A:shiwi Origins

In the beginning Yadokkya Datchu (Father Sun) heard our ancestors within our Awidelin’ Tsitda (Mother Earth).

He created his twin sons, and sent them within Mother Earth to guide our ancestors out. The Twins helped our ancestors out of the Four Underworlds:

The Underworld of Soot, climbing a Pine tree, into,

The underworld with foul smells, a Spruce tree was place and our ancestors climbed into, 

The underworld covered with algae.  Our Sun Father's sons placed a Aspen tree and our ancestors climbed into,

The underworld beneath the surface, a phargmite reed was placed and our ancestors climbed out into, 

...Chimik’yana’kya Dey’a, or Ribbon Falls, in the Grand Canyon. 

After emerging, our bodies were changed from having tails and other body differences, to how we look today.
We were instructed to find home, Halona I:diwanna, the Middle Place. Guided by the Twins we migrated. 

Guided by the Sun Father's sons, we migrated to find the middle place.  During our journeys, our cultural practices and observances developed and expanded. 

Many of our Cultural sites have been referred to as "Ruins" to us, they are still important to our cultural sustainment  and spiritually occupied by our ancestors. 

Sun Father's twins met and divided our ancestors into two groups.  They were told they would move separately to find their respective homelands. The Sun Father’s twins brought with them two different bird eggs.

One was a colorful egg, the other a dull colored egg. Each group was to pick one egg and follow the bird from it. 

From the split our people divided into two further groups and moved through Kołuwalawa (Zuni Heaven lands). The powerful energy in this place caused children to change into water beings.  Example of how powerful a place can be.

The two groups of our A:shiwi ancestors came to Hanłbinkya, it is here, our family clan system was established. We originated with 20+ clans and since we are matrilineal, some clans became extinct. Today, we have around 13 clans and a few sub clans.

Many of the ancestral sites our ancestors occupied contain special features that reflect and nurture a connection to the landscape, as well as the sky above. Many of our important cultural observances occur during certain seasonal times of the year.   

Vital knowledge of songs, prayers and other cultural observances that completed our society groups can be pinpointed to certain ancestral sites. Bandelier, is one of those places. 

Memories of our migration also includes prominent land features.  The visual aid helps us better understand the larger regional areas. 

Our ancestry also understood the unique landscapes and elevations, would hold certain cultural resources that help sustain our culture. 

Today, some of our ancestral sites are protected by the National Park Services and other entities. Saving these sites help shape future generations to understand our cultural landscapes. 

Throughout our ancestors travels we learned how important the land, resources, everything that helps sustain life is vital to us as A:shiwi. 

Our two groups of ancestors reunited and found Halona I:diwanna, with confirmation from Kyan’ Asdebi (Water strider), by stretching his legs to the edges of the oceans and marking the middle place with his heart.