For
the second evening of unraveling seven bundles are needed.
Nine wooltáád
bundles are prepared for the third evening.
;;;;;Page 33
Eleven
bundles are required in the fourth Unraveling Ceremony.
The bundles
are wound and tied with strings spun of sheep wool.
At the end of these strings additional eagle feathers are secured
to serve as handles during the unraveling.
;;;;;Page 34
In a bowl the practitioner
prepares kétłoh, a mixture of four kinds of crushed leaves,
suspended in hot water. Kétłoh is "rub-on medicine." The
leaves for this mixture are obtained from Brickellia grandiflora, "the
herb from the air" (bił haazhch'ih), Pectis angusti-folia,
"the herb from the rock" (tsé ghániłch'ih), "the
herb from the water" (tó bits'ąądęę') and
"the frosted herb" (shohch'il). Zaa'nił shell and kétłoh
bowl are illustrated in connection with the One-yé'ii Sandpainting
Ceremonies in Chapter 7.
The patient's place in the
hogan is prepared by sprinkling a corn-meal circle. This circle represents the
world. Lines are sprinkled from the center of the circle to its eastern,
western, southern, and its northern limits. The result is a wheel-like pattern
with four spokes, with the spokes pointing to the four cardinal points of the
world. This inner design does not represent a cross extending over the
world—such an idea would be too Christian. Nor is this design merely a symbol
of the world in its entirety with its four cardinal directions—this idea would
be too Pueblo Indian. As perceived by the Navajo participants, in the Coyoteway
ceremonial, the "lines leading out represent all the living minds" of
the world. The participants in our ceremonial recognize "minds" and
"persons" wherein most Western people would not even see animate
beings.
The patient, who in
accordance with ceremonial practice has disrobed, circles the fire sunwise and
then sits on this miniature corn-meal world. While the priestly singer intones
a series of chants, the patient joins all the living minds and creatures in the
world and so symbolically acknowledges his kinship with them. "The world
of living minds will speak from the cornmeal design to me." These are the
words by which the patient later explained his participation. "There is a
relationship of trust, and one will strive in this context to think good
thoughts; I will live a long life and die of ripe old-age. I will walk happily.
I will walk well. I will finish my life in old age."
After he sits down, the
patient, because he is an initiatory and not an actually suffering patient,
joins the practitioner and his helpers in the singing. On the rapturous wings
of traditional songs the leader, especially, is transported into another
space—the real world where underworld and surface-world have blended into one.
With his rattle he maintains an ecstatic rhythm—restructuring the neutral flow
of past, present, and future into the eternally returning heartbeats of sacred
time. The first song participates in the primeval moment in the Coyoteway
tradition when the holy Coyote People, in the underworld, consecrated the
agents of health for the benefit of future patients and apprentices.
;;;;;Page 35
"The
world of living minds will speak from the cornmeal design to me...."
After
he sits down, the patient... joins the practitioner and his helpers in the
singing.
;;;;;Page 36
Score of the first Coyoteway song
;;;;;Page 37
1. Song, First Evening
They were given, they were given,
Those
were given, those were given.
The Sons of Sun were given. Those were given,
those were given.
The Sons of White Corn were given. Those were
given, those were given.
The Dark Cloud above the earth was given. Those
were given, those were given.
The
Flash of Lightning was given. Those were given, those were given.
The
Thin Dark Wind was given. Those were given, those were given.
The
Arrow Lightning's Voice was given. Those were given, those were given.
The Long-life One, the Happiness One.
Those were given, those were
given,
They were given, they were given,
Those were given, those were given.
The Sons of Moon were given. Those were given, those were given.
The Sons of Yellow Corn were given. Those were given, those were given.
The Ones that stand above were given. Those were given, those were given.
The White Rainbow was given. Those were given,
those were given.
The White Wind with its body was given. Those were given, those were given.
The Voice of the Cornripener was given. Those were given, those were given.
The Long-life One, the Happiness
One.
Those were given, those were given,
They were given, they were given,
Those were given, those were given.
