Transcriber's Note:

"[t]" represents a raised (superscript) "t. "

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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION--BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY

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THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUÑI CHILD. 

BY

MRS. TILLY E. STEVENSON. 

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CONTENTS. 

 Page. 

 Brief account of Zuñi mythology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539

 Birth customs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

 Involuntary initiation into the Kōk-kō. . . . . . . . . . 547

 Voluntary initiation into the Kōk-kō. . . . . . . . . . . . 553

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

 PLATE Page. 

 XX. Zuñi masks and Kō-yē-mē-shi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

 XXI. Group of Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya masks. . . . . . . . . . . . 548

 XXII. Zuñi sand altar in Kiva of the North. . . . . 550

 XXIII. ōh-hē-i-que, Kiva of the East. . . . . . . . . . . . 552

THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF THE ZUÑI CHILD. 

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BY MRS. TILLY E. STEVENSON. 

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BRIEF ACCOUNT OF ZUÑI MYTHOLOGY. 

The Pueblo of Zuñi is situated in Western New Mexico on the RioZuñi, a tributary of the Little Colorado River. The Zuñi haveresided in this region for several centuries. The peculiar geologicand geographic character of the country surrounding them, as well asits aridity, furnishes ample sources from which a barbarous peoplewould derive legendary and mythologic history. A brief reference tothese features is necessary to understand more fully the religiousphases of Zuñi child life. 

Three miles east of the Pueblo of Zuñi is a conspicuously beautifulmesa, of red and white sandstone, tō-wā-yäl län-ne (cornmountain). Upon this mesa are the remains of the old village of Zuñi. The Zuñi lived during a long period on this mesa, and it was herethat Coronado found them in the sixteenth century. Tradition tellsthat they were driven by a great flood from the site they now occupy, which is in the valley below the mesa, and that they resorted to themesa for protection from the rising waters. The waters rose to thevery summit of the mesa, and to appease the aggressive element a humansacrifice was necessary. A youth and a maiden, son and daughter of twopriests, were thrown into this ocean. Two great pinnacles, which havebeen carved from the main mesa by weathering influences, are lookedupon by the Zuñi as the actual youth and maiden converted intostone, and are appealed to as "father" and "mother. " Many of the Zuñilegends and superstitions are associated with this mesa, while overits summit are spread the extensive ruins of the long ago desertedvillage. There are in many localities, around its precipitous sidesand walls, shrines and groups of sacred objects which are constantlyresorted to by different orders of the tribe. Some of the mostinteresting of these are the most inaccessible. When easy of approachthey are in such secluded spots that a stranger might pass withoutdreaming of the treasures within his reach. On the western side ofthis mesa are several especially interesting shrines. About half wayup the acclivity on the west side an overhanging rock forms thebase of one of the pinnacles referred to. This rock is literallyhoneycombed with holes, from one-half to three-fourths of an inch indiameter. I visited the spot in the fall of 1884, with Professors E. B. Tylor and H. N. Moseley, of Oxford, England, and Mr. G. K. Gilbert, of the United States Geological Survey. These gentlemen could notdetermine whether the tiny excavations were originally made byhuman hands or by some other agency. The Indian's only answer whenquestioned was, "They be long to the old; they were made by the gods. "Hundreds of these holes contain bits of cotton and wool from garments. In the side of this rock there are larger spaces, in which miniaturevases, filled with sand, are placed. The sand is ground by rubbingstones from the same rock. The vases of sand, and also the fragmentsof wool and cotton, are offerings at the feet of the "mother" rock. Here, too, can be seen a quantity of firewood heaped as shown in theright-hand corner of the illustration. Each man and woman depositeda piece, that he or she might always have plenty of wood for heatand light. Some three hundred feet above is another shrine, directlyattached to the "father" rock, and to the white man difficultof access. Here I found many offerings of plume sticks (Tēlīk-tkī-nā-we). 

Before entering upon the purely mythologic phases of Zuñi child lifeI will present a brief sketch of some of the Zuñi beliefs. There arethirteen secret orders in Zuñi, in many of which women and childrenare conspicuous, besides the purely mythologic order of the Kōk-kō. All boys are initiated into this order, while but few girls enterit. It is optional with a girl; she must never marry if she joins theKōk-kō, and she is not requested to enter this order until she hasarrived at such age as to fully understand its grave responsibilitiesand requirements. 

