BUN8EL1 THE COMING OF THE GODS 945 



more, at all of the dances of the summer series (six in ail, lasting from 

 one to eight days) they must come out and "play," observing all the 

 usual taboos from the evening preceding the dance until the final 

 departure. They may appear also in winter, and if they do must 

 observe the same restrictions. If any e.xtra dances are inserted into 

 the calendar in the summer and fall, as frequently happens, the Ko- 

 yemci are required to attend. 



For five nights following the departure of the Ca'lako gods, dancers 

 from each of the six kivas are supposed to visit all the houses which 

 have entertained the gods. Some of them dance in the plaza during 

 the day. Throughout this period the Koyenici remain in strict retreat 

 in the house where they were entertained. At night they dance in 

 their house; during the day they "play" in the plaza and attend any 

 dancers who appear there. These are days of great festivity. 



On the fifth evening they eat early and sparingly, and from this 

 time on food and drink are taboo imtil the following night. Speech 

 also is forbidden them, nor may they appear unmasked. After they 

 enter upon this period the character of their dancing changes, becom- 

 ing more solemn. They do not indulge in their usual obscenity. On 

 the following morning they come out early and are taken to be 

 "washed" in the house of the village chief. Here the women give 

 them gifts of food. On coming out, they are taken by men of their 

 fathers' clans to the houses of their fathers' sister. Here they receive 

 valuable gifts from all members of the fathers' clan. Each personator 

 will receive as many as thirty slaughtered sheep, as many baskets of 

 corn or wheat flour, bread, melons, and miscellaneous gifts of clothing, 

 frequentlj^ of great value. The gifts are brought to the plaza where 

 they remain until night. Meanwhile, the Koyemci attend upon the 

 various dancers until later at night. 



At nightfall the last of the dancers, the Molawia, (see p. 913) have 

 departed. Then the Koyemci in pairs visit every house in the village to 

 invoke upon it the blessings of the gods. At each house they receive 

 gifts of food from the female inhabitants. Returning to the plaza, they 

 take their prayer sticks out to plant. They return to the house of 

 their father late at night, and removing their masks for the first time 

 all day give them to their father to return to the house where they are 

 kept. When he comes back, he thanJvs his children for their year of 

 work and sets them free. Then for the first time since the preceding 

 evening they drink, and after eating and bathing, return to their 

 homes. Their retreat, 15 days, is the longest in Zuni ritual. 



The culmination of the Ca'lako ceremony is fully described — that 

 is, as fully as any one person can describe any elaborate Pueblo 

 ceremony — by Stevenson (Zuni Indians, pp. 227-277), and by Parsons 

 (Notes on Zuni I). The writer observed different portions of the 

 ceremony on two successive years and has little to add in the way of 

 ritual to these excellent accoxmts. Her more important observations 