31. Song, Third
Evening, a Continuation of Song 1
He
brought it back, he brought it back,
He
brought it back, he brought it back.(1)
With
these he brought it back.
The Sons of Sun, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The White Corn Boy, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
_____________________________
(1) Health, Long-life,
and Happiness are brought back.
;;;;;Page 38
On
the rapturous wings of traditional songs the leader,
especially, is transported into
another space....
;;;;;Page 39
The Black
Water, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The White Lightning, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The White Prayerstick, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Black Prayerstick, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Black Wind, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Sound of Thunder, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Long-life Happiness One, with these he brought it back.
He brought it back, he brought it back,
He brought it back, he brought it back.
With
these he brought it back.
The Sons of Moon, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Sons of Yellow Corn Girl, with these he brought it back. He brought it
back.
The Black Fur, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The White Prayerstick, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Black Prayerstick, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The White Rainbow, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Blue Prayerstick, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Male Cornripener Beetle, with these he brought it back. He brought it back.
The Long-life Happiness One, with these he brought it back.
He brought it back, he brought it
back,
He brought it back, he brought it back.
16, 49. Song, Second
and Fourth Evenings
The
stick stands upright, the stick stands upright,
The stick stands upright, the stick stands
upright.(2)
_____________________________________________________
(2) Reference is made to the vertical stick
used in the fire drill. This refrain echoes the fire-making song (Song 6) from
the First Morning.
;;;;;Page 40
With the Sons of Sun, the stick stands upright.
With the Sons of White Corn, the stick stands
upright.
In the White Reed Skin, the stick stands upright.
With Lightning, the stick stands upright.
With Black Wind, the stick stands upright.
With the Sound of Lightning, the stick stands
upright.
With the Sons of the Two-who-walk-before-you, Givers
of Happiness,
The stick stands upright, the stick stands upright,
The stick stands upright, the stick stands upright.
With the Sons of Moon, the stick stands upright.
With the Sons of Yellow Corn Girl, the stick stands
upright.
In the Yellow Reed Skin, the stick stands upright.
With the White Rainbow, the stick stands upright.
With Blue Pollen, the stick stands upright.
With the Cornripener, the stick stands upright.
With the Sons of the Two-who-walk-before-you, Givers
of Happiness,
The stick stands upright, the
stick stands upright,
The stick stands upright, the
stick stands upright.
2, 32. Song, First and
Third Evenings
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving,
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving.
With the
help of these it has begun moving.
With the Sons of Sun it has begun moving.
With the Sons of White Corn Girl it has begun moving.
With the Ones that stand above it has begun moving.
With the Flash of Lightning it has begun moving.
With the Black-blossomed Plant, it has begun moving.
With the Sound of Lightning it has begun moving.
With the Long-life Happiness One it has begun moving.
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving,
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving.
With the Sons of Moon it has begun moving.
With the Sons of Yellow Corn it has begun moving.
With the Ones that stand above, it has begun moving.
With the White Rainbow it has begun moving.
With the Yellow-blossomed Plant it has begun moving.
With the Cornripener Beetle it has begun moving.
With the Long-life Happiness One it has begun moving.
With the
help of these it has begun moving.
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving,
Now it
has begun moving, now it has begun moving.
;;;;;Page 42
3, 17, 33, 50. Song,
First Through Fourth Evenings
With
these he is well again, with these he is well again,
With these he is well again, with
these he is well again.
With the Sons of Sun he is
well again.
With the Sons of White Corn
Boy he is well again.
With the Skin of Dark Cloud
he is well again.
With the Flash of Lightning
he is well again.
With the Skin of Black Wind
he is well again.
With the Sound of Lightning
he is well again.
With the Sons of the Long-life Happiness One he is
well again.
With these he is well again, with
these he is well again,
With these he is well again, with
these he is well again.
With the Sons of Moon he is
well again,
With the Sons of Yellow Corn
Boy he is well again.
With Dark Cattails on top he
is well again.
With the White Rainbow he is
well again.
With Blue-blossom Pollen he
is well again.
With the Sons of Cornripener
he is well again.
With the Sons of the Long-life Happiness One he is
well again.
