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
but as the sheep approached him they became gods. The first one was
Hasjelti, the second was Hostjoghon, the third was Naaskiddi, the fourth
one was Hadatchishi. At this strange metamorphosis the youth was greatly
alarmed, he dropped his bow and fell to the ground senseless. Hasjelti
stood at the east side of the youth, Hostjoghon to the south, Naaskiddi to
the west, and Hadatchishi to the north of him. Each had a rattle, which
was used to accompany the songs for the recovery of the youth. They also
traced with their rattle in the sand this emblem, meaning a figure of a
man, and drew parallel lines at the head and feet with the rattle. When
this was done the youth recovered and the gods had again assumed the form
of sheep. They asked the youth why he had tried to shoot them. "You see
you are one of us," they said. The youth had become transformed into a
sheep. "There is to be a dance far off to the north beyond Ute Mountain;
we want you to go with us to the dance. We will dress you like ourselves
and teach you to dance; we will then go over the world." The brothers who
watched from the mesa top wondered what the trouble could be. They could
not see the gods. They saw the youth lying on the ground and said, "We
must go and see what is the matter." On reaching the place they found that
their young brother had gone. They saw where he had lain and where the
people had worked over him. They began crying and said, "For a long time
we would not believe him, and now he has gone off with the sheep." They
made many efforts to head off the sheep, but without success, and they
cried all the more, saying, as they returned to the mesa, "Our brother
told us the truth and we would not believe him; had we believed him he
would not have gone off with the sheep; perhaps some day we will see him."
[Illustration: Emblem]
At the dance the sheep found seven others like themselves. This made their
number twelve. The seven joined the others in their journey around the
world. All people let them see their dances and learn their songs. Then
all the number excepting the youth talked together and they said, "There
is no use keeping him with us longer (referring to the youth); he has
learned everything; he may as well go now and tell his people and have
them do as we do." The youth was instructed to have twelve in the dance,
six gods and six goddesses, with Hasjelti to lead them. He was told to
have his people make masks to represent them. It would not do to have
twelve Naaskiddi represented among the Navajo, for they would not believe
it and there would be trouble. They could not learn all of their songs.
The youth returned to his brothers, carrying with him all songs, all
medicine, and clothing.
THE OLD MAN AND WOMAN OF THE FIRST WORLD.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account