326 ISLETA, NEW MEXICO [kth. ann. 47 



track the runners who are to relay are phiced in position by the 

 aforesaid appointed men. 



At the close of the race all return to the kiva whence with a drum 

 they make a circuit of the town, singing. All but the town chief, 

 kumpa, and the war chief, who remain in the kiva. The last runner 

 of the losing side who has been overtaken and had his queue caught 

 by the last runner of the winning side has also to remain in the kiva 

 to pick up all the husk refuse from rolled cigarettes which he will 

 give to kumpa to burn. This is caUed cleaning up, i. e., exorcising, 

 the kiva. . . . When the runners return from going around the town 

 they stand on the kiva roof and sing. The kinswomen (maty) of 

 the runner who caught the queue of the loser carry to the kiva baskets 

 of meal and bread with paclcages of sugar, coffee, etc. From these 

 kumpa takes bits to sprinkle below the wall niche of the scalps. 

 Then the war chief presents all the baskets to the man whose queue 

 was caught; the loser, let us call him. The loser presents a basket to 

 the town chief, another to kimipa, another to the war chief. The 

 bread the loser distributes among all the runners. What is left over 

 he keeps, his relatives helping him carry it home. The war chief 

 addresses all and dismisses them. The chiefs remain to give thanks 

 to one another. 



On the two following Sundays there are similar races with similar 

 ritual. On the third Sunday the town chief inquires if the men want 

 a fourth race, to be run by Corn groups or between the suburbs or 

 ranching districts of T'aikabede and Shila. In connection with this 

 race there will be no ritual, and more betting. The race as a whole 

 is bet on, whereas in the first three races bets are placed only on the 

 first couple. A rancher from T'aikabede said, "We T'aikabede 

 people always beat Shila." 



Every three, four, or five years the fourth race is held in connec- 

 tion with the scalp ceremony which the town chief decides upon 

 performing, "making up his mind to wash the scalps, to give them 

 fresh air." This race is the fourth race in the series, but the scalp 

 ceremony begins before the first race is rim off. 



Toward evening the scalp takers leave town with some young men 

 ("to show them," and the youths vary from time to time) and a 

 burro packed with camp supplies and wood. With them they are 

 taking the scalps, "to give them fresh air." The party shoots off 

 guns; people come out on the housetops to see them off or follow as 

 far as the railway station. The war party goes on to the west to 

 camp overnight, building a fire. In the morning the town chief, 

 kumpa, the war chief, and others go out to meet the campers, shouting 



e' o ! e' o ! All return singing, through the orchards to the 



north and into the plaza, which they go aroimd five times, the town 

 chief, kumpa, and the war chief in the lead, sprinkling meal and 