Let us follow the Zuñi tradition of the ancient time, when thesepeople first came to this world. In journeying hither they passedthrough four worlds, all in the interior of this, the passagewayfrom darkness into light being through a large reed. From the innerworld they were led by the two little war gods āh-ai-ū-ta andMā-ā-sē-we, twin brothers, sons of the Sun, who were sent by theSun to bring these people to his presence. They reached this world inearly morning, and seeing the morning star they rejoiced and said tothe war gods: "We see your father, of whom you have told us. " "No, "said the gods, "this is the warrior who comes before our father;"and when the sun arose the people fell upon the earth and bowed theirheads in fear. All their traditions point to the distant land of theirappearance in this world as being in the far northwest; from, therethey were accompanied by āh-ai-ū-ta and Mā-ā-sē-we. These littlegods occupy important positions in Zuñi myth and legend. After longjourneying, it was decided that the Priest Doctor (Kā wi-mō sa)should send his son and his daughter in advance to discover somefavorable spot upon which to build a village. The youth and the maidenfinally ascended a peak from, which to have an extended view of thecountry. "Rest here, my sister, for you are tired, " said the youth, "and I will go alone. " From fatigue, the girl soon sank into aslumber, and when the youth returned, he was impressed with thesurpassing loveliness of his sister. They remained for a time onthis mountain, and at their union they were transformed--the youthinto a hideous looking creature, the Kō-yē-mē-shi (Plate XX); themaiden into a being with snow white hair, the Kō-mō-kĕt-si. The[t]Kō-thlā-ma (hermaphrodite) is the offspring of this unnaturalunion. The youth said to his sister, "We are no longer like ourpeople; we will therefore make this mountain our home. But it is notwell for us to be alone; wait here and I will go and prepare a placefor our others. " Descending the mountain, he swept his foot throughthe sands in the plains below, and immediately a river flowed anda lake appeared, and in the depths of this lake a group of houses, and in the center of this group a religious assembly house, or kiva, provided with many windows, through which those not privileged toenter the kiva might view the dance within. After he performed thismagic deed, he again joined his sister on the mountain, from whichthey could see their people approaching. The mountain has since thattime borne the name of Kō-kōk-shi--kōk-shi meaning good. 

The first of the āh-shi-wi, or Zuñi, to cross this river werethe Än-shi-i-que, or Bear gens; Tō-wā-que, Corn gens; and[t]Ko-ōh-lōk-tā-que, Sand Hill Crane gens. When in the middleof the river the children of these gentes were transformed intotortoises, frogs, snakes, ducks, and dragonflies. The children thustransformed, while tightly clinging to their mother's necks, beganto bite and pinch. The mothers, trembling with fear, let them fallinto the river. āh-ai-ū-ta and Mā-ā-sē-we, missing the children, inquired, "Where are the little ones?" The mothers replied, "We wereafraid and dropped them into the water. " The war gods then cried outto the remainder of the people, "Wait, wait until we speak with you, "and they told the women to be brave and cling tightly to the childrenuntil they crossed the river. Obeying the gods' commands, they carriedthe little ones over, though they were transformed just as the others. Upon reaching the opposite shore, they were again restored to theirnatural forms, excepting their hands, which were duck-webbed. Thesewebs were cut with āh-ai-ū-ta's stone knife and thus restored toperfect hands. 

The mothers whose children fell into the waters were grieved andrefused to be comforted. The Priest Doctor was also grieved, andsaid, "Alas, where have the little ones gone?" āh-ai-ū-ta andMā-ā-sē-we replied, "We will go and learn something of them, " andupon descending into the lake they found the beautiful kiva, inwhich the children were assembled; but again they had been changed;they were no longer reptiles, but were of a similar type to theKō-yē-mē-shi and Kō-mō-kĕt-si, and since that time they havebeen worshiped as ancestral gods, bearing the name of Kōk-kō; butthe little war gods knew them, and addressed them as "My children, "and they replied, "Sit down and tell us of our mothers. " When theytold them that their mothers refused to be comforted at their loss, they said, "Tell our mothers we are not dead, but live and sing inthis beautiful place, which is the home for them when they sleep. Theywill wake here and be always happy. And we are here to intercede withthe Sun, our father, that he may give to our people rain, and thefruits of the earth, and all that is good for them. " The āh-shi-withen journeyed on, led by āh-ai-ū-ta and Mā-ā-sē-we, to thepresent site of Zuñi. Many, however, lingered at a spring somefifteen miles west of Zuñi, and there established the villageTkāp-quē-nā (Hot Spring). 

The Kō-yē-mē-shi and Kō-mō-kĕt-si passed down through theinterior of the mountain into the depths of the lake, the waters ofeverlasting happiness. In the passageway are four chambers, wherethe couple tarried on their way and where at the present time the twopriests of the Kōk-kō rest in their journey to the sacred waters. Socredulous are the people that the priests delude them into the beliefthat they actually pass through the mountain to the lake. 