With these he is well again, with
these he is well again,
With these he is well again, with
these he is well again.
18, 34, 51. Song,
Second Through Fourth Evenings
With these he walked, with these he
walked,
With
these he walked, with these he walked.
With the Sons of White Corn Boy, with these he walked.
In the midst of Black Clouds, with these he walked.
In the midst of Lightning, with these he walked.
In the midst of Black Wind, with these he walked.
In the midst of Holy Lightning, with these he walked.
With the Sons of Long-life Happiness One, with these he walked.
With these he walked, with these he
walked,
With
these he walked, with these he walked.
With the Sons of Sun, with these he walked.
With the Sons of White Corn Girl, with these he walked.
In the midst of Lightning, with these he walked.
In the midst of Corn Pollen, with these he walked.
In the midst of Blue Corn Pollen, with these he walked.
In the midst of Cornripeners, with these he walked.
With the Sons of Long-life Happiness Ones, with these he walked.
With these he walked, with these he
walked,
With these he walked, with these he
walked.
;;;;;Page 42
19, 52. Song, Second
and Fourth Evenings
With these he ran, with these he ran,
With
these he ran, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Sun, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Yellow Corn Boy, with these he ran.
Among the Mountains, with these he ran.
In Flashes of Lightning, with these he ran.
In the Body of Black Wind, with these he ran.
In the midst of Thunders, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Long-life Happiness One, with these he ran.
With these he ran, with these he ran,
With
these he ran, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Sun, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Yellow Corn Girl, with these he ran.
In Flashes of Lightning, with these he ran.
Among Rainbows, with these he ran.
In the Body of Blue Wind, with these he ran.
In the midst of Cornripeners, with these he ran.
With the Sons of Long-life Happiness One, with these he ran.
With these he ran, with these he ran,
With these he ran, with these he ran.
UNRAVELING
With the next song the practitioner rises and
becomes active. He hands his rattle to a helper and, still singing, begins the
unraveling procedures. He takes a wooltáád bundle in one hand; with his
other hand he grasps the eagle feather that is fastened as a handle to the
wound-around wool string. In this manner, with both hands, he presses the
bundle against a significant portion of the patient's body. On the first
evening two wooltáád bundles are used to loosen knots in the patient's
feet. Two more bundles are applied, one to each of his arms. Finally, one
bundle is destined for the point where back and neck run together. Chanting all
the while, with one arm moving away from the patient in a sweeping motion, the
singer then pulls the strings that are wound around the bundles. "The
tight knots in the patient's body are so loosened."
The seven bundles on the
second evening allow for additional applications on the breast and on the head.
The nine bundles on the third night allow special attention for both knees. The
eleven bundles on the fourth evening extend the realm of effectiveness to the
outer points of the elbows.
;;;;;Page 43
On
the first evening two wooltáád bundles are used to loosen
knots in the patient's feet.
Two
more bundles are applied, one to each of his arms.
;;;;;Page 44
Finally,
one bundle is destined for the point where back
and neck run together.
Chanting
all the while... the singer then pulls the strings
that are wound around the bundles. "The tight knots
in the patient's body are so loosened."
;;;;;Page 45
The
seven bundles on the second evening allow for additional
applications on the breast and on the head.
Loosening the tight knots
of illness is only one of the objectives in the unraveling rite. The herbs in
the wooltáád bundles contain significant and positive powers of health.
Upon contact with the patient's skin, these powers begin to flow to the
deficient places in his body where the knots have been loosened. As the bundle
is unraveled, a quantity of herbal power is freed to enter the patient's body;
it not only flows to deficient places but at the same time expels the agents of
illness. The missiles or arrows of witchcraft are so loosened, displaced, and
eventually removed. To assure the patient, as well as the gods who are present,
that the unraveling has indeed been accomplished, the practitioner draws the
handful of loosened strings over all the significant spots on the patient's
body. The bundles themselves are taken outside and are disposed of at some
distance from the hogan, together with the illness they have absorbed.
