The Tewa World by Alfonso Ortiz

Author:Alfonso Ortiz [Ortiz, Alfonso]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General, Anthropology, Cultural & Social, Ethnic Studies, American, Native American Studies, History, United States, State & Local, Southwest (AZ; NM; OK; TX)
ISBN: 9780226216393
Google: Si1OCgAAQBAJ
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 2012-06-25T02:40:39+00:00

Fig. 9 The annual cycle of works of the Made People

The two exceptions to this formula are the works called “Of the officials” and “Days of the sun.” The latter is discussed below. The former always occurs on January 2, and only the moiety chiefs work, each in his own home. The purpose of this work, as discussed in the previous chapter, is to legitimize the authority of the new political officials, who are installed the previous day, by giving it supernatural sanction. This work is post-Spanish because the usual four-day interval is ignored, it does not take thirty-two days to complete, and it occurs on a convenient date which was formerly not recognized by the Tewa. Nonetheless, the Tewa have reoriented their thinking along the lines of the Western calendar to the extent that the other eight works are planned by the Made People at the time the new political officials are installed. Let me follow these through in sequence, by way of lending some credence to my claim that this is the basic structural framework on which all other communal activities during the year are organized.

The first work in the traditional cycle begins on about January 20, and it is initiated by the Winter chief, since he rules the village at the time. It is called “Of moderation” or “To lessen the cold.” Its purpose is to melt the snow, if there is any, to thaw the ground, and to prevent further extreme weather. After four days, the Winter chief goes to the home of the Summer chief and asks that he now seek life for all. The Summer moiety society then has its day of work, followed by the medicine men, the Kwirana, the Kossa, the Hunt society, the Scalp society, and finally the Women. In other words, each society head notifies the next one in the hierarchy that it is his turn to work, on the fourth morning after the head’s own work is completed.

The entire cycle repeats itself beginning about February 20, but this time it is the Summer chief who initiates the “Bringing the buds to life” work. This is because the Winter chief transfers primary responsibility for ruling the village to the Summer chief just before this work is initiated. The transfer ceremony itself is very simple; the Winter chief merely goes to the Summer chief’s home and “gives the children back” with a ritual speech. He adds that we now “strive toward warmth” again. No tangible symbols of office change hands, but the moiety chiefs are hereafter reversed in the hierarchy of Made People. The Kwirana and Kossa are also reversed, with the latter now becoming fourth until authority is transferred back to the Winter chief in the fall. In any case, “Bringing the buds to life” is the first of the “sweet” works, called such because the two female Sehshu prepare a sweet drink of fermented grain for the Summer moiety society members and the Towa é who are standing watch. The female assistants of all the other societies do the same, in their turn.

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