498 INTRODUCTION TO ZXJNI CEREMONIALISM (eth. ann. 47 



their altars. Even in katcina dances, where the dance itself is the 

 essential rite, the pattern of dancing for the priests is preserved. In 

 summer the katcina dances are held during the season when the priest- 

 hoods are in retreat, and the katcina group always dances in front of 

 the house where the priests are "in. " 



In order for any rite to be efficacious the protagonist must "have a 

 good heart," or, to use more familiar phraseology, he must be in a 

 state of grace. Joy and freedom from care are the chief refjuirements 

 of a state of grace, second only to physical purity. Therefore the 

 custom of dancing for the priests while they are in retreat, and of 

 various groups visiting to dance in one another's house during syn- 

 clii'onous periods of retreat. During a katcina dance that lasted for 

 several days a group of "little dancers" ^^ came one night to dance 

 in the kiva. "Because the dancers could not go home to their wives, 

 and were lonely in the kiva. Therefore these others came to dance 

 for them so that they should not be sad." 



Connected psychologically as well as ceremonially with public danc- 

 ing is the practice of clowning. There are organized groups of clowns 

 who assist at all katcina dances and amuse the populace by obscene 

 or satirical or childish pranks. There are masked and unmasked 

 clowns; the masked clowns, theKoyemci,^* are the most feared of all 

 the katcinas. The Ne'wekwe society also are clowns, and are re- 

 garded as the most powerful medicine men, and potential witches. 

 They are famous for love magic. 



OFFERINGS 



Offerings of various kinds are included in all Zuni rituals. The 

 principal offerings to the supernaturals are food, tobacco, prayer 

 meal (coarse commeal containing ground white shell and turquoise), 

 and prayer sticks. The usual food offering consists of a bit of food 

 from each dish that is set out, throwTi into the fii'e or merely di'opped 

 on the floor with a brief, perfunctory prayer. The supematm-als 

 nourish themselves on the spuitual essence of the food. All priests 

 and the wives of priests make such an offering before eating of any 

 dish. Also women in houses where fetishes are kept offer food in 

 the fire before serving a meal. These offerings are more formal at 

 quasi-ceremonial feasts, such as the feasts accompanying house 

 building, harvest, etc. Men dm'ing participation in ceremonies also 

 make offerings of food in the river, where it is readily accessible to 

 the gods. Food offerings are made especially to the ancestors 

 (a"lacina-we) and the katcinas. On the day of the dead large quan- 

 tities of food are sacrified in the river and the fire (see p. 621). 



" The " little dancers " are the children of the katcinas. One or a group may come to play pranks in 

 connection with any katcina dance. They are impersonated by young boys. 

 « For fuller accounts see p. 946, and Parsons, p. 229, 



