166 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 184 
directly from the sun, whereas the curing societies get theirs from 
animals (1894, ftn., p. 72). They were created at the same time and 
are closely associated with the sun—at least Koshairi is, Kwiraina 
is sometimes said to be associated with the moon—and have their 
home in the east near the place of sunrise. They are distinguished 
in the life of the pueblos today by their costume (see fig. 18 for Kwi- 
raina; see White, 1935, pl. 3, for photograph of Koshairi at Santo 
Domingo; 1942 a, p. 125, for sketch of Koshairi at Santa Ana) and 
by their functions. Kwiraina and Koshairi are, in a sense, comple- 
mentary societies. Either one may accompany the katsina dancers, 
but one of them must always be in attendance. Hither one has charge 
of the so-called corn dance held in honor of the patron saint on August 
15, and selects the men to carry the actitcoma (pole, standard) in 
this dance. But these societies are mutually exclusive with regard 
to membership; one may not belong to both societies. A member 
of either society may, however, belong to one of the curing societies. 
Finally, a member of the Koshairi society ‘‘could substitute for a 
member of Kwiraina, and vice versa.’’ 
Both Koshairi and Kwiraina societies used to have doorkeepers 
(cécgaina; cf. White, 1942 a, pp. 16-17, 129), i.e., a man who stood 
guard at the door of the ceremonial house while the society was in 
session to keep out any unauthorized person. In 1941, Koshairi 
had two cdécgainas, one of whom died before 1952. Kwiraina has 
had no doorkeeper since 1941. 
A person becomes a cécgaina as a consequence of a vow; he is not 
a member of the society whose meetings he guards. 
The Koshairi and Kwiraina societies differ in their costumes. 
Koshairi seem to be more important in pueblo affairs than Kwiraina; 
at least they have more powers and functions. The Koshairi act as 
clowns and buffoons, especially at intermissions, during the corn dance 
on the saint’s day, August 15, and, presumably, when they assist at 
a katsina dance. They amuse the people by “saying funny things”; 
sometimes they ‘‘talk backwards,” or say the opposite of what they 
mean; they also indulge in obscene remarks. They amuse the people 
by comical and grotesque antics. The Kwiraina apparently do not 
have clown functions. 
The Koshairi act as disciplinarians, too. If not enough people 
volunteer for some dance the Koshairi can conscript people; ‘‘they 
can make people do anything; you can’t disobey them.” The Ko- 
shairi may punish people for wrong doing, too: “they might strip a 
man or a woman in the kiva in front of everyone as punishment for 
not doing their duty.”” But the Koshairi are not as strict now as 
they used to be, it is said. Sometimes a young man takes part in a 
dance when he is intoxicated and the Koshairi do nothing to him. 
