64 THE ACOMA INDIANS [eth. ann. 47 



ceased tliis phase of ceremonialism has largely disappeared. The 

 Caiyaik, or Hunters' Society, too, seems to have suffered a decline. 

 Lastly, there are some fiesta dances, such as on San Estevan's Day 

 (September 2) and San Lorenzo's Day at Acomita (August 10), and 

 some miscellaneous dances — Comanche, Navaho, Eagle, Deer, etc. — 

 which are performed at Christmas time, or on anonymous occasions. 

 Before entering upon descriptions and discussions of these various 

 cults and ceremonies, let us turn to the supernaturals of Acoma and 

 to the ceremonial calendar. 



The Pantheon 



The sun {pcatc). — He is a great spirit, perhaps the greatest of all 

 supernaturals. He is called father (naicnia). People pray to him 

 often with corn meal. Prayer sticks are made for him. He figures 

 in myths as the father of twin boys (sometimes the twin war gods, 

 Masewi and Oyoyewi). He is prayed to at rabbit hunts, and, of 

 course, he is the chief object of the solstice ceremonies (q. v., and other 

 relevant sections). He is pictured in colored carvings on the face of 

 rock mesas. He is not represented in myths as being manlike in 

 form; the pictures of him show merely a face with rays radiating 

 from the outer edge. 



Masewi. and Oyoxjevn. — These are the twin war gods. They are very 

 important.^* They are the patron gods of the 0"pi (the Warriors' 

 Society) and of the war chiefs. Anyone, however, may pray to them 

 for strength. They are represented wath masks in dances. They 

 are also depicted on altars of curing societies. (PI. 1, b.) On 

 the eastern edge of the mesa of old Acoma there are two rock 

 columns (a natural formation) which are said to mark the place 

 where the spirits of these two gods have lived since they left the 

 Acoma people in person. They symbolize courage, strength, and 

 virtue. They are also represented in mythology as great rain makers. 

 They were the leaders and champions of the Acoma people in the early 

 days when they lived in the north, and during their long migration 

 to the south. 



The k'atsina. — These are the anthropomorphic, spirit rain makers. 

 (See Origin-Migration myth, and others, for accounts of these spirits; 

 also see accompanying pictures and descriptions of the masked 

 dancers.) They are of the greatest importance in Acoma ceremonial- 

 ism. There is an indefinite number of them who live at a mytho- 

 logical place called Wenimats , located "somewhere out west," 

 perhaps near the Zuiii Mountains. They are also called shiwanna 

 (storm clouds are called shiwanna). About 60 k'atsina are repre- 

 sented by masked dancers at Acoma. (See complete list.) There is 

 an indefinite number of some kinds, but of others there is a fixed 



*8 See the m>-ths which tell of these supernaturals 



