Native American Art News: Essay on substance in Zuni ontology and aesthetics

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Voice of the 'Indian way'

For resolute Denver woman, culture, history run together

American Indians' business booming

N. American Indian games start in Denver

Pechanga Pow Wow offers colorful celebration of culture

Tribal trails

Visiting the first Americans

Common Ground festival scheduled next weekend

Hilleary PAC makes donation to American Indian fund

Museum of American Indian's 'Born of Clay' Explores Culture Through Ceramics

Note on Zuni substance

The term "substance" in Western metaphysics is commonly used to indicate the permanence of a substratum, whether extended or non-extended, which underlies and constitutes reality. Its extension is manifest in the appearances of the physical world, and its non-extension may refer to its coming to be and passing out of existence, i.e. the concept of change. Other terms which may be intimated in a discussion of substance may include but not be limited to "matter", "time", "space", "being", "cause and effect", etc. This synopsis of substance may seem to be overly generalized (actually, it is), but is intended here simply to illustrate a dichotomy in Western thought which is not intrinsically appropriate to the study of the Native Americans, except perhaps by contrast, and more particularly to the study of Native American languages, which have no means of expressing the distinction between, for lack of better terms, "spiritual" and "non-spiritual" matter

In the Zuni language, the noun /a means "stone" or "rock" (the "/" represents a glottal stop). As a transitive verb, /a refers to "being depressions in rocks", but as Newman noted, /a belongs to a class of verbs "which are statics referring to the existence of an entity or quality" and "English translation fails to demonstrate convincingly that a verb of this type is transitive". Thus, "being depressions in rocks" could be translated as "a depression is", or "there is a depression", or "it has a depression". This may predispose one to interpret an apparent confusion of the substantive and predicative (Cushing noted this in Zuni Fetishes). As an intransitive verb the meaning of /ais a demonstrative "be prone", or "be laying", indicating location, and belongs to the same class of verbs denoting static entities where the direct object of the verb becomes indefinitized.

The term /a has also been translated as "stone" when it appears as a prefix in the transitive verb -po/ya, a term which means "to cover". In Zuni Ceremonialism Bunzel translates /a -po/yanne as "stone cover" (meaning "sky"), a term which Newman translates as simply "sky". The suffix -nne means singularity.

This same term was translated by Cushing as a verb meaning "all covering" in reference to Apoyan Tatcu, which means "Father Sky". Cushing's intention was "all-covering Father". This later use is in accord with the presence of /a in the form of the inflectional prefix /a.w-, a verbal pronominal prefix for a plural absolutive, where .w- is dropped when appearing before a consonant. This use of inflection is also correct in referring to nominal particles indicating kinship terms, names of animals, demonstratives, numbers, and indefinites, and the presense of /a in this use is that of a word, not a syllable. /A -po/yanne would not be a particle, whereas /a -po/yan tatcu would be.

However, this use of inflection in a particle is in contrast to the translation of such particles as A pila shiwani, which means "bow priests". The correct inflection of pi/la is pi/la we/, but in the compound of the particle the inflection is denoted by the prefix /a which is a word meaning plurality of an indefinite number. As Miner notes, this is a rare use and the inflection is generally affixed to the head term, as in tehli-ya-ka /a-shiwani (night priests), or tehli-ya-ka /a-tatcu (night father, notice the convergence of plurality and singularity, i.e. there is but one night father and he exhausts a class).

One might interpret Bunzel's translation as being influenced by her considerable contact with Zuni folklore, and Cushing's translation due to his membership with the /A -pi/la shiwani and considerable knowledge of Zuni mythology. Bunzel had criticized Cushing's translations as "metaphysical glossing", but the accuracy of that claim in regard to /A pi/la shiwani remains unseen. It should be noted that Bunzel's translation of /a te-onain Zuni Ceremonialism as "beings" is tantamount to translating it as "all (/a) those whom are (ona) terrestrial (te)", and was intended to exhaust the class, just as Cushing's translation of /A po/yan Tatcu was intended to exhaust the class (there can be only one father sky). It should also be noted that Cushing may have confounded (or compounded) his usage of the plural absolutive with the separate, derivational use of /a which pluralizes particles referring to persons (/a hoi).

