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Show Lamy said: Our spirits go there to this sacred place. In the old days, if a deer would go into it, (this precinct) the person hunting him was not permitted to take him. Mexicans say there is another lake above our lake-we shall know this when our brothers return. Mexicans are trying to live around the lake. They should be moved out because they hear our ceremonies going on under ground. Some have moved. If you meet the people returning from the Lake," he said, when we were leaving, "you must let them pass ahead of you." He was rather anxious about this, all through our visit-his eyes always searching the hills. Later Sergeant described the return of the group from Kolhu/wala:wa: Return of the party from the Sacred Lake: That same night, after Norman drove me back to the village to await the arrival of the Sacred Party, the sun was setting, they would soon be here now. The road toward Ojo had been cut off from use by cars, Lalio was policing it himself. But there was no other white person but myself, save a young girl about fifteen who was flirting with the young Indian boys-and turned out to be the granddaughter of the Dutch Reform missionary. . . The old "chief of the Bow" who is known as Joe Crazy Horse was watching; he had placed a plank across the Zuni River so that the Sacred Party could cross directly to their dancing plaza without encountering anyone. . . . Lalio consented that I should walk a little way out on the Ojo road with Norman. From there we could see, on a distant hill, the dancers' figures who were going through a preliminary ceremony there. When it was nearly dark, they came in-the party from the Lake which consisted of Komosona, (chief of the Masked Dancers); Chico, cacique; those who would impersonate the Shalako gods in the next Shalako ceremony (only one of them in ceremonial dress-he being the little Fire God, with his lighted torch) young boys carrying willow branches from the Lake and bundles (which by rights should contain live turtles) slung on their backs; and others whom I did not identify. They were accompanied by the group of Masked Rain Dancers who were to dance the following day-the latter already - 105 - |
