Creation of Summer and Winter ver2. - Acoma / Lagu

[Okwes]

Creation of Summer and Winter ver2. - Acoma / Laguna

retitled

The Origin of Summer and Winter

Version Two [watch the changes that happen in the next two versions,
dropping all the Acoma words, etc.] Acoma / Laguna

The Acoma chief had a daughter named Co-chin-ne-na-ko, called Co- chin for
short, who was the wife of Shakok, the Spirit of Winter. After he came to
live with the Acomas, the seasons grew colder and colder. Snow and ice
stayed longer each year. Corn no longer matured. The people soon had to live
on cactus leaves and other wild plants.

One day Co-chin went out to gather cactus leaves and burn off the thorns so
she could carry them home for food. She was eating a singed leaf when she
saw a young man coming toward her. He wore a yellow shirt woven of corn
silk, a belt, and a tall pointed hat; green leggings made of green moss that
grows near springs and ponds; and moccasins beautifully embroidered with
flowers and butterflies.

In his hand he carried an ear of green corn with which he saluted her. She
returned the salute with her cactus leaf. He asked, "What are you eating?"
She told him, "Our people are starving because no corn will grow, and we are
compelled to live on these cactus leaves."

"Here, eat this ear of corn, and I will go bring you an armful for you to
take home with you," said the young man. He left and quickly disappeared
from sight, going south. In a very short time, however, he returned,
bringing a large bundle of green corn that he laid at her feet.

"Where did you find so much corn?" Co-chin asked.

"I brought it from my home far to the south," he replied. "There the corn
grows abundantly and flowers bloom all year."

"Oh, how I would like to see your lovely country. Will you take me with you
to your home?" she asked.

"Your husband, Shakok, the Spirit of Winter, would be angry if I should take
you away," he said.

"But I do not love him, he is so cold. Ever since he came to our village, no
corn has grown, no flowers have bloomed. The people are compelled to live on
these prickly pear leaves," she said.

"Well," he said. "Take this bundle of corn with you and do not throw away
the husks outside of your door. Then come tomorrow and I will bring you
more. I will meet you here." He said good-bye and left for his home in the
south.

Co-chin started home with the bundle of corn and met her sisters, who had
come out to look for her. They were very surprised to see the corn instead
of cactus leaves. Co-chin told them how the young man had brought her the
corn from his home in the south. They helped her carry it home.

When they arrived, their father and mother were wonderfully surprised with
the corn. Co- chin minutely described in detail the young man and where he
was from. She would go back the next day to get more corn from him, as he
asked her to meet him there, and he would accompany her home.

"It is Miochin," said her father. "It is Miochin," said her mother. "Bring
him home with you."

The next day, Co-chin-ne-na-ko went to the place and met Miochin, for he
really was Miochin, the Spirit of Summer. He was waiting for her and had
brought big bundles of corn.

Between them they carried the corn to the Acoma village. There was enough to
feed all of the people. Miochin was welcome at the home of the Chief. In the
evening, as was his custom, Shakok, the Spirit of Winter and Co-chin's
husband, returned from the north. All day he had been playing with the north
wind, snow, sleet, and hail.

Upon reaching the Acoma village, he knew Miochin must be there and called
out to him, "Ha, Miochin, are you here?" Miochin came out to meet him. "Ha,
Miochin, now I will destroy you."

"Ha, Shakok, I will destroy you," replied Miochin, advancing toward him,
melting the snow and hail and turning the fierce wind into a summer breeze.
The icicles dropped off and Shakok's clothing was revealed to be made of
dry, bleached rushes.

Shakok said, "I will not fight you now, but will meet you here in four days
and fight you till one of us is beaten. The victor will win
Co-chin-ne-na-ko."

Shakok left in a rage, as the wind roared and shook the walls of White City.
But the people were warm in their houses because Miochin was there. The next
day he left for his own home in the south to make preparations to meet
shakok in combat.

First he sent an eagle to his friend Yat-Moot, who lived in the west, asking
him to come help him in his fight with Shakok. Second, he called all the
birds, insects, and four-legged animals that live in summer lands to help
him. The bat was his advance guard and shield, as his tough skin could best
withstand the sleet and hail that Shakok would throw at him.

