Flesh of the Flesh

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This is another way of referring to the A'shiwi, or Zuni, people before they had earned, or learned, their name. This type of naming convention suggests a pre-formative state, as if the A'shiwi had not yet matured enough to know who they were. In fact, that is one of the morals of the Zuni myth called The Boy Who Made Dragonfly, and many other origin stories: the people, whomever they are to become, make many immature and foolish mistakes that often necessitate their having to move from one place, or world, to another. These mistakes and associated journeys comprise the foundational structures of many creation stories, and in almost every case suggest a narrative of maturation as wisdom is gained through a combination of spiritual guidance and mundane experience.

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"Zuni boy, 1985," photograph by Eduardo Fuss. Eduardo Fuss Photograph Collection (2011-001-b9-f4-0006). Center for Southwest Research, University of New Mexico.

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