Pomo mythology

Pomo mythology

The mythology of the Pomo people, Native Americans from Northwestern California, centered on the powerful entities of the 'Kunula', a Coyote, and 'Guksu', a spirit healer from the south:

Creation Stories

Coyote ('Kunula') and Cougar set up for their sons to play a sports game. Most of Coyote's children died. The last two of Coyote's sons chased a ball into a sweathouse and were killed by the resident the Sun (a spirit being). Later through trickery and persistence Coyote retrieved the bodies of his two sons in a bag. Because he had trouble seeing in the darkness Coyote split open the bag and his son's two bodies created light and became the physical sun and the moon in the heavens. [Curtis, "Coyote Creates Sun and Moon'.']

Another "Creation" myth is that Coyote and Lizard ('Hatanutal') were in a sweathouse near Upper Lake, California. Coyote split up some willow and dogwood sticks, painted them, and set them upright in the dirt. The sticks turned into human beings with paws rather than hands. Coyote then put some hemp around them. The hemp became fleas that jumped onto the human beings. Lizard suggested the people needed hands with fingers in order to be more useful, and Coyote suggested they wrestle over that. Coyote and Lizard wrestled. Lizard won the wrestling match and thus the people as Lizard proposed were given fingers, as well as language. [Curtis, "The Creation".]

World Order

According to Pomo ceremony and tradition, the world contained six supernatural beings (or groups of spirits) who lived at the end of the world in the six cardinal directions: [Barret, pages 397-430.]
*Guksu, also called Kuksu in different Pomo dialects [Barret, page 423] , was a supernatural being that lived at the southern end of the world. The word also means a large mosquito like insect locally known as the 'gallinipper'. Healing was his province or specialty and the Pomo medicine men or doctors made their prayers to him. He was normal size human with a very long, large and sharp red nose. He was good natured on the whole. In dance ceremonies, the impersonators of Guksu painted their bodies black, or striped red, white and black. They wore bulky, feathery headdress or a large feather tuft on their head with a yellow headband. The nose was made with feathers and painted red. The impersonators carried a staff 6 to 8 inches long with a feather tuft at top, and provided a double bone whistle. He would whistle but not speak.

*Calnis lived at the eastern end of the world. In ceremonial dances Calnis associated with Guksu, he was also human form, but he was usually testy and pursued people and 'tripped them up' [Barret, page 424] . In dance ceremonies, the Calnis dancer was painted entirely black and carried a black staff without feathers. On his head he wore a feather cape that fell over his face.

*Suupadax lived at the northern end of the world. The word is associated with a whirlwind.

*Xa-matutsi lived at the western end of the world. The word is associated with the Pacific Ocean and with 'water occupation'. The Pacific Ocean was the western edge of Pomo territory, and it was therefor a very important part of their mythology. The Pomo believed the world was bounded by water along the west.

*Kali-matutsi lived in the sky and heavens above. The word is associated with 'sky occupation.'

*Kai-matutsi lived on the earth and below. The word associated is with 'earth occupation.'

These spirits were imagined to live in sweat houses or dance-houses at each end of the world. At times, these supernatural beings were malevolent and could kill men. However if properly treated or placated, they were benevolent.

The person who played a Guksu in dance ceremonies was often considered the medicine man and would also dress up as a Guksu when called on to treat the sick. Sickness was seen as something that Guksu came to take away and to carry back to the south.

The Guksu Ceremony

The ceremony called the Guksu ceremony lasted 6 days with the above dancers appearing once a day. The 6 days included of the ceremony called 'The Scarifying Ceremony' where children ages 5 to 10 were initiated with physical and mental tests administered by the dressed up dancers. [Barret, page 423-430]

ee also

* Kuksu religion
* Pomo traditional narratives
* Mount Konocti

Notes

References

* Curtis, Edward S. [http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/index.html "The Creation" and "Coyote Creates Sun and Moon"] , as published in "North American Indian, Oral stories of Pomo Indians", 1907-1930s, Volume 14, page 170-171.
* Barret, S.A.. "Ceremonies of the Pomo Indians", published by "University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnicity", July 6, 1917, 12:10, pages 397-441.
* Gifford, Edward W, "Clear Lake Pomo Society", 1926, published by "University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology" 18:2 pages 353-363 "Secret Society Members" (Describes E.M. Loeb 1925 investigation of the Clear Lake Pomo's practice of the Guksu religion.)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pomo traditional narratives — include myths, legends, tales, and oral histories preserved by the Pomo people of the North Coast region of northwestern California.Pomo oral literature reflects the transitional position of Atsugewi culture between central California, Northwest… …   Wikipedia

  • Pomo people — infobox ethnic group caption = Pomo girl photographed by Edward S. Curtis in 1924. group = Pomo People poptime = 1770: 8,000 1851: 3,500 5,000 1910: 777 1,200 1990: 4,900 popplace = California: Mendocino County, Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, Lake… …   Wikipedia

  • Miwok mythology — A coyote. The mythology of the Miwok Native Americans are myths of their world order, their creation stories and how things came to be created. Miwok myths suggest their spiritual and philosophical world view. In several different creation… …   Wikipedia

  • Coyote in mythology — Coyote canoeing, in a traditional story. Coyote is a mythological character common to many Native American cultures, based on the coyote (Canis latrans) animal. This character is usually male and is generally anthropomorphic although he may have… …   Wikipedia

  • Native American mythology — Coyote and Opossum appear in the stories of a number of tribes. See also: Native American religion Native American mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Native American religion from a mythographical perspective. Native… …   Wikipedia

  • Coyote (mythology) — Coyote is a mythological character common to many Native American cultures, based on the coyote ( Canis latrans ) animal. This character is usually male and is generally anthropomorphic although he may have some coyote like physical features such …   Wikipedia

  • Snakes in mythology — Snakes were central to many mythologies because of their perceived quality of being both familiar and exotic. The behaviour of snakes and their facial features (e.g. the unblinking, lidless eyes) seemed to imply that they were intelligent, that… …   Wikipedia

  • List of mythologies — This is a list of Mythologies of the world, by culture and region.Mythologies by regionAfricaNorth Africa* Berber mythology * Egyptian mythology (Pre Islamic) West Africa*Akan mythology *Ashanti mythology (Ghana) *Dahomey (Fon) mythology *Efik… …   Wikipedia

  • Trickster — For other uses, see Trickster (disambiguation). The trickster figure Reynard the Fox as depicted in an 1869 children s book by Michel Rodange. In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit …   Wikipedia

  • Kuksu (religion) — Kuksu, also called the Kuksu Cult, was a shamanistic religion in Northern California practiced in different degrees by many Native American people before and during contact with the arriving European settlers. The religious belief system extended …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”