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When the people emerged into the new fourth world they were told by Masaw, the guardian spirit, that they could not just settle into their new homes. First they must make a great migration to each of the corners of the land where it touched the sea, north, south, east, and west. He gave them instructions on how they were to accomplish this, and he instructed them on how they would recognize their final destination. All of this was written on four sacred tablets. One was given to the Fire Clan, the other three were given to the Bear Clan, who were to be the leading clan.
Upon their emergence a number of clans, headed by the Bear Clan and including the Coyote and Parrot Clans decided to migrate south. Accompanied by a number of kachina people, they completed their southern migrations and headed north once again. The kachina people instructed them to stop at the red-earth place (Palatkwapi (Red House) which is somewhere in Mexico or Central or South America, the exact location is lost) Palatkwapi was built in sections. Surrounded by a great wall it was composed of a four story pyrimid shaped ceremonial section, an area for food storage, and living quarters. Underneath all three sections ran a river. On the first floor of the ceremonial section the kachina people taught initiates history and the meaning of the three previous worlds, and the purpose of the fourth where they now resided. On the second they were taught about the structure and form of the human body and to understand how the one great spirt resided with in man. On the third level initiates were taught the workings of nature and the uses of plant life. The fourth level was for the select few initiates who exhibited great conscience and displayed deep knowledge of the laws of nature. They were taught the workings of planetary systems and the effects of the stars on climate, crops and man. Here they were taught about the "open door" on the tops of their heads through which they could talk to the creator.
The two chief kachina were Eototo, who worked with the Bear Clan and Aholi, who worked with the Corn and Side Corn Clans. Both of these clans had special missions in the great plan and so required special instructions. The Coyote Clan was also assigned its proper place among the clans. They were designated to always come last and "close the door". There were two divisions. The Water Coyote's main duty was to inspect the route of the migration to be followed in order to know the nature of the country the clans were to transverse. They were given special powers to enable them to cross great rivers and lakes. When the clans settled at one place for a long period, a member of the Coyote Clan called a Qaletaqa (Guardian) always acted as guard. A Qaletaqa also brought up the rear of every ceremonial procession to guard against evil.
Palatkwapi grew and prospered. But after a time evil entered the great city. Perhaps because the people had forsaken their great migration, or perhaps because of the arrival of the evil Spider Clan. The Spider Clan lay seige to the great city and a council meeting was called.
The kachina leaders instructed the people. "First the Bear Clan will leave, then the Corn and Parrot Clans, the Coyote Clan shall go last as is its duty. When you reach the other side of the river, the migrations must begin again. Remember what we have taught you, observe the ceremonies and keep the doors open at the tops of your heads. The kachina people will remain and defend the city while you escape. It is time we left you but not time for us to return to the far off stars and planets. So we will go to certain high mountains,(San Francisco Mountains near Flagstaff) that you will know, where we will wait for your messages of need. When you need us make your pahos (prayer stick). Finally, we are spirit people, and will not be seen again by you or your people. But you must remember us by wearing our masks and
our costumes at proper ceremonial times. Those who do so must be only those persons who have aquired the knowledge and wisdom we have taught you. These persons of flesh and blood will bear our name and be known as Kachina Clan."
The Coyote Clan continued their migrations and eventually ended up in the village of Sikyatki. It was a prosperous place and in it lived a beautiful girl. The girl was courted by many, but eventually it came down to two suitors, a Coyote Clan boy and a Swallow Clan boy. Finally the girl told the Swallow boy not to come anymore, she had chosen the Coyote boy. She took a gift of cornmeal to his mother to announce her intentions.
Swallow boy was very angry at being rejected. So he went to his clan elders for help in getting the beautiful maiden.
When the day of the wedding arrived the leader of the Swallow Clan announced that his clan would not allow the wedding unless their was a contest between Swallow Boy and Coyote Boy. The elders of Coyote Clan were forced to agree. The contest was a foot race with the girl as the prize and death for the loser.
On the day of the race clans from many villages gathered for the event. Coyote boy and Swallow boy were given their instructions. They were to race east to the Rio Grande River, North to the San Juan, west to the Colorado, south to the Salt River, northeast to Rio Grande and back to the starting line where the winner would pick up an obsidian knife and strike of the head of the loser.
The Swallow Clan was very powerful and known to use magic. And though the Coyote Boy ran swiftly he soon lost track of Swallow Boy. Coyote Boy called out to his elders in the kiva who were smoking and praying and awaiting the outcome of the race. The Coyote elders realized that the Swallow Clan must have used their magic to turn their runner into a swallow, the swiftest of birds. The decided that they too must use magic to save their runner.
Having the power to make rain and hail, they began to smoke their pipes and blow great billows of smoke upward toward the opening of the kiva. The smoke turned into great thunderheads that travelled the course of the raceway and rained upon Swallow Boy soaking his feathers so he could not fly. Then he was forced to take shelter under a tree to protect himself from the hail. This allowed the Coyote Boy to catch up and pass the Swallow Boy, but the rain soon turned everything to mud and Coyote Boy could not run. Swallow Boy over took him again. Then Coyote Boy remembered the cotton string, sinew and gourd that his elders had given him. So he placed them on the ground and when he turned back to look he saw a magic shield (taweyah), on which he could travel through the air.
So they raced for a time using their magic, but the Swallow Clan warned their runner that Coyote Clan would shoot any swallows flying by their observation points and so he changed back into a human. Coyote boy destroyed his taweyah and they ran on foot, neck and neck.
Coyote Boy crossed the finish line and grabbed the obsidian knife. He struck of the head of his opponent and gravely handed it to the Swallow elders.
There was a great sadness among the people, because the Swallow Clan was very powerful and the people feared their anger. So the Coyote Clan Leader told the Swallow Clan Leader that he and all his people must leave the village.
Four days later the Coyote Clan members each dressed in their Qaletaqa costumes escorted the Swallow clan out of Sikyatki. They traveled east to Wupovakavi and then it is said the Swallow people moved to Kuaua.
The Beautiful Maiden and the Coyote Boy were married and had many fine children who became the decendants of Coyote Clan at Oraibi. For the time came to "close the door" on Sikyatki and join the others at Oraibi. The Coyote Clan was the last clan to arrive at Oraibi completing the religous quorum according to tradition.
The ruin of Sikyatki was briefly excavated in 1895 by J.W. Fewkes and F.W. Hodge of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Pottery fragments from their dig were responsble for a revival in pottery art on First Mesa. One of the Hopi workers at the dig was named Lesso. He was disappointed when the dig was abandoned and brooded about it for many years. Finally he asked Sivanka (Flower Painting), the oldest memeber of Coyote Clan at Oraibi for permission to dig again. Accompanied by another member of his clan, they unearthed a kiva. On the kiva wall was a mural that depicted the story of the Coyote - Swallow race. He carefully made a drawing, and planted a prayer stick at the base of the mural. Then he resealed the kiva.
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