| The elves were the "white" people. The word "elf" comes from the same root as do albino, albumen, albedo, auburn, and Oberon: "albho." They are magical, fairy-like creatures. At one time they were feared for being malicious. Later they became thought of as mischievous; but now are regarded as beneficent and helpful. Some consider Santa himself to be an elf. In that respect, he and the elves are best regarded as Kachinas: ancestor-spirits who teach and lead their people. Katchinas are "terrestrial spirits" or "cloud people." They are archetypes of the Pueblo moral and spiritual life, intermediaries between the living and the creator; they are carriers of prayers. |
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