After the unraveling the
patient is given zaa'nił to drink from a sea-shell—"the
medicine to be put in the mouth." The "rub-on medicine," from
the bowl, is applied to his body. All the while the group is chanting the song
that narrates the first shaman's learning experience in the houses of the
Coyote People. The two White, Yellow, Blue, and Black Coyote-persons, by whom
he was led, we shall see later depicted in the sandpaintings. All references in
this song to places
;;;;;Page 46
…the
practitioner draws the handful of loosened strings over
all the significant spots on the patient's body.
...the patient is given zaa 'nił
to drink from a seashell...
;;;;;Page 47
The "rub-on medicine," from the
bowl, is applied to his body.
where the Holy People once walked relate also to the corresponding
trails and places in the area where our ceremonial is now being performed;
4, 20, 35, 53. Song,
First Through Fourth Evenings
By these
he was led, by these he was led,
By these
he was led, by these he was led.
By the Two White Ones who walk before you, by these he was led.
With the White Prayerstick in his hand, by these he was led.
Toward White Morning Dawn, by these he was led.
On the Trail toward the hogan, by these he was led.
On the Trail with the hogan in view, by these he was led.
On the Trail unto the hogan, by these he was led.
To the Walls of the hogan, by these he was led.
Near the Fire in the hogan, by these he was led.
Around the Fire in the hogan, by these he was led.
Into the Shadows of the hogan, by these he was led.
To a Corner in the hogan, by these he was led.
These are the places where they walked, by these he was led.
Happiness was given back to you, by these he was led.
These are the places where they walked, by these he was led.
;;;;;Page 48
Your name was given back to you, by these he was led.
Happiness was given back to you, by these he was led,
By these he was led, by these he was
led,
By these he was led, by these he was
led.
By the Two Yellow Ones who walk before you, by these
he was lead.
With the Yellow Prayerstick in his hand, by these he was led.
Toward Yellow Evening,,...
By the Two Blue Ones who walk before you, by these he
was led.
With the Blue Prayerstick in his hand, by these he was led.
Toward the Blue South....
By the Two Black Ones who walk before you, by these
he was led.
With the Black Prayerstick in his hand, by these he was led.
Toward the Dark North....
BURNING THE FEATHERS
To conclude the Unraveling Ceremony, each
evening a red-hot coal is laid before the patient. On this coal a mixture of
plant powders and various feathers is sprinkled. From the rising smoke emanates
a pungent smell; the patient rubs the smoke on his body. The plant powders are
prepared from "the plant to which the birds fly" (dehi dii'áii)(3)
and from a plant called "fire's sword" (kQ'bidiltł'ish). The feathers used are those
of blue jay (ch'ishii sháshii), bluebird (joo'ish or dólii),
and from the entire bird kingdom.
The Feather-burning Rite is
used to conclude every ceremony in the entire nine-night ceremonial, except on
the ninth night. Its purpose each time is the same. Luke Cook understands it thus:
Formerly Coyote, when he ventured into Narrow Canyon, was shot full with the
Bird People's feathery arrows. He became sick. After barely escaping to
the rim of Narrow Canyon his kinsmen restored him by rubbing this same kind of
feather-smoke on him. This measure charred and loosened the witchcraft arrows
which had penetrated his body; they fell off and blew away (for the complete
myth see Chapter 2).(4)
Later in this report will
be printed a series of songs which link this mythic event to the patient's
present predicament and cure. These songs are used during the Sweating portion
of the Fire Ceremony on the third and fourth mornings. Their sequential numbers
are 42
____________________________
(3) Possibly Penstemon trichander.
(4) A parallel to this rite, the cure
for a spider bite, is on record from Zuni: A tent is erected over the victim.
Bluebird feathers are burned on hot coals. The smoke is inhaled, while the bite
is treated with a mixture of water, coals, and burned feathers (Ladd 1960, p.
118). For mythological parallels see the section on "The
Mythico-historical Origin of Coyoteway," Chapter 2.
