92 THE ACOMA INDIANS (eth. ann. 47 



When the warriors reach the mesa the cacique and some men go 

 down to meet them. They take the big clubs away from the warriors 

 and give them smaller, less dangerous ones. The cacique and the 

 Antelope men hold the warriors back with their ya'si while Tsitsinuts 

 and Dyaitsko-tume go to the top of the mesa to the barricade. They 

 place their forearms on the ai'tcin' and their heads on their arms and 

 cry. Then they pray."' 



After Tsitsinuts and Dyaitsko'tiune have had time to pray, one of 

 the Antelope men cries "Cauo!" (Let's go!), and they rush up the 

 mesa, followed by the clamorous k'a-'tsina. The Antelope men join 

 the people south of the pond. They hold the k'a^'tsuia back with 

 theirya'si imtil all have gathered, when one of the Antelope men again 

 cries "Cauo!" Then they all run back of the screen (the ai'tcin'). 

 The warrior k'a-'tsina then rim up to the barricade, one at a time, 

 pray, and then strike it with their clubs four times. The cacique 

 stands by to see that none strikes it more than four times. Should 

 one do this, the cacique will order two of the waniors to seize him 

 and beat Mm with their clubs. 



WTien aU of the k'a^'tsina have struck the screen the aitcimtitca 

 (the men who tend the barricade), assisted by the o'pi, take the 

 barricade to the next station, where it is erected, and the same pro- 

 cedure is followed. At the tMrd station the opi cut the throats 

 of some of the k'a"'tsina. (Four days before the fight each warrior 

 k'a''tsina goes to one of the o'pi taking a wasa'n' (feather, q. v.), 

 with which he prays, and arranges Avith him to cut his throat, care- 

 fully designating the time and place, and perhaps giving him a 

 sign of recognition. This is to insure ha\'ing one's throat cut by a 

 friend.) 



Each time the ai'tcin' is moved the warriors are held back with 

 ya^Bi imtil it is erected in place. WTien the o'pi cuts the gut of blood 

 at the k'a"'tsina's throat the blood runs out onto the ground, where it 

 remains. This is a sacrifice to the earth. If a k'a''tsina has more 

 than one gut of blood he will have his throat cut again. They lie face 

 downward on the groimd after their throats are cut, and pray. 

 Masewi and his brother come around to the slain k'a"'tsina and with 

 their flints and bows touch their heads, shoulders, backs, and legs. 

 Tliis resurrects them. They come to life slowly and finally stand up. 

 Gradually they regain their former fury, and grabbing up a club dash 

 into the fight once more. Sometimes though the k'a'tsina does not 

 recover, but continues to lie inert oil the groimd where he fell. In 

 such a case the other warriors will drag him up to the screen (ai'tcin') 

 and lean him against it. Only k'a-'tsina are killed in the fight; the 

 Antelope men and the o'pi are not killed. 



"* Tsitsinuts, it will be remembered, was in the fight at Kacikatcuty*. He tried to pacify the k'a'tdina 

 before the fight; he did not wish them to destroy the village. Now he and Dyaitsico'tume (* ' he of the Pinon 

 Mountain," a mountain west of Acoma) try to restrain the warriors; they do not wish to fight the pueblo. 



