The Myths of the North American IndiansSpence, Lewis
History
The Myths of the North American Indians
Spence, Lewis
Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
At Sikyatki, in Arizona, a territorial nucleus of the Hopi Indians, Mr.
Fewkes had opportunities of inspecting many interesting fetish forms.
A number of these discovered in native graves were pebbles with a
polished surface, or having a fancied resemblance to some animal shape.
Many of the personal fetishes of the Hopi consist of fossils, some of
which attain the rank of tribal fetishes and are wrapped up in sacred
bundles, which are highly venerated. In one grave was found a single
large fetish in the shape of a mountain {93} lion, made of sandstone,
in which legs, ears, tail, and eyes are represented, the mouth still
showing the red pigment with which it had been coloured. This is
almost identical with some fetishes used by the Hopi at the present day.
Totemism and Fetishism Meet
Fetishism among the Zuñi Indians of the south arose from an idea they
entertained that they were kin with animals; in other words, their
fetishes were totemistic. Totemism and fetishism were by no means
incompatible with one another, but often flourished side by side.
Fetishism of the Zuñi description is, indeed, the natural concomitant
of a totemic system. Zuñi fetishes are usually concretions of lime or
objects in which a natural resemblance to animals has been heightened
by artificial means. Ancient fetishes are much valued by these people,
and are often found by them in the vicinity of villages inhabited by
their ancestors, and as tribal possessions are handed down from one
generation to another. The medicine-men believe them to be the actual
petrifactions of the animals they represent.
The Sun-Children
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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