SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION—BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY.

THE SIA.

BY
MATILDA COXE STEVENSON.

CONTENTS.

	Page.
[Introduction]	9
[Cosmogony]	26
[Cult societies]	69
[Theurgistic rites]	73
[Rain ceremonial of the Snake society]	76
[Rain ceremonial of the Giant society]	91
[Four nights’ ceremonial of the Giant society for the healing of a sick boy]	97
[Rain ceremonial of the Knife society]	101
[Society of the Quer´ränna]	112
[Rain ceremonial of the Quer´ränna society]	113
[Other societies]	116
[Society of the cougar]	118
[Society of Warriors]	121
[Songs]	123
[A rain song of the Shū´wi Chai´än (Snake society)]	123
[A song of the Shū´wi Chai´än (Snake society) for healing the sick]	125
[A rain song of the Sko´yo Chai´än (Giant society)]	126
[A song of the Sko´yo Chai´än (Giant society) for healing the sick]	127
[A rain song of the Hĭis´tiän Chai´än (Knife society)]	128
[Portion of a rain song of the Hĭs´tiän Chai´än (Knife society)]	129
[A rain song of the Quer´ränna Chai´än]	130
[Prayer for sick infant]	130
[Childbirth]	132
[Mortuary customs and beliefs]	143
[Myths]	146
[The Coyote encounters disappointment]	147
[The Coyote and the Cougar]	154
[The Coyote and the Rattlesnake]	156
[The Skátona]	157

ILLUSTRATIONS.

			Page.
Pl.	[I.]	A view of Sia, showing a portion of village in ruins	8
	[II.]	Plaza, Sia	10
	[III.]	Sisters; cleverest artists in ceramics in Sia	12
	[IV.]	Group of Sia vases	14
	[V.]	The Oracle	16
	[VI.]	Stone house showing plaster on exterior	22
	[VII.]	Stampers at work	24
	[VIII.]	Pounders completing work	26
	[IX.]	I-är-ri-ko, a Sia fetich	40
	[X.]	Personal adornment when received into third degree of official membership in Cult society (A, Ko-shai-ri; B, Quer´-rän-na; C, Snake society	70
	[XI.]	Hä´-cha-mo-ni before plume offerings are attached (A, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for Sûs sĭs-tin-na-ko; B, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for the sun; C, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for the cloud priest of the north; D, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for the cloud priest of the west; E, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for the cloud priest of the zenith)	74
	[XII.]	Hä´-cha-mo-ni with plume offerings attached (F, hä´-cha-mo-ni deposited for the Sia woman of the north and of the west; G, hä´-cha-mo-ni offered to the cloud woman of the cardinal points; H, gaming block offered to the cloud people; I, hä´-cha-mo-ni and official staff deposited for the snake ho´-na-ai-te of the north)	76
	[XIII.]	Hä´-cha-mo-ni with plumes attached (A, deposited for cloud priest of the north; B, deposited for Ho-chan-ni, arch ruler of the cloud priests of the world; C, deposited for cloud woman of the north; D, bunch of plumes offered apart from hä´-cha-mo-ni; E, bunch of plumes offered apart from hä´-cha-mo-ni)	78
	[XIV.]	Altar and sand painting of Snake society	80
	[XV.]	Altar of Snake society	82
	[XVI.]	Ceremonial vase	84
	[XVII.]	Vice ho´-na-ai-te of Snake society	86
	[XVIII.]	Altar and sand painting of Giant society (A, altar; B, sand painting)	90
	[XIX.]	Altar of Giant society photographed during ceremonial	92
	[XX.]	Ho´-na-ai-te of Giant society	94
	[XXI.]	Sick boy in ceremonial chamber of Giant society	96
	[XXII.]	Altar and sand painting of Knife society	98
	[XXIII.]	Altar of Knife society photographed during ceremonial	100
	[XXIV.]	Ho´-na-ai-te of Knife society	102
	[XXV.]	Altar of Knife society, with ho´-na-ai-te and vice ho´-na-ai-te on either side	104
	[XXVI.]	Shrine of Knife society	108
	[XXVII.]	Shrine of Knife society	110
	[XXVIII.]	Altar of Quer´-rän-na society	112
	[XXIX.]	Altar of Quer´-rän-na society	114
	[XXX.]	Ho´-na-ai-te of Quer´-rän-na society	116
	[XXXI.]	Sia masks (A, masks of the Ká-ᵗsû-na; B, mask of female Ká-ᵗsû-na; C, masks of the Ká-ᵗsû-na)	118
	[XXXII.]	Sia masks (A, masks of the Ká-ᵗsû-na; B, masks of female Ká-ᵗsû-na)	120
	[XXXIII.]	Prayer to the rising sun	122
	[XXXIV.]	Personal adornment when received into the third degree of official membership of Cult society (A, spider; B, cougar; C, fire; D, Knife and Giant; E, costume when victor is received into society of Warriors; F, body of warrior prepared for burial, only the face, hands, and feet being painted)	140
	[XXXV.]	Ceremonial water vases; Sia (A, a cross emblematic of the rain from the cardinal points; B, faces of the cloud men; C, faces of the cloud women; D, clouds and rain; E, vegetation; F, dragonfly, symbolic of water)	146