Ceremonies of the Pomo IndiansBarrett, S. A. (Samuel Alfred)
Religion
Ceremonies of the Pomo Indians
Barrett, S. A. (Samuel Alfred)
Pomo Indians -- Social life and customs; Pomo dance
Toward the west lived Xa´-matū´tsī (water-occupation). The
connection is here very readily seen when we know that the territory
of the Pomo reached to the Pacific Ocean, and that this great body of
water formed an important element in certain phases of their mythology.
It was only toward the west that the world was supposed by the Pomo to
be bounded by water.
Above lived Kalī´-matūtsī (sky-occupation).
Below lived Ka´i-matū´tsī (earth-occupation).
Some of these terms really referred to groups of several deities each.
The deities of all six quarters were particularly concerned with
medicine practices. Healing was, however, especially the province of
the Gū´ksūs, and the Pomo medicine-men, or "doctors," made their
prayers particularly to them, although all the remaining deities of the
cardinal points were invoked.
Nothing very definite seems to be known concerning the places of abode
or manners of living of most of these deities. Each was supposed to
dwell, at his own "end of the world," in a sweat-house or dance-house
of one kind or another. Each was also supposed to be distinctly
malevolent at times and to be a man-killer unless properly placated.
Under the proper circumstances they were regarded as benevolent, as was
indicated by the prayers of the medicine-men invoking the aid of these
deities in curing the sick.
Concerning the personal appearance of Gū´ksū and Ca´lnis, more
was known than of the others. Gū´ksū himself was said to be of
about normal human size and his most characteristic feature was a
very long, large, sharp, red nose. He was usually very good natured.
Ca´lnis, on the other hand, while resembling Gū´ksū in most
respects except that of the abnormal nose, was at all times a testy
individual, and in the Gū´ksū ceremony his impersonator pursued
people and tripped them up.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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