In conclusion, the common usage and multi-referentiality of the word /a lends ambiquity to the interpretation of many words and may possibly represent preconceptions which semantically transcend any dichotomy of spiritual and non-spiritual matter.

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, July 8 and 9, on Milner Plaza on Museum Hill, outside the Museum of International Folk Art. The event includes arts workshops, tours of the folk art museum and the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, talks, films and entertainment, as well as work on view from 104 artists from more than 30 countries. (The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is showing the third installation of "Elements of Earth and Fire: New Directions in Native American Ceramic Art," July 2 through Oct. 8.) Tickets and information: 505-476-1166 or www.folkartmarket.org.

Institute of American Indian Arts shows include "THE Magazine Show," through July 23, and "Relations: Indigenous World Art" July 8 through Sept. 30. The Institute Museum is at 108 Cathedral Place. Information: 505-983-1777 or www.iaia.edu.

"Native American Pottery from the Pueblos" will run through Aug. 27 at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Indiana, 102 S. 10th St. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 742-1128.

Taos Art Museum: "The Stark Legacy," paintings by members of the Taos Society of Artists. Through July 23. 227 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos. Admission and hours: (505) 758-2690. The art market is a celebration of the contemporary and traditional Native American arts and culture. Activities include Hopi and Navajo dancers and performances by singer James Bilagody and flute player Aldean Ketchum. Food, pottery, arts, crafts and jewelry are available for purchase. For more information, please call 435-678-2238.

Rochester, New York-The Native American Dance and Music Festival (July 29 and 30). Traditional dancers, artists and storytellers demonstrate culture and explain history.

July 21-22, 2007

American Indian Intertribal Cultural Festival, July 21-22, 2007, Hampton, Va. -- Festival highlighting the contributions and cultures of Virginia Indians, with native foods, dances, traditional stories, arts and crafts and music

August 25-27—PowWow Native American Festival: Intertribal gathering of Native American dancers, drummers, artists, and craftspeople, Friday noon-8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern avenues, 410-675-3535, baic.org.

OCT. 5-6

Virginia Indian Symposium -- Williamsburg Hosted by Virginia's Indian tribes, the "400 Years of Survival" symposium will feature nationally known Native American speakers on topics such as sovereignty, federal recognition, health care, repatriation and education.

A Battle Between Frost And Whirlwind – Seneca

[Told by Peter White]

Characters DAGWANOEnYENT GOWA - Whirlwind or Cyclone
GÉNOnSKWA - Frost and Cold
HADIQSADOn GÉNOnSKWA GANYUDAI, - The Grave of Frost, or the so-called Stone Coats

DAGWANOEnYENT (Whirlwind), an old woman, the oldest of all her people, lived in the forest with her two grandchildren, a boy and a girl.

One day when the grandmother was out digging roots a GÉNOnSKWA (Frost and Great Cold) woman came to the cabin, picked up the little girl and, after speaking kindly, telling her she was a nice little thing, swallowed her.

Then she began to talk to the boy. Sitting down by him, she said, "Get on to my back and I will carry you to where your grandmother is digging roots."

The boy did as GÉNOnSKWA told him to, but he was frightened, and he clung to her so tightly that he became fastened to her back, and couldn't get off, though he tried hard.

GÉNOnSKWA started off, but in a different direction from where the boy's grandmother was. When the boy told her she was going the wrong way, she said, "No, I am not, we will soon come to where she is at work."

The woman went far into the forest and the boy began to cry for his grandmother. He cried so hard and loud that GÉNOnSKWA told him to get off of her back. She didn't like to hear him cry, and she thought it was best to eat him at once.

He couldn't get off and she couldn't put her hands around to pull him off, nor turn her head to bite him.

When the boy saw that she couldn't harm him if he stayed where he was, he clung all the tighter and stopped trying to get away.

When the grandmother came home and found that the boy and girl were not in the cabin, she was frightened and began to search for them. After a while she came upon the tracks of the GÉNOnSKWA woman and then she knew who had stolen the children and she followed the tracks, thinking she would soon overtake the thief.

The woman was tired of the boy and tried in every way to free herself of him. She rubbed him against hickory trees and against rocks. He said, "Oh, I like that, rub harder." She stopped then and traveled on.

