WHITE) GOVERNMENT 45 



was the sister of the preceding cacique, Dzikin. The successor to 

 the present cacique is Ga'tsi (Spanish, Lorenzo Watchempino). 

 The mother of Gatsi is the sister of the present cacique, Waiictu. 



The War Chiefs 



There are three war chiefs, known collectively as tsatyao hotceni, 

 or "outside chiefs." ^^ The head war chief is called Cutimiti (cuti 

 refers to a brown bird which I was not able to identify; -miti indi- 

 cates a man). The first assistant war chief is called Cpatimiti, or 

 "mocking bird man." The second assistant war chief is Maiyatroti- 

 miti (which I was unable to translate). 



The war chiefs are chosen for a period of one year at the annual 

 elections (q. v.). Three cooks (cocineros) are chosen to cook for 

 them and supply them with ganacaiya (deer meat ground with 

 guayave) with which they pray. The ten little chiefs (q. v.) also 

 assist the war chiefs. The war chiefs are chosen without regard to 

 clan affiliation. 



AVe have already spoken of the war chiefs in our paragraphs on the 

 cacique. They are usually men of considerable force of character 

 and are always vigorous conservatives. They do their utmost to pre- 

 serve the old traditions intact; they oppose any imitation of white or 

 Mexican customs and deplore lack of interest in the old ways. The 

 war chiefs constitute one of the most vital forces in the pueblo. The 

 duties of the war chiefs include the following: They make ^asits 

 throughout the year to springs and bring back water; this is supposed 

 to insure a plentiful supply of water for the crops and for drinking 

 during the year. (See section on Installation of War Chiefs for a 

 detailed account of these trips to the springs.) The war chiefs act 

 as agencies for making known to the people the wishes of the cacique.^' 

 They notify the heads of the kiva groups to prepare for dances. The.y 

 see that sentinels are posted to prevent aliens from witnessing masked 

 dances, and they assist the cacique in the plaza during the masked 

 ceremonies. They announce the dates for rabbit hunts and super- 

 intend them in a general way. They summon the heads of the curing 

 societies when the cacique wishes to have a general public curing 

 ceremonj', and they guard the medicine men at all times while they 

 work at their cures to prevent attacks from witches. They keep 

 track of the children who are to be initiated into the kachina organi- 

 zation. Very early in the morning of September 2, when the annual 

 fiesta is held in honor of San Estevan, the patron saint of Acoma, the 

 war chiefs build the little bough house for the saint; they sit in this 



*' In Santo MominKo. San Felipe, 7An, and Cochili, there are two war captains. They are called ts'iak'ia 

 and ts'iak'ia teniente. or masewl and oyo.vewi, respectively. 



31 The practice of making announcetnents from housetops, found in liio Grande pueblos, is not observed 

 at Acoma. The crier walks through the streets. War chiefs frequently make announcements in this way 

 or designate someone to do it for tliem. 



