The Religious Life of the Zuñi Child

by Matilda Coxe Stevenson

1 NORTH.	2 WEST.	3 SOUTH.
4 EAST.	5 HEAVENS.	6 EARTH.

GROUP OF SÄ-LÄ-MŌ-BĪ-YA MASKS.

They come after sundown to the village. The serpent, made of hide, is about twelve feet long and eighteen inches through the thickest part of the body. The abdomen is painted white, the back black, covered with white stars, which are represented by a kind of semicircle, an entirely conventional design. The neck rests through a finely decorated kind of altar carried by the two Soot-īke. The tail end of the fetich is held by the priest of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, who constantly blows through a large shell, which he carries in the right hand, holding the serpent with the left. The Kōk-kō pass through the town and visit each kiva; they put the head of the serpent through the hatchway, that those who are privileged to assemble in the kivas may see the fetich. The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si is then taken to the Kiva of the Earth, Hē-tkā-pa-que. The walls of this kiva are decorated with two Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, which extend almost around the entire walls of the room, the heads nearly meeting at the north end of the room. The fetich is placed between the heads. The others of the Kōk-kō repair to their respective kivas, the Hē-i-i-que or Kiva of the North, the Moo-hē-i-que or Kiva of the West, the Choo-pā-ä-que or Kiva of the South, the Ōh-hē-i-que or Kiva of the East, and the Oop-tsān-ā-ā-que or Kiva of the Heavens. From each of these kivas men and youths from the secret orders to which I have referred are assembled to receive the Kōk-kō. When all the Kōk-kō have gone to their kivas, the ten Kō-yē-mē-shi, who reach the village after the others, go to their house, which is not one of the sacred assembly houses, but chosen from among the Sūs-ki-i-que, or people of the Wolf gens.

The Kōk-kō sing and dance in their own kivas, then change about, those of the North passing to the West and those of the West going to the South, and so on. This is continuous until the first white streak warns them that day is approaching. At this time the head of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si is put through the opening in the side wall of the kiva, when all who choose may look upon it. Behind this creature the old priest stands and blows through the body, making the same peculiar noise, representing the roaring of a sea monster, that he has kept up throughout the night. The image is only seen by the uncertain light of the faintest impression of day. Pā-oo-tī-wa remains with the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si in the Kiva of the Earth. At sunrise the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya go to this kiva, each bearing the plume stick made on the sixth day and an ear of corn. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North first advances to the priest of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si and, presenting him with the plumes and ear of yellow corn, prays that the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si will give to his people the seeds of the earth; the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West next approaches, presenting his wand and an ear of blue corn, praying that the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si will bring to his people the seeds of the earth; and so the red corn of the South, the white of the East, the all-color of the Heavens and the black of the Earth are presented with the same prayer. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya remove their masks after entering the kiva, when they immediately lose their identity as the Kōk-kō. They are merely men now, praying to the Kōk-kō. This ceremony over, they return to their respective kivas, having put on their masks before leaving the Kiva of the Earth.

At this time the ^tSī-^tsī-^tki partially ascends the ladder of the Kiva of the North, remaining just inside of the hatchway, and, holding the rabbit to his mouth, calls through the reed: "Your little grandfather is hungry; he wishes something to eat; bring him some stewed meat." The Kō-yē-mē-shi, in obedience to the request of the little grandfather, go to the homes of the children to be initiated, calling for food. At the same time the Kō-yē-mē-shi give to each novitiate his name. Previous to this the boy is designated as baby boy, younger boy, older boy, &c. The food is received by the Kō-yē-mē-shi and taken to the Kiva of the North, where it is divided and carried to the different kivas. For this occasion the native beans are prepared. There is as great a variety of color in these as in the corn. The yellow beans are carried to the Kiva of the North, the blue beans to the Kiva of the West, the red to the Kiva of the South, the white to the Kiva of the East, the all color to the Kiva of the Heavens, the black to the Kiva of the Earth. A sumptuous meal is now served in each of the kivas.

After this meal the Kōk-kō begin their bodily decorations, with their bodies almost nude. Those of the North are painted yellow; those of the West, blue; those of the South, red; those of the East, white; those of the Heavens, all colors on the body and yellow on the neck and upper arms; those of the Earth, black, with some bits of color. This done, the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North passes through the village and, going for a short distance to the north, deposits a plume stick, the stick to which the plumes are attached being painted yellow. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West, South, and East plant their plumes at their respective cardinal points. Those for the zenith and nadir are planted to the west, on the road to the spirit lake, the stick of each one having the cardinal color decorations. This done, all retire to their kivas.

The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North, returning to his kiva, drinks the medicine water prepared by the priest of the great fire order (Mā-^tke-hlān-ā ā-que), who, with some of his people, is now busy in the preparation of a sand altar. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya again emerge from the kivas, with long bunches of Spanish bayonet in their hands, in the ends of which grains of corn of the respective colors are placed and wrapped with shreds of the bayonet. Any man or youth desiring to raise yellow corn appeals to the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North, who strikes him a severe blow with his bunch of bayonets. Similar appeals are made to those representing other colors. The sand altar is made in the Kiva of the North. It is first laid in the ordinary yellowish sand, in the center of which the bowl of medicine water is placed. Over the yellow sand a ground of white sand is sprinkled. All the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya and their brothers are represented on the altar ([Plate XXII]). The altar is circular in form and some twelve feet in diameter. The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si encircles the whole.

Throughout the day the Kōk-kō are running around the village whipping such of the people as appeal to them for a rich harvest, while the curious performances of the Kō-yē-mē-shi carry one back to the primitive drama.

BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.

FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XXII.