266 ISLETA, NEW MEXICO [eth. ann. 47 



to ask help from the doctors there. With them went from Isleta 

 that influential townsman, Pablo Abeita. 



Between the two societies there is no specialization. Of speciali- 

 zation within the society there appears to be more among the Laguna 

 Fathers than among the Town Fathers. A would-be patient or client 

 can apply directly to the specialist practitioner in the Laguna society ; 

 if applying to the town society, you must apply to the chief who assigns 

 the case. The ceremonial of the Laguna Fathers is said in town to 

 be "stronger" than any other. This was an ex parte statement. 

 However, at the emergence, bachude, yoimger sister, from whom the 

 Laguna Fathere are named, also had more power; it was she who 

 brought everything up. Tutude, elder sister, was the greedy one. 

 This reference points to that competition between the sisters or 

 Mothers which is fullj' set forth in Keresan myth.'° 



In each society there is a koatqmide, a speciaUst for pregnancy and 

 childbirth, with a woman assistant. 



One of the Town Fathers is a veterinary. Before imdertaldng the 

 cure of an animal, say a horse, he decides whether or not the animal 

 will recover. Sometimes he states that a horse is sick from the 

 sickness of its owner having been transferred to it. On the other 

 hand it is said by the Fathers that once a year a horse is possessed of 

 the will to kill its owner, so the Fathers advise people to treat their 

 horses well. 



In each society there is a thief catcher or detective (nanuka'ade).'' 

 This Father is invited by the loser of property with a cigarette. He 

 goes to the loser's house to perform his ritual or ofBce (see p. 449) 

 which is verj'' much like that borrowed from the Navaho at Zuiii.^- 

 The house or the appearance of the thief is described, but liis name 

 is not mentioned. After the property is recovered the detective may 

 be given a present; but lilce the other medicine men he does not ask 

 for pay. Isletans "loiow that if they steal they will be found out." 

 Once the ladder was stolen from the roundhouse of the Black Eyes. 

 There was talk of performing the detection ritual. Perhaps it was a 

 townsman who had sold the ladder. Within the week the ladder 

 was brought back and left in front of the church. The thief was 

 afraid of being found out by the ceremony. 



The fireman (fe't'aide) for all (?) the kivas, in which matches are 

 taboo, belongs to the Laguna Fathers. He gets liis fire from the town 

 chief, fire which has been made M-ith flint and cotton. (There is no 

 drill.) The fireman can handle fire and stand on coals without being 

 burned. The fireman exercises his oflfice at the request of the town 

 chief or the war chief. 



M See Boas, 224-225; Dumarest, 212-215. " Parsons, 1. See, too, Dumarest, 186. 



" Noem, night time, was the suggested etymology. 



