536 INTRODUCTION TO ZTJNI CEREMONIALISM [eth. ann. 47 



objects, similar to those used on the altars of the priests, are modeled 

 by the women of the house. These are set out at night along with 

 eai's of com and the sacred object, mask, rain fetish, sacred medicine, 

 or personal fetishes such as pebbles to wliich are imputed magical 

 properties. For one night the family are in retreat. They remain 

 awake until day and repeat prayers and songs whose biu-den is a 

 request for fertility of crops and flocks, and the fecmidity of women. 

 The ears of corn are set aside for spring seeding. The clay objects 

 are later buried in the floor of the house, or thrown out on the twen- 

 tieth day with the sweepings. They are the seed from which the 

 real objects will grow. 



On one of these days pregnant women, especially those who have 

 been imfortimate with previous babies, visit the slirines at the base 

 of the rock pillars on the west side of Corn Moimtaiu. A woman 

 undertakmg this pUgriinage is accompanied by her husband and a 

 priest. They deposit prayer sticks at the foot of the rock pillars 

 and she scrapes a bit of dust from the rock and swallows it, from 

 one side if she desires a boy, from the other if she wishes a girl. 

 In addition to this, or instead of it, a pregnant woman may have 

 made for her at this season a doll, similar to those sometimes given 

 to children during the winter dances of the katcinas. The doll is 

 made by anyone who "knows how," that is, who has the super- 

 natural power to make it effective. It will ensure a safe delivery 

 and a healthy child. 



Meanwhile the impersonator of Pautiwa for the final day has been 

 chosen. On the nineteenth day the priests of the council make the 

 crooks of appointment to be given to the impersonators of the katcina 

 priests. Just before simset arrive Ci'tsuka and Kweiele, two masked 

 gods from the east. They bring the new year from the east. Their 

 masks belong to the Great Fire Society and appear, along with 

 another mask, at certain curing ceremonies of that society. I can 

 offer no explanation of the conspicuous part they play in the cele- 

 bration of the New Year. They go to the chief kiva where are 

 assembled the priests of the council and the impersonators of Pautiwa 

 and the four Sai'yaUa. They dance all night m the kiva to the 

 songs of the Great Fire Society. Late at night the SaiyaHa visit aU 

 the kivas "to send out the old year." It is a rite of exorcism. At 

 dawn the new year fire is Icindled. Before sunrise the katcinas, 

 accompanied by the pekwin, the chief of the Katcina Society 

 and the guardian of the sacred fire, go out to the east carrying fire- 

 brands and a lighted torch. After brief prayers they return. The 

 sound of then- rattles as they pass is a signal to the people. The 

 great fu'e taboo is now ended and from each household the men and 

 women emerge bearing live coals from the fu-e, and the accumulated 

 ashes and sweepings. Soon the fields from which night has not yet 