Having heard of the wonderful cave in this mountain, our little partyvisited the place, prepared to explore it. Mr. Stevenson and Mr. H. L. Turner entered the fissure in the rock and squeezed through thecrevice for sixteen or eighteen feet to where the rock was so solidthat they both determined no human creature could penetrate farther. They examined the place most carefully by means of an artificiallight. Through a small aperture stones could be thrown to a depth fromwhich no sound returned, but excepting this solitary opening all wassolid, immovable rock. In this cave many plume sticks were gathered. Near the opening of the cave, or fissure, is a shrine to the Kōk-kō, which must be very old, and over and around it are hundreds of theplume sticks and turquoise and shell beads. 

I would mention here a little incident illustrative of thesuperstitious dread these Indians entertain of violating the priestlycommands. We found it very difficult to persuade an old Zuñi guide, who had visited the sacred salt lake, the mountain of the war gods, and other places of interest with us (to these he had gone by specialpermission of the High Priest), to accompany us to the spirit lakeand the mountain of the Kōk-kō. Our persuasive powers were almostexhausted ere we could induce him to guide us to them, but havingconsented he was willing to go even if he should be punished by death. He was a man renowned for bravery, but he was so overcome by hissuperstitious fears that his voice sank to a whisper and finallybecame scarcely audible. The morning of the day on which we reachedthis place, the old man, who had been riding by my side, ahead of therest of the party, suddenly halted and said in a half-angry voice, "Why do I go ahead? I am not the chief of this party. Those who belongat the head must go to the head. " And he would not move until Mr. Stevenson and I went in advance. By this change he sought to transferthe responsibility to us. Finally he rode up to us and said in awhisper, "We will camp here. " The whole expression of the old man'sface was that of ghastly terror. I was much annoyed, for I thoughtthat, at the eleventh hour, his fear had overcome his desire togratify us. Just then a Mexican lad on horseback approached; we wereall mounted. I asked the lad, "Is there a lake near by?" He replied, "Yes, a half a mile off. " The old Indian said, speaking in a whisper, "And you have seen it?" "Yes. " "And you were not afraid?" "No; whyafraid?" "And you looked into the waters and you did not die!" With alook of bewilderment the youth rode off. I signaled to the old man toaccompany us to the lake. "No, no; I would only die, and you must notgo or you will die. " "No, " said I, "we will not die if our hearts aregood, and if you will not go it is because your heart is not good andyou are afraid. "

We found the lake so surrounded by marshes that we could not getwithin an eighth of a mile of the waters. One of our party attemptedto reach it on foot, but could get very little nearer. We made acircuit of the lake along the slightly elevated ground and coulddistinctly see it. 

On completing the circle a striking picture met our eyes. Boldlyoutlined by the setting sun stood the old man, his hair blown by theevening breeze, for he had bared his head of the usual kerchief wornaround it, and, with his hand holding the sacred meal extended towardthe glorious sunset, he stood repeating a prayer. We halted, and hecontinued his prayer, wholly unconscious of our presence; as he turnedwe surprised him. I extended my hand and said, "Now I am happy, foryou are again brave and strong. " "Yes, " said he, "my heart is glad. I have looked into the waters of my departed people. I am alive, butI may die; if I die it is well; my heart is glad. " From that momentthe gloom was gone and he was bright and happy. We could not inducethe old man to ascend the mountain of the Kōk-kō with us, as none gothere except certain priests; but the lake is visited by those who aredesignated by these priests. 

Several days were consumed by us in exploring this immediate vicinity. On breaking camp, our old Indian guide seemed determined to tarrybehind. I remained with him. As the party rode off he took a largequantity of food which he had carefully stored away behind a tree--hehaving observed an almost absolute fast in order to make a largeoffering to the spirits of the departed--and heaped this food uponthe embers of the camp fire, by the side of which he stood for a longtime, supplicating in a most solemn manner the spirits of the departedto receive his offering. 

Certain men are selected, who, with bodies nude save the loin skirtand with bare feet, walk from Zuñi to the lake, a distance of 45miles, exposed to the scorching rays of the summer sun, to depositplume sticks and pray for rain. If the hearts of those sent be pureand good, the clouds will gather and rain will fall, but if evil be intheir hearts no rain will fall during the journey and they return withparched lips and blistered skin. The Kōk-kō repeat the prayers forrain with their intercessions to the Yä-tō-tka, the Sun, and by themthe plume sticks are sent to the same great god. So constantly are thelesser gods employed in offering plumes to the great god that at nightthe sacred road (the Galaxy) can be seen filled with feathers, thoughby day they are invisible. They believe that the soul or essence ofthe plumes travels over this road, just as the soul from the bodytravels from Zuñi to the spirit lake, and in their offerings of foodthe food itself is not received by the gods, but the spiritual essenceof the food. 