On the third day Yat-Moot kindled his fires, heating the thin, flat stones
he was named after. Big black clouds of smoke rolled up from the south and
covered the sky.

Shakok was in the north and called to him all the winter birds and
four-legged animals of winter lands to come and help him. The magpie was his
shield and advance guard.

On the fourth morning, the two enemies could be seen rapidly approaching the
Acoma village. In the north, black storm clouds of winter with snow, sleet,
and hail brought Shakok to the battle. In the south, Yat-Moot piled more
wood on his fires and great puffs of steam and smoke arose and formed
massive clouds. They were bringing Miochin, the Spirit of Summer, to the
battlefront. All of his animals were blackened from the smoke. Forked blazes
of lightning shot forth from the clouds.

At last the combatants reached White City. Flashes from the clouds singed
the hair and feathers of Shakok's animals and birds. Shakok and Miochin were
now close together. Shakok threw snow, sleet, and hail that hissed through
the air of a blinding storm. Yat- Moot's fires and smoke melted Shakok's
weapons, and he was forced to fall back. Finally he called a truce. Miochin
agreed, and the winds stopped, and snow and rain ceased falling.

They met at the White Wall of Acoma. Shakok said, "I am defeated, you
Miochin are the winner. Co-chin-ne-na-ko is now yours forever." Then the men
each agreed to rule one- half of the year, Shakok for winter and Miochin for
summer, and that neither would trouble the other thereafter. That is why we
have a cold season for one-half of the year, and a warm season for the
other.

[Okwes]

Creation of Summer and Winter ver3 - Acoma

Long ago the chief of the Acoma people had a beautiful daughter named
Co-Chin-ne-na-ko, who was called Co-Chin. Co-Chin lived with her family in a
pueblo carved into a high cliff in the southwestern desert. Co-Chin's beauty
and warmth captured the heart of every young man in the village. Although
she could have her choice, she desired none of them.

One day a tall, rugged stranger climbed the steep stone ladder to the
pueblo. Pure white crystals covered his clothing and glistened as he moved.
Though he appeared serious and unsmiling, his face was strong and handsome.

Co-Chin's eyes followed the stranger as he strode confidently into the
village. Briefly he glanced her way as she filled her water jar at the
spring. Moments later he was gone.

Soon Co-Chin learned that the stranger's name was Shakok, the Spirit of
Winter. They began to see each other, and after a short courtship she
married him. Perhaps if Co-Chin had known him longer before agreeing to be
his wife, great hardship could have been avoided. For once Shakok came to
live with Co-Chin and her people, the seasons grew colder. Corn withered on
the stalk. Snow and ice lingered longer on the ground Water froze in the
springs.

Early each morning Shakok left the pueblo and hurried to his home in the far
north There he played all day with the North Wind, churning out snow, hail,
sleet, and an occasional blizzard. Each evening he returned, frost-covered,
and chilled the desert around him Co-Chin discovered that Shakok's heart was
as cold as the frozen air he brought with him ' Nothing she did could warm
his blustery nature. In the bitter cold brought on by Shakok, no crops could
grow. The Acoma people were hungry and grew desperate. To hold off
starvation, they harvested cactus leaves, roasting them first to burn off
their sharp thorns.

One day while roasting cactus leaves, Co-Chin was approached by another
handsome stranger. He wore a yellow shirt woven from corn silk, and green
pants sewn from the moss that covers rocks in springs and ponds. Flashing a
smile as warm as sunshine, the stranger asked Co-Chin what she was doing.
Co-Chin explained the plight of her people and how they would soon starve if
the frigid weather continued. The young man listened intently When Co-Chin
finished her sad tale, he handed her an horn corn' "Eat this!" he commanded-
'And wait here while ! fetch a bundle for you to take He raced off toward
the south and quickly disappeared from sight. Co- Chin barely had time to
finish eating before he reappeared with an armload of corn

"Where did you find this?" asked an astonished Co-Chin. "Does it grow
nearby?"

It comes from my home far to the south, where the sun shines every day and
corn grows all year round," he replied.

"I would love to see your home," said Co-Chin. "Please take me with you."

"I cannot do that. Your husband, the Spirit of Winter, would be furious,"
replied the young man. "Our love is dead," Co-Chin replied. "He is
cold-hearted and has no feeling for me or my people. Since he settled here
no crops can grow, no flowers can blossom."

