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
Hasjelti and Zaadoltjhaii repeated their performance over the invalid and
then over Yebahdi each time she elevated the basket. The invalid then
entered the lodge, followed by the representatives of the gods, who were
careful to remove their masks before going in. The invalid sat on the
cornstalk in the center of the sand painting, facing east. Zaadoltjaii
stepped upon the painting, and taking the little medicine gourd from the
hands of the rainbow goddess, dipped the cedar twig into the medicine
water and sprinkled the painting, beginning at the south side. Zaadoltjaii
gave the invalid a draft from the gourd, and waving the gourd from left to
right formed a circle, amidst the wildest cries. He gave three more drafts
to the invalid, each time waving the gourd around the invalid with a wave
toward the east. He then placed the palm of his hand over the feet of all
the figures, beginning with the figure at the south end, west side;
running up that line he began with the figure on the north end east side,
running down that line; he then placed his hands to the soles of the feet
of the invalid, hooting twice; then the heart of the invalid was touched
in the same manner with the palm of the right hand, the left hand being
placed to his back. The body was pressed in this way four times amid loud
cries. This was repeated upon the invalid. After touching each figure of
the painting, the right hand was placed to the forehead of the invalid and
the left hand to the back of the head, and the head pressed in this way on
all sides. The song-priest put live coals before the invalid and upon them
sprinkled tobacco and water, the fumes of which the invalid inhaled. An
attendant then threw the coals out of the fire opening, and the
song-priest gathered the twelve turkey wands from around the painting
while the inmates of the lodge hastened forward to press their hands upon
what remained of the figures, then drawing a breath from their hands, they
pressed them upon their bodies that they might be cured of any
infirmities, moral or physical, after which four men gathered at the
points of the compass and swept the sand to the center of the painting,
and placing it in a blanket deposited it a short distance from the lodge.
NINTH DAY.
FIRST CEREMONY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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