876 ZUN'I K_\TCINAS 



various ciilt groups (see below).'* He officiates at many important 

 ceremonies and is regarded as a repository of katcina lore. He has, 

 of course, powerful supernatural connections. He is not a priest, 

 hence not a member of the council (Mrs. Stevenson's "First Body of 

 the Aciwanni"). However, his advice is sought by the priests in all 

 important matters, and his word carries great weight. He is always 

 referred to by title rather than name and his children have taken his 

 title as a patronjonic. The present incumbent is a man of great 

 personal influence. He is a most rigorous observer of all ancient 

 practices and exacting in his demands on those who hold office under 

 him. He is bitter in his denimciation of those suspected of trafficldng 

 with whites and those who are lax in preserving the secrecy of all 

 religious rites. Since the retirement of Tsawela from the office of 

 bow priest Komosona has been the leader of the conservative ("Cath- 

 olic") faction. 



The katcina pekwin is his subordinate and assistant. The two 

 katcina bow priests serve chiefly as messengers of the katcina chief. 

 They sometimes bring in the line of dancers in the summer rain dances, 

 although tliis duty belongs theoretically to the katcina chief and his 

 pekwdn. As bow priests, they have the office of guarding secret 

 rituals, punishing intruders, and general policing. 



The membership at large of the Katcina Society is composed of six 

 groups,^^ very unequal in size, each with its own organization. These 

 are primarily dancing societies. At the head of each group is the Idva 

 chief (otakamos-i, literally dance chief). He is called kiva chief in 

 the following pages because the term has become accepted m Hopi 

 usage, and clearly describes his place in the sacerdotal organization. 

 There may be in each group one or more assistant kiva chiefs (also 

 called otaka-mos-i, and two or more wo"we (literally "creature"). 

 The kiva chief is the responsible head. He sets the dates for 

 dances of his group,^" decides what dance is to be given, calls 

 rehearsals, teaches the participants their songs, superintends the 

 preparation of the masks, plants prayer sticks before the dance and 

 observes the usual ritual requirements attendant thereon, and on the 

 day of the dance stands in the center of the line and leads the singing. 

 The two wo'we have charge of the paraphernalia of the dance. They 



58 An interesting case of the checks upon authority in Znni occurred in connection with the last initiation 

 ceremony. For a time there was some doubt as to whether the ceremony could be held, although it had 

 been ordered by the priests. The member of the Great Fire Society, whose office it was to mal»e the sand 

 paintings in the kivas, refused to cooperate. He had many old scores to settle with the priests — he had 

 once been persecuted for witchcraft, and was cordially hated. So, like Achilles, he sulked in his tent until all 

 the priests came to him and ate humble pie. Then he deigned to serve. Until he had been moUilied, the 

 ceremony could not go on, because no one else "knew how" — that is, had the necessary supernatural power. 

 Others might be able to make the paintings, but they would not know the prayers, so they would not be 

 potent. 



^^ Called upa-we, from upe, "within," a verbal stem meaning "to be in" in the literal and cere- 

 monial sense of being in retreat. 



*o Except the first dances of the summer and winter series, held on set dates of the Zuni calendar. 



