The Sacred Hoop: Recovering the Feminine in American Indian Traditions

have white markings upon them.
From the south, the black clouds still rolled upward, the
thunder spoke again and again. Clouds of smoke and vapor
rushed onward, melting the snow and ice weapons of Shah-cock
and compelling him, at length, to retire from the
field. Mi-o-chin, assured of victory, pursued him. To save
himself from total defeat and destruction, Sh-ah-cock called
for armistice.
This being granted on the part of Mi-o-chin, the rivals
met at Kush-kut-ret to arrange the terms of the treaty. Sh-ahcock
acknowledged himself defeated. He consented to give
up Ko-chin-ne-nako to Mi-o-chin. This concession was
received with rejoicing by Ko-chin-ne-nako and all the
people of Kush-kut-ret.
It was then agreed between the late combatants that, for
all time thereafter, Mi-o-chin was to rule at Kush-kut-ret
during one-half of the year, and Sh-ah-cock was to rule
during the remaining half, and that neither should molest the
other. 3
John Gunn’s version has a formal plot structure that makes the
account seem to be a narrative. But had he translated it directly
from the Keres, even in “narrative” form, as in a storytelling
session, its ritual nature would have been clearer.
I can only surmise about how the account might go if it were
done that way, basing my ideas on renderings of Keres rituals in
narrative forms I am acquainted with. But a direct translation
from the Keres would have sounded more like the following than
like Gunn’s rendition of it:
Long ago. Eh. There in the North. Yellow Woman. Up
northward she went. Then she picked burrs and cactus.
Then here went Summer. From the south he came. Above
there he arrived. Thus spoke Summer. “Are you here? How