One of the most important characters in Zuñi mythology, the Käk-lō, finding himself alone in the far Northwest, saw many roads, but couldnot tell which one led to his people, and he wept bitterly. The tearmarks are still to be seen on the Käk-lō's face. A duck, hearingsome one's cries, appeared and inquired the cause of the trouble. "Iwish to go to my people, but the roads are many, and I do not know theright one. " The sagacious duck replied, "I know all roads, and I willlead you to your people. " Having led the Käk-lō to the spirit lake, he said, "Here is the home of the Kōk-kō; I will guide you to thekiva and open for you the door. " After entering the kiva the Käk-lōviewed all those assembled and said, "Let me see; are all my peoplehere? No; the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si (plumed serpent) is not here; he mustcome, " and two of the Kōk-kō (the Soot-īke) were dispatched forhim. This curious creature is the mythical plumed serpent whose homeis in a hot spring not distant from the village of Tkāp-quē-nā, andat all times his voice is to be heard in the depths of this boilingwater. 

In the days of the old, a young maiden, strolling along, saw abeautiful little baby boy bathing in the waters of this spring; shewas so pleased with his beauty that she took him home and told hermother that she had found a lovely little boy. The mother's heart toldher it was not a child really, and so she said to the daughter; butthe daughter insisted that she would keep the baby for her own. Shewrapped it carefully in cotton cloth and went to sleep with it in herarms. In the morning, the mother, wondering at her daughter's absence, sent a second daughter to call her. Upon entering the room where thegirl had gone to sleep she was found with a great serpent coiled roundand round her body. The parents were summoned, and they said, "This issome god, my daughter; you must take him back to his waters, " and themaiden followed the serpent to the hot spring, sprinkling him all thewhile with sacred meal. Upon reaching the spring the serpententered it, the maiden following, and she became the wife of theKō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. 

The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si soon appeared with the two Soot-īke who hadbeen dispatched for him. They did not travel upon the earth, butby the underground waters that pass from the spring to the spiritlake. Upon the arrival of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, the Käk-lō issuedto this assemblage his commands, for he is the great father of theKōk-kō. Those who were to go to the North, West, South, East, tothe Heavens, and to the Earth to procure cereals for the āh-shi-wihe designated as the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya. Previous to this time theāh-shi-wi had subsisted on seeds of a grass. "When the seeds aregathered, " he said, addressing the serpent, "you will carry themwith water to the āh-shi-wi and tell them what to do with the seeds. I will go in advance and prepare them for your coming. " "But, "said his people, "you are our father; you must not walk, " and theten Kō-yē-mē-shi accompanied him, carrying him on their backs, relieving each other when fatigued. The Käk-lō visited theāh-shi-wi nine days in advance of the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya andKō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, instructing the people regarding the Kōk-kō, howthey must represent them in the future and hold their ceremonials, and telling them that the boys must be made members of the Kōk-kō, and that this particular ceremony must occur but once in four years. He also gave to the people the history of himself, how the duck hadbefriended him and led him to the home of his people. 

BIRTH CUSTOMS. 

Having now briefly sketched the mythology relating to the ceremonialsto be described, I invite your attention to the main subject of thepresent paper: the Religious Life of the Zuñi Child. 

First we will notice the birth customs. 

Zuñi child life may be divided into two parts. One I will call thepractical or domestic; the other, the mythologic or religious. Theformer is fairly exemplified in the habits, customs, games, andexperiences of our own domestic child life. The other is essentiallydifferent; in it are involved the ceremonials, legends, and mythswhich surround the Zuñi child from its birth. 

Previous to the birth of a child, if a daughter be desired, thehusband and wife proceed together to the "mother" rock, and at herfeet make offerings and prayers, imploring her to intercede withthe great father, the Sun, to give to them a daughter, and that thisdaughter may grow to be all that is good in woman; that she may beendowed with the power of weaving beautifully and may be skilled inthe potter's art. Should a son be desired, the couple repair to theshrine above, and here, at the breast and heart of the "father" rock, prayers and plume sticks are offered that a son may be given them, andthat he may have power to conquer his enemies, and that he may becomedistinguished in the Kōk-kō and other orders, and have power overthe field to produce abundant crops. In both cases the sacred meal issprinkled, and, should the prayer not be answered, there is no doubtthat the heart of one or the other was not earnest when the prayer wasoffered. 

