FEWKES] 



POWAMU CEREMONY 



35 



After the per.sonator of the sun had vi.sited all these houses and 

 kivas he .sought a shrine dedicated to the sun, whei'e he made his 

 offerings and, retiring to a sequestered place, disrobed and returned to 

 the kiva in the pueblo, carrying his mask hidden in a blanket. This 

 personation did not again appear in Powamu. 



PRELIMINARY VISIT OF THE MONSTERS 



On February It*, in Powanul. a group of monsters (Soyokos) from 

 each pueblo visited every house on the mesa. The object of these 

 visits was to tell the people that in several days they would return 

 for meat and bread. These monsters are called Natackas, and the 

 group from each pueblo consists of Hahai wuqti (their mother), 

 Natacka mana (maid) and Natacka naamu (their father). The members 

 of each group from the different towns arc clothed in essentially the 

 same costimie, and have the .same symbols on their masks. 



The acts of Natacka naami'i, Hahai wiiqti, and Natacka mana on 

 February 10 were essentially the same, each group first visiting all 

 the houses of its own pueblo and then tho.se of families of the other 

 pueblos on the East mesa the heads of which were men of its town 

 who had married and had children. 



When it arrived at a house, the group, preceded by Hahai wi'iqti, 

 halted before the door, and its leader called out in falsetto voice, asking 

 for the inmates. The mother of the monsters carried a collection of 

 snares (small animal traps made of a stick and yucca liber) and when a 

 man or boy appeared she gave him one, telling him to hunt game, 

 and in eight daj-s she and her company would return for meat. She 

 gave to the women and girls an ear of corn, telling them to grind it, 

 and saying that in eight daj-s the visitors would return for meal and 

 bread. The Natacka father (naamu) said nothing, but hooted and 

 hopj)ed back and forth, assuming threatening postures. 



This visit was an announconKMit to the households that in <-ou!"se of 



