Miochin
Keresan Pueblos · numen · Keresan Pueblos traditional religion; continuing · Recorded classification
Miochin is the spirit of summer in the Keresan tale of the seasons told at Acoma and Laguna. Clothed in green and bearing the warmth, rain, and ripening corn of the growing season, he comes upon the land held by Shakok, the spirit of winter, who has taken Yellow Woman as his wife. Miochin and Shakok meet in a contest of their opposed powers, ice and fire, frost and green corn, and Miochin prevails; he wins Kochininako and drives back the cold. Rather than one destroying the other, the tale resolves in an agreement by which the two spirits divide the year between them, Shakok ruling the cold half and Miochin the warm, so that the pair together account for the turning of the seasons.
Domains
- seasons
- fertility
Powers
- brings warmth, rain, and the growth of crops
Epithets
- Miochin — spirit of summerGunn, J. M., Schat-Chen (1917), p. 217. (primary)
Relations
- spouse: KochininakoGunn, J. M., Schat-Chen (1917), pp. 217-222. (primary)
- rival: ShakokGunn, J. M., Schat-Chen (1917), pp. 217-222. (primary)
Sources
- Miochin is the spirit of summer in the Acoma-Laguna tale of the seasons, who contends with and defeats the winter spirit Shakok to win Yellow Woman, bringing warmth and growth.: Gunn, J. M., Schat-Chen: History, Traditions and Narratives of the Queres Indians of Laguna and Acoma (1917), pp. 217-222. (primary)