Zuni Fetiches

Äsh-i-k'ia=á-hâ-i (from ä'sh-k'ia, meaning "made" or "finished," and á-hâ-i, meaning "beings"): "Finished Beings," which includes the deceased members of mankind.

The lack of a general term for "God" in the entire language indicates that very little distinction is made between these orders of life, or at least that they are considered closely related. True, there are many beings in Zuñi mythology who are godlike in their attributes—anthropomorphic, monstrous, or elemental—who are known as the "Finishers or makers of the paths of life." The most superior of all is called Hâ'-no-o-na wí-la-po-na, the "Holder of the paths of our lives." However, these gods, along with all supernatural beings, humans, animals, plants, and many objects in nature, are regarded as personal existences and are included in the term á-hâ-i (from á, the plural particle meaning "all," and hâ-i, meaning "being" or "life"). This leads to the conclusion that all beings—whether supernatural or mortal—are regarded as belonging to one system. They are also believed to be related by blood, as indicated by the fact that humans are called the "children of men," while all other beings are referred to as "the Fathers," the "All-fathers," or "Our Fathers."

It follows naturally from the Zuñi philosophy of life that their worship—while directed to mysterious and remote powers of nature—should relate more especially to animals. Because animals are more closely related to the Zuñi than are those remote powers, yet more closely related to those powers than the Zuñi is himself, they are frequently made to serve as mediators.

Unable to differentiate the objective from the subjective, the Zuñi establishes relationships between natural objects that resemble animals and the animals themselves. He may even imitate these animals to secure such a relationship, using these accidental resemblances as his motivation, which develops a conventionality in all art connected with his worship. Furthermore, the specific requirements of his life (or the lives of his ancestors) influence him to select as mediators those animals best fitted by their characteristics to meet his needs. Preeminently a man of war and the chase, the Zuñi has chosen those animals that supply him with food and useful material, as well as the animals that prey upon them, giving preference to the latter.