The grandmother followed in the form of a Whirlwind GÉNOnSKWA said to the boy, "Your grandmother is coming. She will kill us both. Get off of my back."

The boy kept still, didn't answer. The woman looked around for a hiding place and found one in a deep ravine. She dug a hole, went into it and covered herself with the earth that slipped down from above. When she heard Whirlwind coming nearer and nearer she asked the boy, "Can you hear your grandmother coming?"

He didn't answer.

When Whirlwind rushed over the place where the woman lay, the boy shouted to her. She heard him and, changing her course, came straight to where they were. When she asked the boy if he was there, the woman told him to keep still, but he called out, "I am here!"

Whirlwind blew the earth from the hiding place and shouted, "DAGWANOEnYENT, get off of GÉNOnSKWA's back!" That instant the boy slipped off and went among the rocks. The old woman hurled stones at the GÉNOnSKWA, tore off her clothes and killed her. Then she took her grandson and started for home.

On the way, she said to him, "Never let yourself be treated in that manner again. Never let anyone abuse you. You can conquer everybody if you use your power, for you are of the Whirlwind family."

The old woman stayed at home for a time, caring for her grandson.

Meanwhile some of the GÉNOnSKWA woman's people found her trail and followed it till they came to where her body was. They asked who had killed her and her spirit answered, "Whirlwind killed me." Right away the GÉNOnSKWA men decided to kill old woman Whirlwind.

Whirlwind, out on one of her journeys, discovered their plans. She went home and said to her grandson, "We must get your sister out of GÉNOnSKWA 's stomach, she is sitting there and crying for me."

They set out and when they reached the place where the body lay, the old grandmother built a fire and began to burn tobacco, saying, "This is what we like! This is what we like!" She burned half a pouchful and pushed the smoke toward the body, repeating, "This is what we like." Then she called, "My grandchild, come out of GÉNOnSKWA's body!"

When the girl didn't come, the old woman said to her grandson, "We must have people come and help us. We have many relatives, uncles, aunts, and cousins, we will call them." Then she called each relative by name, and one after another they came. They built a fire at GÉNOnSKWA's head, and burned tobacco, as they walked around the fire each threw in tobacco, saying, "Ne vonoes, ne vonoes" (This is what we like).

When the last one had thrown in tobacco, the girl, panting for breath, came out and asked, "How long have I been here?" She was very weak. They gave her tobacco smoke and she inhaled it till she gained strength, then all Whirlwinds went home.

When the old woman and her grandchildren had been at home some time a GÉNOnSKWA woman came to the cabin, she talked pleasantly, found out there were only three persons there and left thinking it would be a small task to kill them.

After the woman had gone, Whirlwind said to her grandchildren, "We are in trouble now. A great number of those people will come against us. They have assembled somewhere nearby. When the struggle begins I don't know that we will be able to come home again." She went out and called, "DAGWANOEnYENT GOWA! DAGWANOEnYENT GOWA!"

The girl asked, "Grandmother, what are you doing?"

"I am calling our relatives," answered the old woman,

The Whirlwinds came, one by one, when all were there the old woman said, "Each one of you must have a big round stone to strike with."

They had just picked up the stones when the GÉNOnSKWAs began to come; there were thousands and thousands of them.

The Whirlwinds were frightened when they saw how. strong the enemy was. The old woman said, "We must separate and fight singly. Keep the stones in your hands, Be firm and have faith that you will kill one man with each blow you strike."

The Whirlwinds went in different directions; the GÉNOnSKWAs chased them.

The Whirlwinds struck whenever they had the chance and kept retreating, they went up a high mountain, fighting as they went. The old woman said, "When we all reach the top we will go down a short distance on the other side. When the GÉNOnSKWAs come to the top we will strike them on the east and on the west, some of us will get behind them and drive them over the mountain and into the deep ravine on the other side, they will die there for a river runs through the ravine and they cannot cross it.

The GÉNOnSKWAs came to the top of the mountain and seeing nothing of the Whirlwinds, thought they had escaped. They stood and listened. Soon they heard wind on each side of them. The sound grew louder and louder and right away the DAGWANOEnYENTs struck them on both sides and, uniting in the rear, struck them from behind., So fierce was the attack and power of the Whirlwinds that they tore out all the trees by their roots, swept the earth from the top of the mountain and hurled trees and earth into the ravine and river below. The GÉNOnSKWAs Were piled up, like rocks, in the river and along the banks.

