The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony: Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-84, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 379-468Matthews, Washington
Religion
The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony: Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-84, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 379-468
Matthews, Washington
Mountainway (Navajo rite); Navajo Indians -- Rites and ceremonies
178. Fig. 59 depicts a kethàwn pertaining also to the klèdji-qaçàl. It
is called keçàn-yalçi‘, or talking kethàwn. The sticks are willow. The
one to the left is painted black, to represent a male character
(Qastcèbaka) in the myth and ceremony of klèdji-qaçàl. The other stick
is painted blue, to denote a female character (Qastcèbaäd) in the same
rites. The blue stick has a diagonal facet at the top to indicate the
square topped female mask (paragraph 168). The naturally round end of
the black stick sufficiently indicates the round male mask. The cord
wrapped around the two sticks is similar to that described in the
paragraph immediately preceding. About the middle of the cord is a long
white shell bead, shown in the cut. The breast feathers of the turkey
and the downy feathers of the eagle are attached to the sticks. This
kethàwn I saw once in the possession of a Navajo qaçàli. I was permitted
to sketch it, but could not purchase it. The interpretation given of its
symbolism is that of the qaçàli who owned it. In the myth of
klèdji-qaçàl it is said that the beneficent god Qastcèëlçi used this
kethàwn when he removed from the prophet Co the evil spell which had
been cast on the latter by the wind god.
[Illustration:
Bureau of Ethnology
Fifth Annual Report Pl. XVIII
FOURTH DRY-PAINTING]
179. In Schoolcraft’s Archives of Aboriginal Knowledge, Philadelphia,
1860, Vol. III, page 306, is a cut illustrating an article undoubtedly
of a similar nature to that shown in Fig. 59. It is a sacrificial plume
stick of the Moki. The Moki interpreter explained to Mr. Schoolcraft
that it contained a message from the Indians to the President and the
particulars of this message are fully set forth in his text. At first I
doubted if the object could have any other purpose than a sacrificial
one and was inclined to discredit the statement of the Moki interpreter.
But on learning that the Navajo had a similar arrangement of sticks and
feathers, which was called by the significant name of keçànyalçi‘, or
talking kethàwn, I was more inclined to believe that some of these
kethàwns may answer a double purpose and be used to convey messages, or
at least serve as mnemonic aids to envoys.
180. The cac-bikeçàn (bear kethàwn) spoken of in the myth consisted of
two sticks, each a span long, one painted black (male), the other
painted blue (female). Each had red and blue bands at the ends and in
the middle. There were no feathers or beads. (Paragraph 40.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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