Yápotuluha

Family: the clans of Water · Role: foster child of Yanáuluha · First appears: Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 2

In Section 17, Yápotuluha is named by and raised as the foster child of Yanáuluha, the great Sun-priest. Chosen by the fathers of the people, he is sent to the strangers carrying the k‘yáetone and wands of worship. He is also chosen with the seven maidens, breathed upon, and instructed in sacred rites and incantations.

During the preparation, Yápotuluha and the maidens dance around the plants and gently draw them upward. By dawn, the places on the plants where the youth and maidens had touched them show new, soft-haired, many-colored parts.

Relationship record

Life events

• Yápotuluha was chosen and sent to the strangers carrying the k‘yáetone and wands of worship.(Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 2)
  • “Therefore the fathers of the people chose forth, it is said, Yápotuluha, of the clans of Water, foster child of the great Sun-priest Yanáuluha, and named of him. And into his hand they gave the k‘yáetone and certain of their wands of worship, and sent him to the strangers glorious to look upon.”
• The seven maidens and Yápotuluha were chosen, breathed upon, and instructed in the sacred rites and incantations.(Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 2)
  • With: the seven maidens
  • “They, too, were chosen and breathed upon by all the fathers and matrons of the Seed, and with the youth Yápotuluha, instructed in the precious rites and incantations of their custom.”
• Yápotuluha and the maidens danced around the plants and drew them upward until they grew tall.(Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 2)
  • With: the seven maidens
  • “As time went on, the matron of the dance led the youth and the first maiden apart, and they grasped, one on either side, the first plants, dancing around them, gently drawing them upward as they went, even as the Two Beloved had caused to grow the canes of the under-world.”
• The youth and maidens’ embraces caused new, soft-haired parts to appear on the plants.(Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 3)
  • With: the seven maidens
  • “Now, when the day dawned, lo! where the mid-persons of the youth and the maidens had touched most unitedly and warmly the plants, new parts appeared to the beholders, showing, through their coverings, many colors, soft hair shrouding them, as if to make precious their beauty.”

Section 17 · The Generation of the Seed of Seeds, or the Origin of Corn · Part 2

• foster-parent: Yanáuluha “Yápotuluha, of the clans of Water, foster child of the great Sun-priest Yanáuluha, and named of him.”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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

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