XXIV. Initiation Chant of the Kwirana K’osa

Songs of the Tewa, by Herbert Joseph Spinden, [1933], at sacred-texts.com

p. 86

XXIV

INITIATION CHANT OF THE KWIRANA K’OSA

Here and now we bring you, oh our old men gods,
Sun Fire Deity and Blue Cloud Person of the North,
Sun Fire Deity and Yellow Cloud Person of the West,
Sun Fire Deity and Red Cloud Person of the South,
Sun Fire Deity and White Cloud Person of the East,
Sun Fire Deity and Dark Cloud Person of the Below,
Sun Fire Deity and All-colored Cloud Person of the Above,
Here-at we bring you now your special prayer stick,
We make for you an offering of sacred meal,
A little bit for all, we make these offerings to you!

Stand ready, then, at dawn to walk
With rain upon the northward mountain top,
Upon the westward mountain top of the great lake dell,
Upon the southward mountain top where the Tshu people sit,
Upon the eastward mountain top of the great dawn,
Upon the mountain top that rests below the earth,
Upon the mountain top of the Sky Universe above!

Bring cloud flowers that are not barren of rain,
Set them upon the far off northward mountain top,
Set them thereat upon the westward mountain top,
Set them thereat upon the southward mountain top,
Set them thereat upon the eastward mountain top,
Set them thereat upon the mountain top below the Earth,
Set them thereat upon the mountain top above the Sky,
Thereat set them, those cloud flowers not barren of rain!

p. 87

There on the middle mountains first lay fogs.
That is why from there to San Juan town ready at dawn
You bring your lightnings, thunders and your rains together,
Transforming with magic the fields that in the middle are!
And that is why the stretched-out plain is now revived,
And that is why the hills of the plain are now revived,
And that is why your shrinking lakes, your lakes
Where they are lying, are now revived thereat!

May all tame animals increase and children all,
For little people are we all to be loved of the Gods
As far away as our Great Mother's sound of breathing
Reaches. Even to the Utes, Apaches, Navajos,
Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, even to all of them!
To the Mexican people, even to them it reaches!
To the people of America, even to them the sound
Of our Great Mother's breathing reaches. So now
They are loved of the Gods and each by the other loved!
So that is why we hope to find our living here,
We mortal men! Then place good summers and
Good days and nights of harvest! For each
The same, place then good days and nights of harvest!