BUNZEL] RELIGIOUS LIFE 539 



Returning at evening:, the party from the katcina village is met 

 on the plain by a group of katcinas from the Idva that is to present 

 the first dance. The priests bring the gods back with them from their 

 village. From now until they are sent home in the fall they are 

 present, though invisible, in the village. After dancing in the four 

 courts of the village the dancers retire to the house where they are 

 to spend the night. Here one of the societies which has been invited 

 to provide music has erected its altar. The gods are welcomed and 

 throughout the night dance for the delectation of the hosts. Their 

 presence is manifested by rain. Meanwhile the Koyemci hold similar 

 rites in their own ceremonial house. 



The dancers on this occasion abstain from food and drink until 

 they have made the round of the plazas four times the following 

 morning, or until rain falls. ^* Each round takes about an hour, and 

 the outdoor dancing begins at. sunrise. Dancing in the plazas con- 

 tinues throughout the day, whUe in the two houses visited by the 

 gods the medicine societies keep up continuous singing. At sunset 

 the dancers depart and the society people dismantle their altars and 

 return home. With this ceremony the celebration of the summer 

 solstice closes. 



The chief priesthood remains in retreat for four more nights, and 

 comes out on the eighth morning. The second priesthood goes in that 

 same evening and the rest follow in regular order. 



The summer solstice observances are notable in the complete ab- 

 sence of any ceremonies to secure the blessings of the Beast Gods or 

 the Ahayuta. The omission of the Ahayuta is especially noteworthy. 

 In the winter they are appealed to for protection and aid in war, 

 but more especially for snow and cold winds. Prayer sticks are 

 offered at all their shrines in conjunction with the dance of the Wood 

 Society, a potent snow-making ritual. The second calendrical cere- 

 mony of the Bow Priesthood is held in March, before corn planting 

 and in preparation therefor. The ceremony has never been observed 

 nor described, nor, unfortunately, have the words of the prayers and 

 songs been recorded. However, it corresponds to the summer solstice 

 ceremonies of other cults, in being a partial repetition, with variations, 

 of their winter observances. The WTiter hazards the guess, in the 

 absence of direct evidence, that this is an appeal for snow and violent 

 rains to sweU the spring freshets and prepare the ground for the recep- 

 tion of seeds. 



If the wnnter ceremonies emphasize rites having as their object 

 medicine, war, and fecundity, the summer ceremonies are weighted 



" At Acoma the summer dance of katcinas is held early in July, the public ceremonies consuming four 

 days, from about the lOth to the 14th. These are preceded by a period of purification lasting eight days. 

 The participants abstain from food and especially from water from nightfall preceding the dance until 

 noon the day of the dance. (White, MS.) The date is that of the Hopi Niman. In certain Aztec 

 ceremonies there is prohibition on drinking from nightlaU until noon. 



