The mysteries behind the Zuni Indian’s spiritual rituals and beliefs reveal the prevalent sexuality in the Zuni culture. This strong culture illustrates the sexuality of humans, through the metaphors of the animals, stories and folktales, and, most importantly, the sexuality conveyed in their beliefs and ceremonies. The sexuality of the woman is highly prized, seen especially in beliefs of equality and a close relationship to maternal roots. The sexuality of the Zuni’s is also seen in the animal ideologies. This unique culture illustrates that sexuality is a natural way of life for the Zuni’s.
The Zuni’s have a great deal of respect for the animals around them. ... Sexuality is especially prevalent around these animals that govern the regions. (Cushing, 30) The Mountain Lion, especially, is seen as a sexual creature in the Zuni culture. ... Although the Mountain Lion is a ubiquitous figure in the sexuality of the Zuni’s, all of the regional animals are extremely important to the culture. These animals are especially prevalent in ceremonies and rituals in the Zuni culture, with no exception to the most important of Zuni ceremonies, the winter solstice.
The Zuni year begins with the winter solstice. ... This ceremony shows that sexuality is a way of generating life and of rebirthing the self.
The importance of sexuality can also be seen in the rites of childbirth. When a child is born, many details accompany the child entering into the world, which pertains to sexuality. ... In the Zuni culture, women are seen as naturally more complete than men, for they gave birth to both genders, and sustained both with the milk of their breast. ... (Roscoe, 132)
Another strong example of the importance of sexuality in the Zuni culture is another ceremony that takes place after the birth of a child. ... (Curtis, 108)
Just as the rites of birth introduce a strong sense of individuality, that individuality is carried on throughout every Zuni life. Such as the economic base of the Zuni society: it is all centered on the matrilineal household, where the woman of the house has complete control over all monetary transactions. ...
We’wha is, quite possibly, the most puzzling mystery of the Zuni culture. We’wha was the Zuni’s leading berdache. His death in 1896 was extremely painful for all Zuni’s. One excerpt from Matilda Coxe Stevenson’s ‘Zuni Indians’ describes the way We’wha’s body was prepared for burial:
[…] a pair of white cotton trousers were drawn over the legs, the first male attire she had worn since she had adopted woman’s dress years ago.
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