878 ZUNI KATCINAS [eth. ann.47 



with the above; he-kiipa'wa (he'kapan-e, back wall, or place behind 

 a wall, wa) with below. There is no fixed order for visiting the vari- 

 ous kivas, although the association with the directions would indicate 

 a fixed ceremonial circuit. Each masked personage has his own route 

 through the village. He'iwa is the chief kiva. Here is set up the 

 great solstice altar, and here are held the ceremonies that usher in the 

 new year 10 days later. Here also is made the great altar and sand 

 painting for initiation of little boys. It is located on feia'awa (?sia'a, 

 to cut or tear, wa) plaza. Adjoining the Idva but unconnected with 

 it is the ceremonial house of the town chiefs (called feciwan'i, le, 

 place, ciwan'i, priest) which is considered to be the actual center of 

 the world, and is the most sacred place in Zuiii. The court is entirely 

 inclosed, except for two narrow passages leading to it, which were built 

 over until quite recently. In Isia'awa are held aU the outdoor dances 

 of the katcinas. They visit the other three recognized plazas of the 

 village, but spend most of their time in fsia'awa. Here the Koyemci 

 remain at play during their dances. Here are held other important 

 outdoor ceremonies, the presentation of Le'eto'we to the light, the 

 dance of the Lewe'kwe, and the sinnmer dance of the Ne'we"kwe. 

 Other ceremonies which involve the setting up of complicated altars or 

 bowers in which the chiefs of the tribe sit are held in the large plaza 

 (tehwito lan'a), probably because it is more spacious, although the 

 fact that the ancient Spanish mission church adjoins the large plaza 

 may have something to do with it. 



Except for esoteric ceremonies, the kivas are rapidly falling into 

 disuse. In folk tales which reflect older conditions the kivas were 

 used for all ceremonies, including those of the medicine societies, and 

 for all preparations for ceremonies. They were also the clubhouses 

 of the men, as they still are among the Hopi. During the winter 

 months Hopi men spend most of their time in the kivas, weaving, 

 gaming, and stoiy-telling. Even in Mrs. Stevenson's time ^* Zuiii 

 kivas were used to a much greater extent than at present. At that 

 time the winter dances of the Kokokci were held in the kivas. ^^ 

 Now they are held in the houses of the kiva chiefs. The chief summer 

 solstice altar used to be set up in the kiva to which the katcina chief 

 belonged; now it is set up in his house and the all-night ceremonies 

 of the return of the katcinas are held there. The use of the kiva is 

 coming to be more and more restricted to the strictly esoteric cere- 

 monies of the Katcina Society. All public ceremonies are held out- 

 door or in the homes of prominent officials." 



« Zuiii Indians, p. 62. 



" Zufii Indians, p. 145. 



*6 According to mythology the kivas were built by order of l^^klo, when he announced the first coming 

 of the masked gods, as houses in which to receive the divine children. In the Zuni mind they are asso- 

 ciated exclusively with the mysteries of the katcina cult. Nevertheless the winter solstice ceremony of 

 the war gods is held in he'iwa kiva, a circumstance which reflects historic phenomena at variance with 

 native dogma. 



