478 INTllonUC'l'ION TO ZUNI CEIIEMONIALISM [eth. ann. •!/ 



and the usual t.ciins are applied to adoptive relatives. The terms are 

 sti'ctched to include also all aflinal relatives. There is no avoidance 

 and no joking relations. There is some indication of a joking rela- 

 tionshi|) l)otwoen a man and women of his father's clan, especially his 

 father's blood sister, who is also his most important ceremonial rela- 

 tive. A woman has imjxjrtant ceremonial obligations to her brother's 

 children, especially his male children, and in most cases she is com- 

 pensated for her services. The clan as such has no social or political 

 functions, although each individual feels his closest tics to be with 

 members of his clan, upon whom he calls for assistance in any large 

 enterprise, such as harvest , housebuilding, initiations, etc. His closest 

 ties, naturally, are with l)U)od kin, especially the maternal household 

 in which he was born. 



Each male is initiated at puberty into the katcina or mask dance 

 society, which thereby assumes the role of a tribal cult, in distinction 

 to other ceremonial groups of more restricted membership. Other 

 ceremonial groups are the 12 medicine societies composed of medi- 

 cine nu>n and tivose whom they have cured, the war society, the rain 

 priesthoods, and innumerable minor cults, consisting in the nitoin of 

 / members of maternal households to whom are intrusted the care of 



i various objects of fetishistic power. Most men of advanced age 



are afliliated with several of these groups. 



The real political authority of the tribe is vested in the council of 

 priests, consisting of three members of the chief j)riesthood and the 

 heads of the three other priesthoods. The head of the hierarchy is the 

 head of the chi(>f priesthood — the house cluef (Ica'kwemosi), pekvdn, who 

 is priest of the sun and keeper of the calendar, is, as his name indicates, 

 a sort of talking chief for the priesthood. Two bow priests, members 

 of the war society, act as messengers and the executive arm of the 

 priesthood. The heads of the katcina society are called on in an 

 advisoiy capacity in nuitters relating to their province. The prin- 

 cii)al matters to come before the council for decision are the appoint- 

 ment of civil odicers, choice of the impersonators of the gods at the 

 annual festival, the insertion of important ceremonies, such as the 

 tribal initiation, into the regular calendar, the discussion of what 

 action should be taken in cases of calamity, such as earthquakes and 

 drought, the determination of tribal policy in new contingencies — 

 such questions as whether automobiles are fii'e, and should therefore 

 be taboo during the winter solstice. The maintenance of these 

 policies is the duty of the bow priests and the .secular oflicers. 



The priests do not act in secular affairs, being too sacred to con- 

 taminate themselves with dispute or wrangUng. Crime and warfare 

 are the concerns of the bow priests. Civil law and relations with 

 aliens, especially the United States Government, are delegated to the 

 secular olhccrs appointed by the council. 



