These are selections from work in progress that speaks from
years with the Zunis in New
Mexico.
Dennis Tedlock
Advice Received
Don't ask too many questions.
Don't ask questions about religion.
Don't take notes in front of people.
If someone is chopping wood
don't just stand there.
Dialogue-I could tell you a story.
It's the story told to all boys when they are initiated.
Do you want me to tell it? -
- If you want to tell it go ahead. -
- Don't say that.
Say you want me to tell the story.
The Hunter's Wife
1
She looks out the window
the snow is falling
her husband went hunting for elk
the boy went along too
a neighbor thinks he saw them at Red Hill
she hasn't seen the sun all day.
2
She was out in the woods
gathering pine nuts
and there
under a tree
was a fawn
the fawn said
-Tie me up. -
3
The men left her in camp for the day
a wounded buck
charged right into the fire
she hit him over the head with a frying pan.
When Only The Breath Is Left
On the third day after her grandson died
she thought she heard his
transistor radio playing
but that wasn't even in the house
it was already
broken and buried.
On the fourth night
the door was left open for her grandson
she dreamed of masked dancers
in a row
she heard the cry of the deer
they all walked away
he was the one in the middle.
That Fire In Your Fireplace
You started it right up
with one match, it must be
your aunt loves you
it was quiet for awhile
but now
listen to that fire!
The flames go straight up
it roars!
Someone is hungry, it must be your
great-grandparents
every time you eat
take a little bread
a little meat
throw it in the fire, say
- Great-grandparents!
Eat! -
That's the shortest prayer there is.
While Eating Mutton
Here are the eyes
but that means weak eyes
here is the fat around the eyes
but that means getting tears in the wind
here is the tongue
but that means getting thirsty all the time
here is the brain
but that means snoring all night
here is the heart
but that means forgetfulness
here is a bone with marrow in it
but that means hangnails
now here is the meat on the palate, with this
I'll be able to eat cactus fruit.
Spiders
1
A spider walked across the table
he lit a match and burned it
then he said
-Bluebird!
That handsome Bluebird!
He's the one who killed you!
Shrivel up his eyes!
2
A spider bit the girl
there were big red bumps down her arm
but her aunt knew the right medicine
it was the juice of the burnt Bluebird.
The Year
First comes
Broken Branches Moon
the snow is heavy
next
Snowless Road Moon
it snows
but it doesn't stick to the road
next
Little Wind Moon
when the snow is in patches
next
Big Wind Moon
next
Nameless Moon
next
Turnabout Moon
next
Broken Branches Moon
also called Rooster Pull
the time of the rodeo
next
Snowless Road Moon
also called Get-together
Look-at-one-another
next
Little Wind Moon
next
Big Wind Moon
also called Pick-the-ears-of-corn
next
Nameless Moon
when they set the date for the dancers
next
Turnabout Moon.
All these twelve together are called
time-surpasses-itself.
Winter Solstice
Here is the place of fear
for four days
no greasy foods are eaten
there is no coffee
no trade
all places of business are closed
for ten days
no sweepings
no garbage is taken out of the house
no fire is taken out of the house
not even cigarettes are lighted outside
people shouldn't use their cars
the street lights are all turned out
this is the middle of time.
Recipe
Fill a bowl with hot water
add, to taste:
dried leaves of wild mint
ground chili
onions
dried chinchweed flowers
wolfberries
and venison jerky.
This is called
hot-bowl
it is
an ancient dish.
Cornshucking
Pull down the husk
all around
then twist it all off at once
with the stem
put the dry ears in this pile
for us
put the damp ears
the moldy ears in this one
for the hogs
and throw the shucks out there
some of the ears are yellow
some are blue
red
white
some are pretty
the multicolored ones
some are black
look for the Fully-Finished-Ear
without a single kernel missing
right to the very tip
a deer, a buck
wears that one on his breast
and the Flat-Ear
with a forked tip
a doe wears that one on her breast
and the Road-Ear
with a groove down its whole length
runners wear that one on their backs
now here it is a Fully-Finished-Ear
but it's wet
I'll put it at the edge of the good pile
and here is an ear
yellow, but
each kernel
is tinged with red
it's sort of pretty
there's no name for this one
I'll put it here on the fence rail
maybe I'll do something with it later.
When The Witches Are Out
On the road at night
we caught a deer in the headlights
he didn't know which way to go
he came toward us
turning left and right
in the lights
we stopped
he cut left through the sunflowers
into the dark
we went on up to the house
so our nephew could get his rifle
on our way back down the road
there was another car coming
far off
his lights went out
we rode all the way down past
where the deer was
and there was no deer
and no car.
The Two of ThemThe Zuni
and the anthropologist
walk the narrow road
to the tip of the mesa
to see the Hopi Snake Dance
between two sheer drops
the Zuni says
to the anthropologist
- Both sides!
You jump one way
and I'll jump the other.