THE RETURN KATCINA CEREMONY 



273 



of tbe War god, the leader of tbe divinities, he aunounced the fact. 

 The Ilopi priest still continues to sprinkle saud on the kiva floor 

 during the ceremony. 



KATCINA S RETURN 



TJie first celebration of the Katcinas in the spring, several months 

 after their departure,' took place in that division of the year called the 

 Pamiiyawu, and is known as Mohti Katcinuiuyiinya, or "First Katcina 

 assembly." I have called it the Return Katcina. It follows dii'ectly 

 after the winter p4ho making of the Snake- Antelope or Flute societies, 

 which varies in character according to whether the Snake or the Flute 

 society gives the presentation that year. In 18!t3 it followed the Snake 

 paho making, and in 1894 that of the Flute. It may be called a com- 

 posite, abbreviated assembly of Katcinas. 



During the day Katcina masks were renovated in the kivas of the 

 mesa, and there were visitations at all the kivas by the personators in 

 the coming celebration. Women and children crowded the spectators' 

 quarters of these rooms, and the performances lasted from 10 oclock in 

 the evening until 2 oclock of the following morning. Previously to 

 the exhibition in the kivas, men personating different Katcinas visited 

 the following points to make homoya or meal offerings and to say 

 appropriate prayers : 



On the 24th of this month (Pa), as after the Snake ceremonials,' 

 the Niiitiwa, or struggles of the maids with the men for bowls, etc, 

 took place, except that in this instance it was a struggle with a Katcina 

 and not, as in the Snake observance, between girls and young men. 



' At the Nimdn in the preceding July. 



'With Tatcii'kti (Mud-heads). 



3 Journal of American Ethnology and Archjeology, vol. iv. 



15 ETH 18 



