045 ZXJNI KATCINAS [eth. ann. 47 



"to make him (the god) into a living person" (ho'i ya-Ranaka).'" 

 Tlie mask, therefore, is an object whose sacredness is equaled only by 

 that of the rain-making bimdles of the priests. The mask partakes 

 of the attributes of the god. It "makes the house valuable" and pro- 

 tects its occupants from misfortune. And it insures to its owner 

 powerful supernatural connections which will determine his status 

 after death. 



There are two types of masks. One type is ancient and permanent. 

 These masks are regarded as the actual masks given by the super- 

 naturals when the institution of masked dancing was organized. 

 These masks are held as tribal property and are handed down through 

 the generations. Each one represents a named and individualized 

 god, one of the priestly rulers of the village of the katcinas. Each 

 mask is held in trust by a self-perpetuating group, which may also be 

 the trustee of its complex esoteric ritual. The masks are kept in 

 sealed j ars in houses from which they are never taken except for their 

 public ceremonies, and the guardianship of the mask descends through 

 the maternal lineage that occupies the house in which it is kept. 

 These masks are taken out only with great ceremony by persons 

 specially authorized to handle them. They are regarded as very 

 "dangerous." Before wearing such a mask a man must sacrifice food 

 in the river to his ancestors and to his predecessor in office. After 

 wearing he must plant prayer sticks (sometimes the planting of 

 prayer sticks is part of the pubhc ceremony) and observe continence 

 for four days. These permanent masks are never made over into the 

 likenesses of other katcinas. Under exceptional circumstances they 

 may be renewed, but the old mask is not destroyed. Tliis type of 

 mask is found among the Hopi (in addition to personal masks) and, 

 so far as I have been able to learn, is the only type found in the 

 Keresan villages. Here the guardianship of these masks is intrusted 

 to a single individual (the katcina cliief), who keeps them "in his own 

 secret place," outside the village. 



There exist iu Zuni, in addition to these ancient and permanent 

 masks, others which are individual property, which a man has made 

 to serve as his personal fetish so long as he lives, and as his guarantee 

 of status after death. These are the masks that are used in group 

 dances, and which I have therefore designated as the masks of dancing 

 katcinas, to distinguish them from the priest katcinas. Every man 

 of any standing in Zuni possesses one or more such masks. A man 

 will have a mask made as soon as he is able to afford the expense 

 involved. Later he will have another of different form made, so that 

 whatever dance his kiva may present he may always dance in his own 

 mask. When he dies the masks are dismantled and buried for his 

 use at katcina village. Then whenever dances are held at Zuni he 



'" See prayer of Pautiwa, p. 699. 



