148 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 184 
that she witnessed, in which ants were magically removed from the 
patient, was performed not by the Ant but by the Giant society 
(ibid., p. 100). 
During the 1940’s there were only four male members of the Flint- 
Shima group, two of each, and two female members, both Flint. 
The nawai of the Flint group, Pedro Pino, who incidentally was 
blind, died during the 1940’s. This all-important society was there- 
fore threatened with extinction. In spite of its importance in pueblo 
affairs, and despite the prestige that may go with membership, no 
one wanted to join the Flint society; membership involves ‘too 
much work, too much responsibility.’’ In the late 1940’s the cacique 
chose two males to be inducted into the Flint society. One was a 
mature man who had served in the armed forces during World War II, 
and who was the son of the Flint shaman who succeeded Pedro Pino 
as Flint nawai; he gave his consent to induction. The other was an 
immature youth; in his case the consent of his father was sought 
and obtained. 
Induction into the Flint society would normally proceed in four 
steps, each separated by an interval of months or a year or more, 
from the next. But, due to the urgency of the situation, these two 
were both initiated fully upon one ceremonial occasion; this was 
done upon orders from Tiamunyi and the War chief. The four steps, 
or stages, in normal procedure, would be as follows: (1) The initiate 
would take part in the dancing of the society and serve as helper to 
provide firewood and other chores; (2) participate in the summer 
ceremonies for rain; (3) participate in the winter (dry) ceremonies; 
and (4) would be initiated into the secrets of curing. 
The Flint society invited the Giant and Fire societies to assist 
them in the initiation. And we have already seen how one young 
man got himself initiated. Thus, in 1957, there were four male and 
two female members of the Flint society, with two more women 
pledged but not fully initiated. 
Informants said that if the Flint society should die out in Sia it 
could be reestablished by the Flint society from another Keresan 
pueblo.” “But it would not be exactly the same,” the informant 
observed. “It would have the same name, yes, but it would have 
different ways of doing things.”’ 
The Flint-Shima group share a ceremonial house with Kwiraina, 
as they did in Stevenson’s day (1894, p. 104), but at Hanyiko, 
Kwiraina moves to another house, borrowed for the occasion, to 
perform its ceremony. 
10 Tt is said that the Flint society once became extinct at Santa Ana, but that it was reestablished by the 
Flint society from San Felipe (White, 1942 a, p. 117). 
