the Maiden of the South

Role: Maiden of the South · First appears: Section 75 · The Presentation of the Perfected Seed to the Fathers of Men, and the Passing of the Maidens of Seed

In Section 75, the Maiden of the South stood among her sisters as the seed trays were presented through Paíyatuma to the priests. After the Maiden-mother of the North moved to the end of the line, the Maiden of the West went first; in turn, the Maiden of the South gave up the tray of red seed, which the Master-priest of the South received.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Maidens’ seed trays were presented through Paíyatuma and received by the priests.(Section 75 · The Presentation of the Perfected Seed to the Fathers of Men, and the Passing of the Maidens of Seed)
  • With: Paíyatuma the Maiden-mother of the North the Maiden of the West the Maiden of the East
  • “Then Paíyatuma reached down, and the Maiden-mother of the North, who was first, advanced to the foot of the ladder and lifted from off her head the beautiful tray of yellow corn, and this, Paíyatuma taking, presented to the regions, each in succession, praying the while, at the mark of each on the sacred line, and being signaled unto, each time, by the four-times repeated whistle of Shútsuk‘ya. Thus, the Priest of the North, made aware when the number of presentations was fully accomplished, came upward and received from the hands of Paíyatuma the tray of most sacred seed and breathed deeply therefrom, saying thanks and bearing it below. Now was the Maiden of the North, by retiring to the end of the line of her sisters, to the south stationed; and the Maiden of the West was thus become first, and she advanced as her elder sister had, when Paíyatuma turned forward, and gave up her tray of the blue corn which thus also as before, when the presentations were fully accomplished, the Master-priest of the West received, and breathed from deeply and for it said thanks, and bore it below; and so, each in turn, the Maidens gave up their trays of precious seed; the Maiden of the South, the red, which the Master-priest of the South received; the Maiden of the East, the white, which the Master-priest of the East received; and so, the tray many-colored and the tray black, and last, yet first at last, the tray of all-color seed, which the Priestess of Seed and All, herself received.”

Section 75 · The Presentation of the Perfected Seed to the Fathers of Men, and the Passing of the Maidens of Seed

• siblings with the Maiden-mother of the North “Now was the Maiden of the North, by retiring to the end of the line of her sisters, to the south stationed;”
• siblings with the Maiden of the West “Now was the Maiden of the North, by retiring to the end of the line of her sisters, to the south stationed;”
• siblings with the Maiden of the East “Now was the Maiden of the North, by retiring to the end of the line of her sisters, to the south stationed;”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Outlines of Zuñi Creation Myths. Made with Rho MD.