;;;;;Page 49
From
the rising smoke emanates a pungent smell;
the patient rubs the smoke on his body.
through 45, and 60 through 63. The Sweating Rite, which is part of the
Fire Ceremony and thus held during mornings, is, in fact, understood as an
amplified feather-removing procedure. Therefore, the concluding song of the
Sweating Rite on the fourth day, "They have blown away" (Song 65),
celebrates not only the accomplished results of Sweating Rites but also of
Feather-burning.
After feather-smoke is
rubbed on the patient's body, the contaminated coal is extinguished with water
and the ashes are carried outside, together with the cornmeal from the symbolic
"world of living minds." Both remainders are deposited in the shadow
of a living plant. Whatever powers of illness coal and cornmeal have absorbed
in the course of these exorcistic procedures, they are thus neutralized and
banished.
For the duration of the
Feather-burning Rite the singers rest. But soon after the quenched coal is
carried outside, all join to chant the final song: "The sound was
heard!" The sound of the departing agents of illness—feathery arrows as
they whizzed away—could be heard throughout the known cosmos. The White,
Yellow, Blue, and Black Coyote People who live in the four directions of the
underworld—kinsmen—heard the whirring sound. The primeval healing process of
Coyote is reproduced as the ancient songs are sung once again, this time in the
surface world among humankind. This means that the whirring sound was heard in
all the known worlds concurrently. The
;;;;;Page 50
...all
join to chant the final song: "The sound was heard!"
profane distinctions in space and time, of underworld and surface-world,
of past and present, are exploded by this song. Human limitations become void,
and so the patient emerges healthy from a new beginning.
Navajo healers are
initiated, as happens to be the case with our patient, into the ways of divine
origins. They learn to act out the archetypal roles of shamanic adventurers and
patients. Contemporary patients are healed exactly in the same manner as the
priestly practitioners have been initiated. Of this entire sacred history of
pre-accomplished facts the participants are aware when they repeat the divine
songs at the appropriate moments in the ongoing history of Coyoteway. Presently
they sing:
5, 21,
36, 54. Song, First Through Fourth Evenings
Hwii eiya eiya!
The
sound was heard, the sound was heard.
The Son of the Two Rising heard the sound.5
The Early Morning, Young, Man heard the sound.
________________________________
(5) Son of Sun and Moon as they
rise in the east. White Coyote. Interestingly, Sun and Moon were said to be
both masculine. By contrast, the Earth is feminine.
;;;;;Page 51
From the tail
the sound was heard.
From the mouth the sound was heard.
From the tips of the fur the sound was heard.
The Yellow Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The Blue Kinsman heard the sound,
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The Black Kinsman heard the sound.
Happiness
before you, the sound was heard.
Happiness behind you, the sound
was heard.
The Son of the Two Setting, heard the sound.(6)
The Yellow Evening Sky heard the sound.
From the mouth the sound was heard.
From the tips of the gray fur the sound was heard.
The White Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tips of the fur the sound was heard.
The Blue Kinsman heard the sound. (7)
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The Black Kinsman heard the sound.(8)
From
the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
Happiness behind you the sound was
heard.
Happiness before you the sound was
heard.
The Son of the Two Above heard the sound.(9)
The
Sunlight Young Man heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The White Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tips of the fur the sound was heard.
The Yellow Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The Black Kinsman heard the sound, (10)
From
the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
Through the Streaks of Wind the sound was heard.
Happiness before you, the sound was
heard.
Happiness behind you, the sound was
heard.
The Son of Where the Stars Turn heard the sound. (11)
_______________________________
(6) Son of Sun and Moon as they set in the west.
Yellow Coyote.
(7) On first day mistakenly sung as
"Yellow Kinsman."
(8) On first day mistakenly sung as "Blue
Kinsman."
(9) Son of Sun and Moon as they stand high in
the south. Blue Coyote.
(10)
On first day mistakenly sung as "Blue Kinsman."
(11)
Son of the North, where Big Dipper turns around the Polar Star: Black Coyote.
;;;;;Page 52
The Dark Night Sky heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The White Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tips of the fur the sound was heard.
The Yellow Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
The Blue Kinsman heard the sound.
From the tip of the tongue the sound was heard.
Through the Streaks of Wind the sound was heard.