Zuñi Fetiches Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-1881, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1883, pages 3-45

An early Smithsonian ethnology report delves into the Zuni’s intricate system of belief, where every star, stone, plant and animal participates in a single, all‑conscious network. The author explains how the Zuni rank existence by resemblance: humans sit at the base, animals bridge the mortal and divine, and natural forces occupy the highest, most mysterious tier. This hierarchy shapes their perception of objects as living entities, from lightning imagined as a serpentine spirit to arrowheads thought to bear the “flesh” of storms.

The narrative then turns to the fetiches—sacred objects that embody the power of specific animals and elements. Detailed descriptions of the “Prey Gods” of the six regions—such as the mountain lion of the north or the eagle of the upper world—reveal how each is worshipped, how rituals are performed, and how these symbols mediate daily life and the hunt. Listeners gain a vivid glimpse into Zuni philosophy, ritual practice, and the way reverence for the natural world is woven into every facet of their culture.