scalp carrier

    Article

    The person chosen during the Enemyway ceremonial to collect and carry a symbolic enemy scalp to the place where it will be shot and ritually defeated. The object representing the enemy scalp is tied to a pole with yucca fibers and is not touched by the naked hand. Not to be confused with the scalp shooter, the scalp carrier must not pass his burden to any other person, and he must travel unaccompanied.

    In curing ceremonials, such as the Navajo Enemyway, the scalp referenced is a token object representing an enemy. The Enemyway is a ceremony performed to cure people from illness caused by coming into contact with an "enemy," typically someone or an experience outside the Navajo culture and traditional lifeways. The symbolic scalp is collected during a ritualized warpath prior to the ceremony, brought to the place of healing without being touched, and kept out of sight until it is time to be destroyed.

    Photo Credit

     
    "Twisted Yucca Fibers" by dog.breath is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

    Published Works
    Term Type
    Manuscript Occurrences
    References

     
    Frisbie, Charlotte Johnson
         1980   Approach to the Ethnography of Navajo Ceremonial Performance. Ethnography of
             Musical Performance, Norma Mcleod and Marcia Herndon, eds. Norwood: Norwood
             Editions.

    Haile, Berard
         1938   Origin Legend of the Navaho Enemyway. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Hirschfelder, Arlene, and Paulette Molin
         2000   Evil Way. Encyclopedia of Native American Religions, Updated Edition. New York:
             Facts On File, Inc.

    Wyman Leland
         1983   Navajo Ceremonial System. In Handbook of North American Indians, Vol. 10.. A.
             Ortiz, ed. Pp. 536-537. Washington: Smithsonian Institution.