Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-04-30
ZUNI INDIAN MAGIC.
A PERFORMANCES THAT PUZZLES
ALL WHO WITNESS 1T.
THIS WONDERFUL FEAT RIVALS THE
FAMOUS MANGO GROWING TRICK
OF THE HINDoos.


wondered at the mango growing trick
nj the Hindoo, by which be makes a
seed sprout before the astonished eyes
of the European and reach maturity In
very short time.
But few are aware that an equally
amazing feat is regularly performed
by the Zuni Indians on this continent
Their medicine men at the annual
corn festival" do stunt OF which no
satisfactory explanation has ever been
advanced. Scientists seeing II have
been made, as a cowboy described It,
to "look like 80 cents"
Preparation is made for this extraor-
binary Zuni performance by spreading
n large square of clean. yellowish sand
on the ground before the southern aper-
ture OF the medicine lodge. This sand
Is carefully smoothed and packed so
as to present a firm, level surface.
Around the edges OF the sand square
are then drawn. by means OF ceremo-
NAL arrow. figures representing the
Great Spirit, the earth. the sun. the
sky and the rain. There are also the
symbols for corn and for bountifnl
harvest.
The indentations made by the arrow
are then filed in with pigments. the
clouds and sky with blue. the earth
with black and the harvest with
chrome yellow. The center OF the
square Is left vacant. When complet-
ed, this sand painting Is a fne speci-
men Of barbarIc art and is far from
displeasing to a civilized eye.
When the hour arrives, the officiating
medicine man takes his seat In the
opening of the lodge facing the sand
square. On his right and left. extend
ing out around the square. the chiefs
and warriors range themselves accord
Ing to rank. When all are in position. the
medicine man fills the ceremonial pipe
with tobacco. lights II and blows one
pun Of smoke to the east. one TO the
west. one TO the north. one TO the south
and two to the heavens. He then ad.
dresses those assembled. Eecounting the
behring's and famine and the benevo-
lence OF the Great Spirit In the past.
He closes with prayer for the contin-
uance OF fatherly care.
Then he takes grain of corn from
the medicine bag at his waist, tbrusts
the sacred arrow Into the center OF the
snnd square. withdraws II. drops the
grain into the opening and carefully
smooths down the sand. Resumlng his
seat. all the assembled chiefs light their
pipes and smoke in silence.
II the Great Spirit condescends TO an
swer the prayer Of the medicine man.
as generally happens. the grain OF corn
will sprout and send forth a shoot.
After an interval OF fifteen or twenty
minutes the sand seems disturbed at
the spot where the corn was buried
Soon slender light green blades of
sproutlng corn appear above the sur.
face. The plant rises naturally and
rapidly during the day.
BY the next sunrise the silk and tas-
sci appear By noon the ear and stalk
have reached full maturity.
Then ripeniIig begins. Finally the
blades and husks turn yellow and rat
tie when they are shaken by the wind.
All this. mind you. has been done In
thirty-six hours.
On the morning OF the second day
the corn growing is complete. The
medicine man now addresses the
watchers. who in company have
watched" the plant grow. for IL is
never left alone. With appropriate GER
emonles he symbolizes the harvest by
stripping the ear OF Its husks.
The corn he places In the medicine
bag for future ceremonies. while the
stalk is pulled Up by the roots and
hung over the door of the lodge. The
long vigil Of the watchers Is now end
ed, and they seek much needed rest
and food In order to be ready for the
rain dance on the following day.
Every white man witnessing one of
these ceremonies is deeply mystitied.
Above all. be Is filed with admiration
for the old medicine man So natural
and mysterious has been the process
that the spectator feels at times dis
posed to believe in the presence of
some supernatural power.
Yet every sane person knows that
this performance has nothing unnat-
ural about IL. No white man. however,
has discovered the secret. The absence
or stage paraphernalia and the crude
mechanical knowledge of the Zunis
add 10 the mystery OF the whole thing.
Various theories have been advanced
In explanation. One is that some
shrewd old medicine man discovered
by accident some peculiar natural
chemical that has the power OF fore
ing the growth OF a grain Of corn and
that this secret has been handed down
from one generation OF priests to an
other
Another favorite explanation is that
by great skill the medicine man is able
TO hypnotize the entire circle OF spec
tators and so produce the result with
out apparatus OF any kind save a yell
st -