34. THE KÓHONINO HUNTER. 2

The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com

Halíksai! A long time ago the Kóhonino came out at the place where the salt comes out. They ascended, traveled southward, and there built some houses in cliffs, where they lived. They were always

p. 125

hunting deer, antelope, mountain sheep, etc. One time one of the Kóhonino was also going to hunt. He soon discovered a flock of mountain sheep in one of the cliffs. He shot and hit one of the larger bucks, which however got away. He followed him all day, and finally the animal got tired and arrived at a place where he was about to jump down, when the hunter shot him again. He began to stagger and finally fell, but before he died he tumbled partly down the bluff, where he died. The hunter climbed down to the place where the animal was lying, but his foot slipped and he fell down, too. He fell deeper, rolling over the ledge on which the animal was lying. His fall was so severe that both of his eyes fell out and he remained lying there unconscious.

When evening came the Kóhonino in the village waited for the young man to return, but when he did not return they finally ate their evening meal and kindled their fire, still waiting for the hunter to return, but he did not come. They kept up their fire all night and did not go to sleep. In the night the hunter revived, but as a skeleton (másauwuu). He arose and went towards the place where his people were living, but he pitied himself, saving, "Oh! I!" and then began to moan as follows:

Havacova ¹ Kahnina,
At Blue, Blue Kohoninas,
Iwayahana. Haara
It will be good. Eyes
Paama takoyma! Hinayahanaa ²
All gone, Oh! Oh!
Hanina ³ takoyma
Oy ovoyoy ah --------.

While he was thus moaning he proceeded towards the bluff where his people were living. They were still up and had lights burning. When he came close to the village they saw and heard him. One of them said, "Listen! A coyote goes crying" (Mo! kushash chavoko). Another one said, "No, a wolf goes crying" (Opa, hatakwi chavoko). "No" (Opa), a third one said, "A Skeleton is crying" (Maiyoma chavoko). They now looked and by that time the Skeleton had come within the radius of the light of their camp-fires. Then they saw that it was a Skeleton. "Oh!" (Ma!) they said, "it is a Skeleton" (Maviyoma). "Oh! we all shall flee" (Ma! payam kiwakvako). ⁴

p. 126

Hereupon they all picked up their things, the women throwing their children on their backs, the men their buckskins, meat, etc., and then they fled. The Skeleton took possession of the houses that the Kóhonino had left, and has been living there ever since. The Kóhonino went westward and finally arrived at a very steep bluff. This they ascended and settled down there in the valley near Green Bluff, where they have been living ever since, and this is why the Kóhonino settled down at this place.

Footnotes

124:1 This kiva was last occupied by women and was dismantled probably about forty years ago. The flag-stones of the floor were used for the floor in the present Kwán kiva, and the timbers were used for reconstructing the Cakwálânvi kiva, those of the latter kiva being used in reconstructing the Coyote and the Singer kivas. It is said that the reason for this exchange was that the old, heavy timbers in the Cakwálânvi kiva were somewhat rotten and so had to be used on narrower kivas, while the Cakwálânvi kiva used the longer timbers of the Chórzhovi kiva in reconstructing their wider kiva.

124:2 Told by Tangákhoyoma (Oraíbi).

125:1 After Green Bluff (Cakwátupka), where they now live.

125:2 The narrator was unable to give the meaning.

125:3 The narrator was unable to give the meaning.

125:4 These phrase, are in the Kóhonino language.