essay

Images of power in a Southwestern pueblo

anthropology of power : ethnographic studies from asia, oceania, and the new world • New York • Published In 1977 • Pages: 195-215

By: Pandey, Triloki Nath.

Abstract

This document is basically a study of the exercise of power in Zuni between the priests, the governor and his council, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs . Traditionally the Zuni have emphasized the sacred over the secular, thus allowing the priests to make secular political officers appointments in the community. By doing this, they ultimately controlled both the sacred and secular domains of pueblo life. By the mid to late twentieth century these political officers were elected by the people every four years, and inaugurated into office by the priests. Thus, this separation of church and state, an alien concept to the pueblos, has given rise to an independent secular-political realm that is resented by the priests and their sympathizers, but encouraged by the BIA and its supporters. This has created problems in the political life of the pueblo. Some Zuni still believe that the priests have higher status in the society than the politicians (political officers), and in fact have exerted their authority by dispossessing the politicians of their canes of office whenever they feel that the latter transgress their jurisdiction. During the past four decades , the priests have often refused to accept the elected officials and have appointed their own. But the BIA has not accepted their authority in secular matters and has backed elected officials . In this article the author describes a few such crisis situations in which the priests took the canes away from elected official and thus precipitated confusion and chaos in the political life of the peublo (pp. 197-198).

HRAF PubDate

2009

Region

North America

Sub Region

Southwest and Basin

Document Type

essay

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle; 2007

Field Date

1964-1968

Coverage Date

1850-1970

Coverage Place

Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, United States

Notes

Triloki Nath Pandey

Includes bibliographical references (p. 213-215)

LCCN

76009150

LCSH

Zuni Indians