INDIAN DANCES OF THE SOUTHWEST 
is the so-called Tablita Dance which 
takes its name from a painted tablet re- 
presenting clouds that is worn on the 
heads of the women. It is a spring and 
summer dance connected with maize 
and is designed to bring rain for the 
growing crops. The costume is espe- 
cially devised for this occasion and every 
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two divisions according to the social 
grouping of the clans, there are Chiffo- 
neti or Delight-takers in two orders 
and a number of individuals painted to 
represent special mythological beings. 
The Chiffoneti are clowns whose naked 
bodies are painted with broad stripes of 
black and white and whose hair is 
detail of dress and ornament has a 
special import. Of course, variations 
are to be noted from one pueblo to 
another. On the great feast day of 
Santo Domingo in August this dance is 
celebrated and several hundred persons 
take part in it. Besides the men and 
women dancers, who are divided into 
Photo by E. W. Deming 
The Tablet Dance takes place in the spring and is a prayer for rain 
smeared with mud and tied with corn 
husk. The ostensible purpose of these 
clowns is to make merry and do what 
mischief they can but in reality they are 
the only persons who can conduct the 
gods of rain and fruitfulness into the vil- 
lage and they thus occupy an important 
esoteric place in Pueblo religious life. 
