White] THE PUEBLO OF SIA, NEW MEXICO 187 
was born, 1910, into the Antelope Washpa clan and was subsequently 
adopted into the Coyote clan. Whether the reason in this case was 
to prevent his becoming cacique—since Antelope Washpa is one of 
the clans from which the cacique is chosen—or not I was unable 
to ascertain. 
But perpetuation of clan is not the only reason for clan adoption; 
one may join, or be “put into,”’ another clan because of sickness, as a 
therapeutic measure. As a matter of fact, the reasons for joining a 
clan other than the one into which one was born seem to be very much 
like the reasons for joining an esoteric society. The ritual and pro- 
cedure of adoption is as follows: 
Suppose that Jose’s parents want to put him into the Coyote clan. 
Either parent takes a small handful of prayer meal (petana) and has 
Jose blow his breath upon it; after this is done the meal is always 
referred to as tsats (soul, breath), never as petena. Then the parent, 
or parents, wrap the meal in a cornhusk and take it to the head man 
of the Coyote clan. The clan head calls a meeting of all members of 
the Coyote clan (except small children). He tells them that Jose’s 
parents wish to have him adopted by the Coyote clan. He then dis- 
tributes the tsats (meal) among them, giving each one a pinch. The 
first person to receive the tsats will become a ceremonial parent of 
Jose, and his or her spouse will become the other parent. The cere- 
monial father-to-be will set the date for the adoption ritual; the health 
of the child will be considered here if illness has been the reason for 
the proposed adoption. 
When the time for the adoption ritual comes, all of Jose’s close 
relatives, regardless of clan affiliation, will assemble in Jose’s house. 
All members of the Coyote clan (except young children) will assemble 
in the house of the ceremonial parents. The ceremonial parents bring 
water from the river—water from hydrants may not be used—and put 
it in large pottery bowls—metal tubs cannot be used. Then they put 
soap weed (Yucca baccata) into the water and make a lot of suds. 
The ceremonial father puts a pinch of ashes into the water to purify 
it—“‘ashes are the most pure thing there is,”’ observed the informant; 
“they have just come from the fire.’”’ Then he blesses the water with 
a prayer. 
Jose is then brought to the home of his ceremonial parents by his 
own father and mother. He will be dressed like the singers for the 
corn dance; a girl would wear a dress. Jose removes all his clothing 
except bis gee string; a girl would let down her dress from her 
shoulders. Then the bathing, or cleansing ritual, na-witca’nyi, 
begins. The ceremonial father scoops up a bit of suds in his hand 
and rubs them on his child’s (Jose’s) hair. Then he scoops up more 
water and rubs Jose’s body lightly. Then the ceremonial mother 
