White] THE PUEBLO OF SIA, NEW MEXICO 53 
one presented in figure 8, however, since the former was drawn from 
visual imagery by an informant, whereas the latter is based upon an 
aerial photograph. 
SECRET UNDERGROUND CHAMBER 
On the east edge of the village there is an underground chamber: 
No. 15 in figure 8. Its existence is carefully concealed from outsiders 
and is said to be asecret to many of the Siathemselves. The roof of this 
- chamber is a sacred spot called fwas (children) kowawa’atsecromi 
(a region or place sacred to a certain group or society is called by this 
term): the significance of this designation was not ascertainable. 
Children are not permitted to play on, or even to walk across, this 
spot; they are frightened by being told that their feet will become 
small and round, “‘like a dog’s,” if they walk upon it. Even adults 
are ‘not supposed to walk on it.”” Two posts have been placed near 
it so that wagons cannot pass over it. A stone about 18 inches in 
diameter lies in the area; it is said to conceal the entrance to the 
chamber. 
Only the head of the Flint society, accompanied by one or two mem- 
bers of this group, has the right to enter this chamber; even the tia- 
munyi (cacique) is not allowed to goin. Flint nawai (head) and one 
or two of his aides enter this chamber periodically in the dead of night, 
but what they do there, and what the chamber contains, could not be 
ascertained: “no one but those tcaiyanyi knows.” One informant 
opined that the four little cannon, given to the Sia by a captain of 
Coronado’s party (see p. 20), are kept there. 
Periodically the War captains, assisted by their helpers (gowat- 
canyi), go about the pueblo in the evening. They haveadrum. At 
the door of each house they sing and dance. People give them food, 
pottery, arrows, and other gifts. The War captains take them to the 
rock that covers the entrance to the underground chamber. They 
give small portions of the gifts to the sacred rock; the rest they de- 
posit in a pile nearby. After a simple ritual and prayers, the War 
captain invites the people of the village to join them around the sacred 
spot. Then they tell the people to help themselves to anything they 
want in the pile of presents. This they do with alacrity, and the whole 
affairisended. The significance of this ceremony, and of the chamber, 
could not be ascertained from informants, who, while stressing the 
importance and the sacred character of both, professed to be unable 
to give more than the most meager information concerning them. 
REFUSE PILES 
There are four refuse dumps on the edges of the village, one on the 
west side, three on the east. They are called itsa-tyun (beads) ko- 
600685—62——5 
