A Study of Pueblo Architecture: Tusayan and Cibola | Page 5

IV.
[Illustration: Plate II. Old Mashongnavi, plan.]
In preparing this paper for publication Mr. Cosmos Mindeleff has
rendered much assistance in the revision of manuscript, and in the
preparation of some of the final drawings of ground plans; on him has
also fallen the compilation and arrangement of Mr. A. M. Stephen's
traditionary material from Tusayan, embraced in the first chapter of the
paper.
This latter material is of special interest in a study of the pueblos as
indicating some of the conditions under which this architectural type
was developed, and it appropriately introduces the more purely
architectural study by the author.
Such traditions must be used as history with the utmost caution, and
only for events that are very recent. Time relations are often hopelessly
confused and the narratives are greatly incumbered with mythologic
details. But while so barren in definite information, these traditions are
of the greatest value, often through their merely incidental allusions, in
presenting to our minds a picture of the conditions under which the
repeated migrations of the pueblo builders took place.
The development of architecture among the Pueblo Indians was
comparatively rapid and is largely attributable to frequent changes,
migrations, and movements of the people as described in Mr. Stephen's
account. These changes were due to a variety of causes, such as disease,
death, the frequent warfare carried on between different tribes and
branches of the builders, and the hostility of outside tribes; but a most
potent factor was certainly the inhospitable character of their
environment. The disappearance of some venerated spring during an
unusually dry season would be taken as a sign of the disfavor of the

gods, and, in spite of the massive character of the buildings, would lead
to the migration of the people to a more favorable spot. The traditions
of the Zuñis, as well as those of the Tusayan, frequently refer to such
migrations. At times tribes split up and separate, and again phratries or
distant groups meet and band together. It is remarkable that the
substantial character of the architecture should persist through such
long series of compulsory removals, but while the builders were held
together by the necessity for defense against their wilder neighbors or
against each other, this strong defensive motive would perpetuate the
laborious type of construction. Such conditions would contribute to the
rapid development of the building art.
CHAPTER I.
TRADITIONAL HISTORY OF TUSAYAN.
EXPLANATORY.
In this chapter[1] is presented a summary of the traditions of the
Tusayan, a number of which were collected from old men, from Walpi
on the east to Moen-kopi on the west. A tradition varies much with the
tribe and the individual; an authoritative statement of the current
tradition on any point could be made only with a complete knowledge
of all traditions extant. Such knowledge is not possessed by any one
man, and the material included in this chapter is presented simply as a
summary of the traditions secured.
[Footnote 1: This chapter is compiled by Cosmos Mindeleff from
material collected by A. M. Stephen.]
The material was collected by Mr. A. M. Stephen, of Keam's Canyon,
Arizona, who has enjoyed unusual facilities for the work, having lived
for a number of years past in Tusayan and possessed the confidence of
the principal priests--a very necessary condition in work of this
character. Though far from complete, this summary is a more
comprehensive presentation of the traditionary history of these people
than has heretofore been published.

SUMMARY OF TRADITIONS.
The creation myths of the Tusayan differ widely, but none of them
designate the region now occupied as the place of their genesis. These
people are socially divided into family groups called wi´ngwu, the
descendants of sisters, and groups of wi´ngwu tracing descent from the
same female ancestor, and having a common totem called my´umu.
Each of these totemic groups preserves a creation myth, carrying in its
details special reference to themselves; but all of them claim a common
origin in the interior of the earth, although the place of emergence to
the surface is set in widely separated localities. They all agree in
maintaining this to be the fourth plane on which mankind has existed.
In the beginning all men lived together in the lowest depths, in a region
of darkness and moisture; their bodies were misshaped and horrible,
and they suffered great misery, moaning and bewailing continually.
Through the intervention of Myúingwa (a vague conception known as
the god of the interior) and of Baholikonga (a crested serpent of
enormous size, the genius of water), the "old men" obtained a seed
from which sprang a magic growth of cane. It penetrated through a
crevice in the roof overhead and mankind climbed to a higher plane. A
dim light appeared in this stage and vegetation was produced. Another
magic growth of