144 THE ACOMA INDIANS [eth. an.n. 47 



he had disappeared when they reached the door. He returned to 

 Weniniats' and told his fellows. They were very angry and decided 

 to return to Kacikatcutia and destroy the village. That night the 

 war cry "Ah-a-a-a-a-a Ai!" alarmed the whole village. Masewi and 

 his brother went out, meeting four scouts from Weniniats'. The 

 scouts told the brothers that the k'a-'tsina were going to come and kill 

 everyone. Masewi and Oyoyewi returned and began preparing for 

 defense. They got poles and skins and made a barricade (ai'tcini). 

 (See the account of the "fight" ceremony, also the other myth 

 describing this episode.) 



The morning following thousands of k'a-'tsina were seen running 

 toward Kacikatcutia from the west, raising a big cloud of dust. They 

 were met by the people of the village, the women behind, the men 

 in front. They fought all day. Many people were lolled. If a 

 k'a'tsina was lulled he immediately came to life again and resumed 

 fighting. At nightfall the fighting ceased and the k'a-'tsina returned 

 to Wenimats'. Most of the people had been killed. The rest were 

 very sad. And they quarreled among themselves, blaming each other 

 for their misfortune. 



The next day the scouts returned from Wenimats'. They told the 

 people that they would never see the k'a-'tsina again. If, however, 

 they wished them to come in spirit they should dress just Uke the 

 k'a'tsina, pray in the usual way, and then impersonate the k'a''tsina 

 in theii- dances. 



The following days were spent burying the dead and in mourning. 



A month or two passed, when Masewi summoned the people to- 

 gether to talk again about the k'a-'tsina. They finally decided to 

 impersonate the k'a-'tsina as they had been directed by the go'maio- 

 wic. So Masewi and his brother began to make masks. But they 

 did not take all of the people into their confidence, because many 

 were skeptical; they did not think that such a substitute would be 

 effective. With six or eight men the two brothers prepared as many 

 masks to represent k'a-'tsina. Then they built a house in which to 

 practice songs and dances. 



Early one morning two men, dressed as go'maiowic, left the village 

 and went out west. At daybreak they returned to the village. The 

 people who were ignorant of the scheme were very frightened; they 

 feared another attack. Masewi and his brother met the scouts in 

 the plaza. The scouts said that the k'a-'tsina would come to visit 

 them in four days. Everyone was glad, and set about making prep- 

 arations for their reception. Peace was to be made. On the third 

 day Masewi appointed three war chiefs — a head chief and two lieu- 

 tenants — and told them how to receive the k'a-'tsina. 



In the morning of the fourth day two scouts arrived in the village, 

 followed by six or eight k'a-'tsina, Masewi and his brother taking 



