284 



ISLETA, NEW MEXICO 



[ETH. ANN. 47 



who has been thi-ough ritual stress or exertion, a practice which has 

 been noted also among the Keres. 



Circuit and Orientation; Ritual Colors; Favored Numerals 



The circuit is antisunwise and begins in the east. There are three 

 sets of terms for the directions, long ceremonial, short ceremonial, and 

 vernacular. 



Through corn there is an association of color with the directions: 

 (n)bato'i, white (east); (na)funi'i, black (north); (na)ch'uri'i, yellow 

 (west); (na)shuri'i, blue (south). Terms for all colors are thorjun or 

 kiBrim (mixed). Ritual points or blades are also associated with 

 color direction. ^^ The white arrow point is the favored one. There 

 appears to be no color-direction association, as elsewhere, either with 

 the kachina (liwa), except in one folk tale, or with the animals. 



The townspeople are sometimes referred to according to the direc- 

 tion of their houses as: hebaihun, henihun, henaihun, hekuihun. 



The directions, we have seen, are counted as five instead of as six 

 as in other Pueblo circles (Taos perhaps excepted). The same direc- 

 tions as elsewhere are considered, but curiously enough, the zenith 

 and nadir are counted together with the middle point between. 

 Another notable anomaly is the use of three instead of the character- 

 istic Pueblo four, for specific ritual acts.™ But the most notable 

 numeral for ritual repetition, as well as to indicate mere plurality or 

 indefinite repetition, is five. Five figures constantly, whether in 

 ritual or secular counts or estimates of time.^' For example, it is 

 every five years that the piiion crop is supposed to be veiy abundant. 

 In 1921 I was told that the cemeteiy had been removed five years ear- 

 lier; in 1926 I was told the same tiling. One December day, in 1927, 

 there was to be a council in regard to the distribution of some funds 

 from leased pasture lands, and the question came up whether or not the 

 children should share. Even 5-year-old children (i. e., Uttle children) 



" See pp. 295, 297. 



'» See pp. 291, 292, 313, 444. 



" See pp. 237, 248, 252, 319, 363, 365, 433, 



7, 440, 442, 444, 449, 452, 454. 



