Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-03-05
PeeuliaritIes of the Zuni Indians.
rArbu,na-ons Journall

lAlbuquerque Journal.
 Nearly three years ago. MT. F. II. Cush-
 ing who IS assistant ethnolOgist in the
 bureau Of ethnology of the Smithsonian
 institute, was sent to Zuni in the inter-
 est of the science of which he IS an ar
 dent student. to learn what he could of
 the habits, customs, religion and history
 of the people. The result of his labOrs
 have been fruitful.
 Arriving at the village, he at once adopted the dress of the people and has
 continued wearing 1t up to the present time. He was also required to adopt
 their habits and subsist upon their diet,
 in fact was completely ostracised from
 the society to which he had been ac- custOmed, and suffered practically, a
 social death. He endured hardships and privations, which can be better im- agined than described, and was finally adopted into the tribe.
 He soon became possessed of great in huence m the pueblo, and took the first degree in the society of the priesthood of the bow" an ancient secret order, the spirit of which is war. The society is ID itself a great curiosity, and but few are ever admitted to its secrets. There are two meetings in each year at which 1t IS necessary that each member should be present, and if one should absent him self, the gods destroy hlm or the society does it for them. There are now only thirty-two members of this organization, although the membership was mnch l larger many generations back. It re- quired eighteen days for the ceremonies of initiation, which Mir. Cushing went through, in order to take the first degree. In the great semi-annual meetings 1t IS necessary that there be two gourds, each filled with water, one from the Atlantic ocean and the other from the Pacific. These two gourds have been in the possession of the society since its formation many hundred years ago. The gOurd which holds the water from the Atlantic Is nearly empty, not having been filled for nearly two hundred years. ! The party which now accompanies MT. Cushing on his trip east has this gourd in it's possession, and the Indians are making the journey for the purpose of refillng 1t. When they arrive at the ocean impressive ceremonies will be gone through with, which will doubtless be witnessed by many people. The members of the society and of the tribe 1 feel themselves under great obligations to the hardy American scientist for
 making it possible for the water to be obtained.
 The party will be absent about two months, and before their return will visit l Chicago, Washington, Boston and other eastern cities. On their arrival at Zuni
 they will be greeted with impressive | ceremonies.
 It Is the intention of Mir. Cushing to remain among the Zunis for one more year in order to complete his great work. He wishes to join religious order, the greatest honor which can be conferred upon any Zuni. In this order there are four priests who retain the only htera- ture of the tribe. It Is a most beautiful ! legend which has been handed down from generation to generation the re- cital of which requires a day and night of uninterrupted talk Although Mr Gushing has heard this legend repeated several times he has never distinguished
 the slightest variation in it's delivery. They have no means of recording any happening, and the calendar is kept by a system of nOtches cut in a stick.
 This trip of Mir. Gushing, if successful,
 will gain for him the confidence of the
 people and enable him to learn many of their secrets. He Is deeply interested
 in their welfare, having inherited that
 interest from long and continued assO- ciatiOn with them, and will. while on his
 present journey, make an effort to induce
 his dusky companions to note the bene-
 fits to be derived from educating their
 children m the Government school for
 Indians. He asserted truthfully that
 this was the only means by which the
 people could be lifted from their present
 condition.
 The result of continued habit, in the
 matter of dress, was aptly illustrated by
 the exiled scientist during his cOnyersa-
 ton with the reporter last night. He
 appeared nervous and restless and finally excusing himself, he pulled of
 his shoes and put on a pair of mocasins,
 which greatly relieved his mind as well
 as his feet. In his opinion boots and shoes are, to say the least, very uncom- fortable and might well be improved upon by the mocasin.
 General Bradley, of Fort Wingate, the officers of the Atlantic and Pacific road, and those of the AtchisOn, Topeka and Santa Fe have done many courteous acts for Mir. Cushing, and have been largely instrumental in making 1t pos sible for him to make his present trip.