White] THE PUEBLO OF SIA, NEW MEXICO 49 
with pictures, both religious (Catholic) and secular, and with snap- 
shots of relatives and friends. Occasionally drums, bows, and items 
of ceremonial paraphernalia hang upon the walls or are suspended 
from ceiling beams. The earthen floors are commonly covered with 
linoleum. 
PLAZAS 
The village has two plazas, commonly referred to as north and 
south plazas. In the north plaza there is a large stone (fig. 8). 
- This is the home of Gacitiwa, a supernatural being. In the south 
plaza there is a wooden cross. It was there in Bourke’s day (1881; 
see Bloom, ed., 1938); Stevenson, however, does not mention it. It 
appears in many old photographs. This cross marks the spot and 
commemorates the occasion of the first baptism of pueblo Indians 
into the Christian faith, according to one informant. There are two 
stones in the south plaza. The western one (No. 12 in fig. 8) is called 
mokaitc, mountain lion; it represents all the animals of the six 
directions; they protect the pueblo against disease. The other stone, 
No. 13, is called aiwa'na. It stands for the twin war gods, Masewi 
and Oyoyewi, and their eight helpers. They protect the village 
against witches and disease. 
CHURCH 
On the northern edge of the village is the Roman Catholic church, 
in front of which is an enclosed area where the dead are buried. I 
shall return to this subject later under ‘‘Christianity.”’ 
HOTCANITSA 
A small block of rooms, set apart from others, contains the ho- 
tcanitsa and the residence of the cacique (during the 1950’s, at least). 
The hotcanitsa is, so to speak, the domicile of the government of Sia. 
It is the place where official meetings of officers and priests are held. 
It is under the jurisdiction of the cacique, but the war captains or 
the governor may hold meetings there, also. The hotcanitsa is 
plastered and kept in repair, and is supplied with fuel, by the people 
of the village under the direction of Masewi, the principal war captain. 
Corn, grown in a community field, is stored in one of the rooms of 
the hotcanitsa (fig. 9). Deer and rabbit meat is dried and stored 
there, also, for communal, ritual use. One room is sealed off, the 
secret door being concealed by plaster. It is a certainty that the 
cacique has considerable ceremonial paraphernalia, and, no doubt, 
it is stored here when not in use. 
The residence of Juan Shije, who has been the cacique since about 
1917, adjoins the hotcanitsa. It was built in 1941 by the people of the 
village under the direction of Masewi. Whether this house is regarded 
as belonging to the pueblo, and is occupied by Shije because he is the 
cacique, or whether it is felt that this is his house, is not clear. 
