the sand. The painting was obliterated
in the usual manner and the sand carried out and deposited at the base of
a piñon tree some 200 yards from the lodge.
[Illustration]
EIGHTH DAY.
The grinding of the paint began at daylight, and just at sunrise the
artists commenced their work. When any mistake occurred, which was very
seldom, it was obliterated by sifting the ground color over it. Each
artist endeavored to finish his special design first, and there was
considerable betting as to who would succeed. The rapidity with which
these paints are handled is quite remarkable, particularly as most of the
lines are drawn entirely by the eye. After the completion of the painting,
each figure being three and a half feet long, corn pollen was sprinkled
over the whole by the song priest. (See illustration, Pl. CXXIII.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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