66 THE ACOMA INDIANS [etb. ann. 47 



mother, to Shipap. A short prayer and a bit of food are offered to 

 latilv" before each meal. Prayer sticks are (leposited to her. She 

 seems to watch over human bemgs, not in any special phase (such as 

 war or food) but with reference to the well-being and continuance 

 of life itself. In certain rituals one speaks of getting the breath of 

 latiJv", the breath of life, from Shipap. A tender feeling is kept for 

 her, as well as respect. 



The moon. — The moon is said to be one of the spirits. Prayers 

 are offered to her. I learned no more about her. She seems to be 

 relatively imunportant. 



The stars. — Some stars, I imderstood, are supematurals, but I did 

 not ascertam which ones. They are not very important. They 

 seem to be mentioned only in prayers. 



The earth. — The earth is mentioned in prayers. 



The clouds. — The clouds are quite important, especially the storm 

 clouds. They are prayed to. Feathers on the tops of masks are 

 said to symbolize clouds. They are conspicuous in pamtings on 

 medicine bowls, altar paintings, etc. There are men in curing cere- 

 monies who blow bubbles to symbolize clouds. The clouds are 

 called henati, but sliiwanna is used to refer to the cloud people, the 

 ram makers. In paintings of clouds on the walls of ceremonial 

 chambers clouds are represented as havmg eyes and mouth. 



Lightning. — Lightning is sacred. Its association with raua makes 

 it very important. It is associated, also, with hunting. Hunters 

 pray to the lightning when they start out on a himt. There is a 

 close association between flint and lightning; both exhibit flashes of 

 light. Flints are called lightning stones. The fact that lightning 

 sometimes strilves and kills also allies it to hunting. Lightning 

 seems to be a symbol of power, and flint appears to be a capsule which 

 is capable of containing tliis power which may be drawTi upon. 

 Sometimes people wear a little flint arrowhead on a strmg tied around 

 the neck; this is to enable the wearer to profit from the power of 

 lightning. Medicine men have big flints which they employ to secure 

 "power." There are two kinds of lightning: Zigzag lightning is 

 called bo'trowicti; sheet lightning is caUed k'opestotsa. There is a 

 little plant which is sometimes placed on top of a house to keep the 

 lightning from strdcing it. 



The four rain makers of the cardinal points. — In the north lives 

 Ca'kak at K'awecDuna (Moimt Taylor); he brings the snow. Guic- 

 thia, who makes rain, lives in the west at Bilnya Kot (Zuni Moun- 

 tain). At Dau'tyuma in the south hves Mai'yatcuna, who brings 

 the drizzling rain, the tsununuka." Cuitira lives in the east at a 

 moimtain caUed K'iitcana; he brings the fog and mist. These super- 

 naturals are merely mentioned in prayers. 



" Ordinary rain is called li'atca. 



