Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/256

] Sun was appealed to, and the first whiff of cigarette smoke was puffed toward him. The disk was not regarded as the "shield" or "headdress," but as the veritable person of the god. He moves unceasingly around the flat earth, going beneath the western rim and passing across below to rise in the east.

It is Sun that, by means of magic power, kills those who die during the day. It is Night who kills those who die during the hours of darkness. Moon is Sun's wife, but she is not accredited with the power that is given to Darkness. Coyote is the child of Sun and Moon, and figures largely in the myths. His character, by its buffoonery and trickery, much resembles that of the culture heroes of some other tribes.

At the present time two deities are recognized, Tcʼwt Makai, Earth Magician (medicine-man or doctor), and Siʼûû, Elder Brother. They live in the east, dividing the control of the universe between them. The former governs the winds, the rains, etc.; sometimes he is called Tciors, Dios [Spanish]. Their names are pronounced when & person sneezes, or, he may simply exclaim "pity me," referring tacitly to one or the other of these two deities. There is a puzzling mingling of the old and the new in the myths, though it seems probable that the greater part of them have been of ancient origin with recent adaptation of Earth Doctor and Elder Brother from the Christian religion. Among the Pimas themselves opinion is divided as to whether the myths have been largely adopted from the Papagos.

At the solstitial point in the northeast lives Tcopiny Makai, Sinking Magician, who also has a "house" in the northwest. In the southeast lives Vakolif Makai, South Magician, who also occupies the corresponding point in the southwest. Along the Sun's path are the houses of the four minor gods:

Wpki Makai, Lightning Magician, is the southernmost, and when the Sun is in his neighborhood we have lightning that is not accompanied by thunder.

Toahĭm Makai, Thunder Magician, causes the thunders that are heard during the second month.

Hwlt Makai, Wind Magician, produces the strong winds that blow so continuously in the spring.

Tâtrsaki Makai, Foam Magician, causes the river to rise and bear foam upon its waves in the month succeeding the month of wind.

It is difficult to determine the exact position of Coyote in the Pima pantheon, though he is classed with the leading deities in the myths, and his modern but degenerate descendants are regarded as very wise,

When a coyote comes by moonlight and sees the shadow of a chicken he can pounce upon the shadow and so bring down the bird within reach. He has been known to steal a baby from between its