The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, HavasupaisJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, Havasupais
James, George Wharton
Indians of North America -- Southwest, New
We were permitted to use the schoolhouse, and just about sunset I was
busily engaged when there came a loud rap at the door. I hastened to
open it, and there stood a dignified, well-built, slightly bearded,
neatly dressed man, who smiled and bowed with dignity and courtesy. He
wore a cap, and at first sight looked more like a retired sea-captain
than anything, so I responded to his bow with the question as to what
did I owe the honor of his visit.
"Why, you sent for me!" he replied.
"I sent for you? When?"
Then he heartily laughed and exclaimed: "You no sapogi me? I'm
Sus-quat-i-mi, Wallapai Charley."
To say I was surprised was to put it mildly.
Later on Quasula, Big Water (Ha-jiv-a-ha), Eagle Feather
(Sa-ka-lo-ka), Acorn Flour (Ā-tī-na), Coyote Eating Fish-gut
(Ka-ha-cha-va), and other leading men came, and we had quite an
interesting meeting. I stated to them my object in coming: "There are
many of your white brothers who live between the Great Waters of the
Sunrise and Sunset who wish to know more of their red-faced brothers
of the Painted Desert. I have come for years among you to find out
and to tell them. When I speak of Quasula they ask me to tell what he
looks like, and I tell them as well as I can, but if I could show them
a sun-picture they would know so much better than my words make clear.
So I wish you no longer to be as children and babes. I have made the
sun-pictures of Navahoes, Hopis, Havasupais, Apaches, Pimas, Acomas,
Paiutis, and others; why should I not make yours?"
When they presented their superstitions, I reasoned against them, and
finally Quasula settled the whole matter in my favor by rising and
saying with great dignity: "We have heard our brother with the white
face and black beard. He speaks in one way,--not in two ways at once.
His words breathe truth. We need not fear the sun-picture. I will go
to him to-morrow and he shall make as many sun-pictures of me and
my family as he desires. I want him to be able to tell to our white
brothers who live by the Sunrise Sea all he has learned of us. We are a
poor, ignorant people, we are few and do not know much. The white men
are many and they know as much as they are many. Let them send more
people to teach us and our children and we will gladly welcome them.
Some of our people have been bad. Bad white men have made them worse.
We want the bad men to be kept away, but we will welcome good white
men, and our children shall learn from them and be wise."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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