A THKATRICAL PKRI-ORM A.NCIC AT WAI.IM 617 



field of corn was seen on the kiva floor, and back of it were two 

 vases, surrounded, except on the side towards the fire, by a row 

 of squatting ' mudheads.' A song immediately began, and sud- 

 denly the four lappets,' w^hich covered the orifice of eacli vase, 

 were turned back automaticall}-, when out of the vases slowly 

 emerged the heads of two artificial serpents drawing their 

 bodies behind them (plate xxxiv). These effects were pro- 

 duced by hidden strings placed over the kiva rafters, and -the 

 images were made by this means to rise and fall, move back- 

 wards and forwards, or to approach each i ther. Their heads 

 w^ere drawn down to the floor, and swep': over the miniature 

 corn field, overturning it as in the first act, when a sun screen 

 was also employed. They struggled with each other, winding 

 their heads together, and performed various other gyrations at 

 the wish of the manipulators.^ 



The performance was a very realistic one, for in the dim 

 light of the room the strings were invisible, and the serpents 

 seemed to voluntarily rise from the vases. At its close the effi- 

 gies sank into the cavities of the vases, and the song ceased. 

 Concealed by darkness the paraphernalia were wrapped in 

 blankets, and the actors left the room, passing to another kiva, 

 where the performance was repeated. The personators of this 

 act were from the Tcivato kiva of Walpi, and their chief was 

 Paiitiwa. 



While we were witnessing these six exhibitions in one room, 

 simultaneously, shows were being enacted in the other eight 

 kivas on the East Mesa. The six sets of actors, each with 

 their paraphernalia, passed in turn from one room to another, 

 in all of which spectators awaited their coming. Each of the 

 performances was given nine times that night, and it may safely 

 be said that all were witnessed by the five hundred people 



1 These four semicircular flaps, symbols of rain clouds, were painted in four 

 colors, yellow, green, red, and white. On the necks of the vases were parallel 

 lines, symbols of falling rain, and on their sides were stars and tadpole decora- 

 tion. Each vase was placed on a bed of cedar or pine boughs to make it more 

 stable. 



i^The effects produced with these strings were effective, and the motions of 

 the men who held the strings and manipulated the efhgies were closely con- 

 cealed. It is probable that some of the strings were attached to the rattles used 

 by the chorus. 



