844 ZUNI KATCINAS [eth. ann. 47 



on the spiritual essence of food sacrificed to them in the river, and 

 clothe themselves with the feathers of prayer sticks. They turn 

 into ducks when traveling back and forth to Zuiii. 



The first katcLnas were the chUdren of humans lost thi-ough con- 

 tact with contamination, unwilling sacrifices to atone for sin. By 

 origin and later association they are identified with the dead. Mor- 

 tals on death joiia the katcinas at katcina village and become like 

 them.' 



In addition to being identified with the dead the katcinas are also 

 especially associated with clouds and rain. When they come to 

 dance they come in rain. They are equivalent to the Shiwana 

 of Keresan pueblos.^ 



In ancient times the katcina used to come to Zufii to dance for 

 their people in order that they might be gay. But always when 

 they left someone "went with them," that is, died, and so they 

 decided not to come any more. But they authorized masked dances 

 and promised "to come and stand before them." ^ So now when a 

 katcina dance is held the katcinas come merely as rain, and no one 

 dies. So the institution of masked dancing, originated according to 

 legend to assuage the loneliness of parents for theii' lost children, has 

 become a rain-maldng ceremony. 



The power of katcina ceremonies resides in the masks which, 

 whether ancient tribal property or individually owned modern masks, 

 are believed to contain divine substance, by means of which the 



3 Exceptions to this are noted. 



' Cochiti: 



"The kachina embody the spirits of the dead but are rarely thought of as special individuals. How- 

 ever, resemblances to recent dead have been pointed out at the time of a kachina dance, though this is so 

 rare that any theory of ancestor worship has been discarded. The kachina of this village are also called 

 shiwanna 'thunderclouds,' and so are closely linked with the rainmaking powers. "—Goldfrank, 34. 



' ' At Laguna kachina and thunderclouds are in dilTerent categories, nevertheless the former also help 

 along the general welfare."— Goldfrank, 35, footnote. 



"The shiwanna are gods who give rain, health, life; in short, everything that makes for the welfare of 

 nian. It is mostly in their visits to the pueblo that they bring these benefits." — Dumarest, 174. 



' ' The sinless go at once (from Shipapu) to Wenima and become shiwanna." When XJritsete wants rain 

 she sends prayer sticks to the shiwanna, who climb into a huge bowl filled with water. This rises into 

 the sky and the shiwanna dip out water with their prayer sticks. — Page, 173. 



The men all know that the shiwanna are men, since they have all danced in the kachina. But they 

 think that in putting the sacred mask on their head they take on the holy personality. They think the 

 spirits of the shiwanna are within these masks and thjt thus they visit the pueblos. If it happens to rain 

 during a dance, the shiwanna sometimes gesture as it to say, " I am making the thunder, I am sending 

 down the rain."— Page 175. 



Acoma. 



The katsina are exactly like the masked dancers in appearance. They used to come to the village and 

 dance for the people and bring them gifts of food and other necessities. After the people began to grow 

 their own food, the katcina came to dance when the fields were dry and thirsty. 



After the great fight with the people the katcina refused to come to the village, but gave the people 

 permission to copy their appearance in masks. (White.) 



Among the Uopi they are cloud beings and local spirits inhabiting springs. We know almost nothing 

 of the ideology of the katcina cult among the Tewa. 



' See Komosona's talk, p. 604. 



