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Show a dead person going. Sometimes they could hear a sound of a human crying, and that's the indication that they don't want to leave and depart from his beloved family members, but his time had come for him to depart regardless to join Zuni Heaven. But if a person here that has no family ties, they are so happy to leave when their time comes, and they are the ones that go to join their ancestors in Zuni Heaven singing. They will be happy so a lot of these people that use this area up to Ojo Caliente and further beyond have known of this type of sign. So they know a lot of times when they hear a sound, they know that somebody had died here in the village because of this sign. Joe Dishta said he had lived near the head of the trail (near Halona Plaza) and sometimes heard the spirits going down the trail crying or singing. His wife Loretta also heard the spirits. He asked his mother and she said she had also heard the spirits and explained it to Joe. Mr. Seowtewa concurred and said it was 35 common-people could not explain it, but it -was common to hear such things. The area along the Zuni river where the trail to Kolhu/walatwa leaves the village has great religious importance. A number of shrines are located there. Priests go there to make offerings in order to communicate with the ancestors and Kokko at Kolhu/walatwa, and in turn the Kokko return here to visit Zuni in the form of waterfowl during ceremonies. The personal belongings of the deceased are buried in this area. Here clearly can be seen the real and metaphorical link between the Zuni village of Halonatwa and Kolhu/walatwa, the village of the Kokko. Mr. Joe Dishta and Mr. Seowtewa described stories about the trail in ancient times, also. In ancient times the pilgrims used to fast and go without water on 35. Hart, E. Richard Transcription of fieldnotes taken on December 18, 1985, after interview with Joe Dishta and Alex Seowtewa. 36. Ladd, Edmund J. "Sacred Areas and Sites," A cultural Resources Survey £f the Zuni River from Eustace Reservoir to Bosson Wash, (by Barbara E. Holmes), March, 1980, pp. 78-81. - 25 - |
