520 INTRODUCTION TO ZUNI CEREMONIALISM 



[ETH. ANN. 47 



panied by the Koyemci ^"^ and officers of the katcma society, appear 

 at sunset, marching across the plain. They come from the village of 

 the katcmas.*'' From now on untU they are sent home in November, 

 the katcinas are believed to be present in the village, lurking in the 

 kivas. After dancing in all the plazas the dancers retire to the home 

 of the Katcina Chief where an altar has been set up. After all-night 

 ceremonies they dance throughout the day in the four plazas while 

 society choirs continue to sing in the house of their retreat and the 

 house of the Koyemci. This first dance is a most solemn occasion. 

 Until rain falls the participants may touch neither food nor drink, 

 nor engage in any unnecessary conversation. They must, of course, 

 observe sexual continence. At later dances continence is requii-ed only 

 of the leaders who have offered prayer sticks and of the Koyemci. 



After this first dance other kivas follow as they can get ready. 

 It is considered desirable to perform these dances as rapidly as pos- 

 sible while rain is needed. But with characteristic Zuiii procrastina- 

 tion they are put off and finally performed in rapid succession in 

 September, and the resulting deluges play havoc with the crops 

 already ripe for the harvest. 



The gods remain in the village until they are sent home in the fall. 

 In November, after the regular series of dances is over, and it is 

 evident that no more extra dances are to be interpolated, the gods 

 are sent home. The Koyemci are generally the first to go. One 

 night they will be heard singing in the j-ard before their house. After 

 making the rounds of the plazas they go out toward the west, and 

 whoever dares stick his head outdoors while they are about will 

 surely be drawn along with them (i. e., he will die). After the Koyemci 

 have gone the others follow within a few days. 



They all return again to Zuiii with the Katcina Priests when they 

 come for the Ca'lako ceremonies. After the Katcina Priests depart 

 for their home the others remain to dance for five nights in the houses 

 they have dedicated and in the plazas of the town. Certain dances 

 are regularly perfonned during this time and others may be intro- 

 duced. On the fifth day they depart for the east to visit the super- 

 naturals who dwell in that quarter. On that day every man who 

 owns a mask takes it out to the east of the vUlage. Here he offers 

 prayer sticks and food in one of the six holes dug by the kiva heads. 

 Setting down the mask and making a road of meal toward the east, 

 he sends him out. For four days the masked gods are visiting in the 

 east, and consequently no masked dances may be performed. They 

 return after four days, and from that time on until the beginning of 



»« See p. 946. 



" Every fourth year there is a pilgrimage by the priests, officers of the Katcina Society, and the chosen 

 impersonators of the priests of the masked gods to the home of the gods, a late 86 miles west of Zuni. On 

 other years the offerings are made at Rainbow Spring, 17 miles to the southwest. 



