The Sia: (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))Stevenson, Matilda Coxe
History
The Sia: (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))
Stevenson, Matilda Coxe
Zia Indians
In the morning, when the sun was still new, the ti´ämoni had the feast
spread—bowls of mush, bread, and meat; and he said to Po´shaiyänne, who
was present: “Father, if you have food bring it to my house and we will
have our feast together.” Po´shaiyänne replied: “It is well, father;”
and, to the astonishment of all, Po´shaiyänne’s food immediately
appeared. It was spread on tables;[9] the bowls holding the food being
very beautiful, such as had never before been seen. The ti´ämoni told
Ma´asewe to bid the people come to the feast; and all, including the
most aged men and women and youngest children, were present. Upon
entering the house they were surprised with the things
they saw on Po´shaiyänne’s table, and all who could went to his
table in preference to sitting before the ti´ämoni’s. Even the water
upon Po´shaiyänne’s table was far better than that furnished by the
ti´ämoni; and those who drank of this water and ate Po´shaiyänne’s food
immediately became changed, their skins becoming whiter than before;
but all could not eat from Po´shaiyänne’s board and many had to take
the food of the ti´ämoni, and they remained in appearance as before.
After this feast, Po´shaiyänne visited all the pueblos and then passed
on to Chihuahua in Mexico. Before Po´shaiyänne left the Sia, he said
to them: “I leave you, but another day I will return to you, for this
village is mine for all time, and I will return first to this village.”
To the ti´ämoni he said: “Father, you are a ti´ämoni, and I also am
one; we are as brothers. All the people, the men, the women, and the
children are mine, and they are yours; and I will return to them again.
Watch for me. I will return;” and he added, “In a short time another
people will come; but before that time, such time as you may choose, I
wish you to leave this village, for my heart is here and it is not well
for another people to come here; therefore depart from this village
before they come near.”
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