The Whirlwinds were dancing and rejoicing on the top of the mountain when the old woman said, "We have hurled our enemies into the ravine, now we will finish them. Half of you go along the ridges east of the river and the other half go along the western ridges and blow all the trees and rocks and earth into the ravine."

They went, and when they came together again they had stripped the mountain spurs naked and filled up the ravine. The river had no outlet; it became a great lake and ever after was called, "The grave of the GÉNOnSKWAs."

Seneca Indian Myths, by Jeremiah Curtin; New York; E.P. Dutton & Company [1922] and is now in the public domain.

http://groups.msn.com/KeeperofStories/
Reprinted from this site by permission

Articles by Chet Staley, Amerindian Arts

Note on Zuni substance

Concept of the Sublime

Dorothy Dunn On Primitive Art
(Excerpt)Quoting Alice Corbin Henderson, Dunn states that in an Indian society, art is "possessed in common" and "totally lacking in individualistic concept." Thus, objectivity is enjoined with intentionality as personal accomplishment without a reference to the individual. This would satisfy a pedagogic sense of rationality in that in an Indian society "the surest way to make a prayer effective is to symbolize the matter prayed for" (Bandelier). If the prayer (the art of rhetoric) was effective, then it was handed down from generation to generation and its success justified its rationality.

Essay on the Zuni World View

Bibliography of the Zuni Language

Indian Ledger Art-Resources and Information

Books of Interest

AEQ Book Review of Making Dictionaries: Preserving Indigenous Languages of the Americas .
Frawley, William, Kenneth C. Hill, and Pamela Munro, eds. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002. 450 pp. ISBN 0520229967, $34.95.
© 2004 American Anthropological Association Book Review of Making Dictionaries: Preserving Indigenous Languages of the Americas .
Reviewed for the Anthropology & Education Quarterly by Catherine S. Fowler
University of Nevada
csfowler@unr.nevada.edu
To Order this book

THE FOURTH WORLD
W. Tussinger has written his first novel which was released in December, 2004.
W. Tussinger is a member of the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma and has lived on several reservations including the Yuroks of Northern California and the Yakamas of Washington State where he attended college.
To Order this book

THE WOMEN/Edward S. Curtis
by Christopher Cardozo; foreword by Louise Erdrich (Bulfinch Press, $35) — Cardozo, who lives in Minneapolis, is the world's foremost expert on, and collector of, photos of American Indians taken by turn-of-the-century photographer Edward S. Curtis. Cardozo went through 1,000 photos to find the 100 sepia-toned images in this book, which show the daily lives of American Indian women at a time when most were already on reservations. Minneapolis novelist and poet Erdrich discusses women's work in her foreword: " … although Edward Curtis believed that he was documenting a vanishing culture, it is in these humble arts that the strength of Native culture lives on."
To Order this book

Literature on Native America

An Overview of Pacific Northwest Native Indian Art
Free downloadable e-book

American Indian Women's Activism in the 1960s and 1970s
by Donna Hightower Langston
Complete article

Linguists Find the Words, and Pocahontas Speaks Again
By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

Hero, Hawk, and Open Hand, The Book
Early tribal artifacts put in spotlight at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

"Communing with Bears"
By Sara Wright
Communing with Bears is the story of a joyful encounter between one woman and a black bear.

Literacy in Indigenous Communities by L. David van Broekhuizen, Ph.D. (2000)
HTML Format (70K)
PDF Format(117K)
Literacy in first languages in indigenous communities is a complex topic that generates lively discussion. This research synthesis explores the notions of national, mother-tongue, multiple, and biliteracies. It presents important information pertaining to threatened languages, language shift, and language loss. Examples of culturally relevant uses of literacy in indigenous communities and issues related to first-language literacy instruction are also provided.

Web Sites:

Native American Links Page
Indigenous Peoples Literature
Native Voice
Wisdom of the Old People
By David Whitney

National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation
Inuit film to tell story of last great shaman
My Two Beads Worth: Indigenous News Online
Northern California Indian Development Council
Native Village
Smudge Ceremony

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