A Few Zuni Death Beliefs And Practices

The smallpox epidemic of 1898-99 and the measles epidemic of 1910-11 were attributed to witchcraft. Many taboos must be respected and observed or death will occur to those who fail to follow customs. For example, if a man kills a snake during his wife's pregnancy, the child would be spotted like a snake and would die. If a pregnant woman looks upon a corpse, her child would be still born, or if born alive, would soon pine away. Persons who have been struck or shocked by lightning should be given the rain water of that same storm to drink or they will surely die. The dead are rainmakers for their people. While a person is dying, food is cast on the fire for him and put into his mouth. During the four days it takes the deceased to journey to the next world, all household members do not buy or sell, the house door is left ajar, and the bowl used to wash the corpse and the tools used to bury it are left on the roof. Extensive footnotes.