"Take the corn home to your family" said the young man. "Then meet me here
tomorrow, and I will bring you another load." With that, he turned and
headed south.

When Co-Chin arrived home, her parents were shocked to see corn instead of
cactus leaves. She told them of the warm young man and his generous offer to
provide more corn

"He is Miochin," said her father.

"Yes," agreed her mother. "He must be Miochin, the Spirit of Summer. Invite
him home with you tomorrow."

The next day Co-Chin met the young man at the prearranged spot, and she
asked him his name. He confessed that he was Miochin, the Spirit of Summer.
This time he had brought with him enough corn to feed the entire village.
Together Co-Chin and Miochin car-ried the bundles to the pueblo. As they
walked, clear skies and warm sunshine followed them. The frozen springs
began to thaw.

Co-Chin's parents welcomed Miochin into their home, and he was still there
when Shakok returned from the north. As the Spirit of Winter approached the
village, he knew instantly that Miochin was present and that he had captured
Co-Chin's heart.

With the voice of the coldest wind, Shakok called out, "Miochin, come out
here'"

Dark clouds swirled overhead, and sleet and hail pelted down from the sky
The frost clinging to Shakok's shirt and pants grew into long, thick
icicles.

Miochin emerged from Co-Chin's home, bringing a ray of sunshine.

"I will destroy you!" bellowed Shakok.

"No, I will destroy you!" said Miochin. Radiating the heat of a perfect
summer day he advanced toward his foe. Instantly the sleet and hail were
reduced to a light sprinkle of rain, and the icicles began to melt.

"We will see who is more powerful," shouted Shakok. "But not today In four
days we will meet again and the winner will take Co-Chin." With that, Shakok
stormed off to the north.

The wind howled and rattled the walls of the houses in the pueblo. But
inside, the people stayed safe and warm because Miochin remained with them.

The following day Miochin returned to his home to prepare for battle. First
he summoned his friend Yat-Moot, who lived in the west. Next he requested
the help of all the birds, insects, and four-legged animals that lived in
the warm lands. Then he assigned Bat to be his advance guard, for Bat's skin
was tough and would be able to withstand the assault of Shakok's sleet and
hail.

When Yat-Moot arrived the day before the battle, he kindled huge bonfires.
Then he heated thin, flat stones for Miochin to use in the fight. These flat
stones would produce a warm South Wind, Miochin's most potent weapon.

Meanwhile, in the north, Shakok prepared by asking all the birds and
four-legged animals of the cold lands to aid him. He appointed Magpie to
serve as his shield and advance guard.

On the morning of the conflict, the people of Acoma watched the two enemies
advancing toward their village. From the north, towering storm clouds heavy
with snow, sleet, and hail conveyed Shakok to the battleground. From the
south, billowing clouds of steam and smoke from Yat-Moot's fire filled the
sky and delivered Miochin.

Jagged bolts of lightning inside Shakok's clouds singed the fur and feathers
of the animals accompanying him. To this day the creatures of the north have
some white coloring.

The thick smoke from Yat-Moofs fire blackened the animals who came with
Miochin Even now animals living in the south have brown or black coloring At
last the warriors reached the pueblo. In a blinding storm of sleet and ice,
Shakok created a bitter wind that froze all the waters. But Miochin called
upon the South Wind, and the warm wind thawed the ice. Shakok then whipped
up a blizzard that covered the entire world in a thick coating of snow,
Miochin again called the South Wind, and the warm wind melted the snow.

Finally Shakok caused great icicles to rain down until they buried
everything in the world. Once more Miochin summoned the warm South Wind, and
the icicles quickly vanished.

At last Shakok admitted defeat and asked for a truce. Miochin agreed. At
once the winds died down and the sky cleared. Co-Chin was free to go with
Miochin.

In the harmony of the moment, the Spirit of Summer offered to share the land
with the Spirit of Winter. Shakok would prevail for half of every year, and
Miochin would rule for the other half. Since the great battle of the
spirits, the world experiences six months of cold and six months of warmth
annually.

Retitled Seasons and put into a book by Carole Garbuny Vogel, Weather
Legends - Native American Lore and the Sciend of Weather. Somehow a story
that was freely told by the Acoma is now Copyrighted. Go figure.