A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE AT WALPI 607 



the middle of the room and continually fed the flame with 

 small twigs of greasewood, the sole method of lighting the 

 room on that night. The heat was very great and the ven- 

 tilation so poor that the atmosphere was' stifling. The audience 

 consisted mainly of women and children, who occupied one 

 end of the room, the remainder being empty except while per- 

 formances were being enacted. Every one was gladly wel- 

 comed to see the performance, and there were probably not a 

 dozen persons on the mesa who did not attend. No one paid 

 admission to this theater and no actor received a recompense ; 

 it was a festival for all to enjoy, as all contributed to its success. 

 With the exception of one act, no women took any part as 

 actors, and there were few men in the audience. The specta- 

 tors assembled about 9 p. m., each clan seeking that kiva with 

 which it had social affiliation. 



First Act. 

 A voice was heard at the hatchway, as if some one were hoot- 

 ing outside, and a moment later a ball of meal, thrown into the 

 room from without, landed on the floor by the fireplace. This 

 was a signal that the first group of actors had arrived, and to 

 this announcement the fire tenders responded, " Tuny a at,'' 

 come in, an invitation which was repeated by several of the 

 spectators. After considerable hesitation on the part of the 

 visitors, and renewed cries to enter from those in the room, 

 there was a movement above, and the hatchway was darkened 

 by the form of a man descending. The fire tenders arose, and 

 held their blankets about the fire to darken the room. Imme- 

 diately there came down the ladder a procession of masked men 

 bearing long poles upon which was rolled a cloth screen, while 

 under their blankets certain objects were concealed. Filing to 

 the unoccupied end of the kiva, they rapidly set up the objects 

 they bore. When they were ready a signal was given, and the 

 fire tenders, dropping their blankets, resumed their seats by the 

 fireplace. On the floor before our astonished eyes we saw a 

 miniature field of corn, made of small clay pedestals out of 

 which projected corn sprouts a few inches high. Behind this 

 field of corn hung a decorated cloth screen reaching from one 