The Zuñi child is born amid ceremony. At its birth only the maternalgrandmother and two female doctors are present. After the birth of thechild, the paternal grandmother enters, bearing as offerings to thenew born babe a large pottery bowl and inside of it a tiny blanket. She then prepares warm suds of yucca root in the bowl, in which shebathes the infant, at the same time repeating a prayer of thanks forthe life that has been given them and praying for the future of thechild. She then rubs the entire body of the child, except the head, with warm ashes held in the palm of the hand and moistened with water. This process is repeated every morning during infancy and the samepaste is put upon the face of the child until it is several yearsold. I would remark that this paste is seldom noticed upon theolder children because it is put on in the morning and drying soonis brushed off by the child. It is asserted by the Zuñi that infour days after the birth of a child the first skin is removed byexfoliation and is supplanted by a new one. After applying the ashes, the paternal grandmother places the infant in the arms of the maternalgrandparent, who performs other offices for the little one and wrapsit in a piece of cotton cloth. The paternal grandmother prepares a bedof warm sand by the right side of the mother (leaving a cool spot forthe child's head); she then receives the infant and lays it upon itsbed, and over it she arranges the little blanket which she brought;she then places upon the sand and at the right side of the childan ear of white corn; if the child be a girl, the mother, or athree-plumule, corn is selected; if a boy, the father, or single ear, corn. The fourth day after the birth the child is again bathed inthe yucca root suds by the same grandmother, who again repeats a longprayer. During the first ten days of the child's life the paternalgrandmother remains in the daughter-in-law's house, looking after themother and helping in the preparation of the feast that is to occur. On the morning of the tenth day the child is taken from its bedof sand, to which it is never to return, and upon the left arm ofthe paternal grandmother it is carried for the first time into thepresence of the rising sun. To the breast of the child the grandmothercarrying it presses the ear of corn which lay by its side during theten days; to her left the mother of the infant walks, carrying in herleft hand the ear of corn which lay by her side. Both women sprinklea line of sacred meal, emblematic of the straight road which the childmust follow to win the favor of its gods. Thus the first object whichthe child is made to behold at the very dawn of its existence is thesun, the great object of their worship; and long ere the little lipscan lisp a prayer it is repeated for it by the grandmother. 

The Zuñi are polytheists; yet, while they have a plurality of gods, many of whom are the spirits of their ancestors, these gods are butmediums through which to reach their one great father of all--the Sun. 

[Illustration XX: ZUÑI MASKS AND KŌ-YĒ-MĒ-SHI. 

2 PĀ-OO-Tī-WA. 1 KŌ-YĒ-MĒ-SHI. 3 SAI-Ā-HLI-A. ]

Returning to the house, the paternal grandmother again bathes thechild in yucca suds; then, for the first time, the little one is putinto the cradle. The baby's arms are placed straight by its sides, andin this position it is so strapped in its cradle that it cannot evenmove a hand. These cradles have hood-shaped tops, and over the wholethick coverings are placed, so that the wonder is the child does notsmother. The cradle is usually deposited in some safe corner, and thebaby is left to sleep or amuse itself with its infantine thoughts. Thecradle is sometimes attached to two ropes to form a swing, and whenthe mother becomes conscious of the child's awakening she uncovers itshead at times and the tiny thing casts its eyes around. On the tenthmorning both parents of the child are bathed in suds of yucca, thewhole body of the mother but only the head of the father. This officeis also performed by the paternal grandmother. The immediate bloodrelations (female only) then assemble at the infant's home; that is, all the household of the father's house and those of the mother'shouse. Each woman from the father's house brings to the baby a gift ofa little blanket. This select gathering partakes of a feast, which ispresided over by the maternal grandmother. At the close of the feastthe infant is carried by the oldest sister of the father to thepaternal grandmother's house, where it is presented to the paternalgrandfather, who prays to the Sun (Yä-tō tka) to send down blessingsupon the child. 

INVOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KŌK-KŌ. 

The present ceremonials are in direct obedience to the orders andinstructions given at the time of the appearance of the Kōk-kōupon the earth, and their masks are counterparts of the original orspiritual Kōk-kō (Plate XX). The Käk-lō rides, as of old, upon thebacks of the Kō-yē-mē-shi, and he is the heralder for the comingof the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. Arriving at the village in the morning, hedivides his time between the kivas, there being six of these religioushouses in Zuñi, one for each of the cardinal points, one for thezenith, and one for the nadir. In each of these kivas he issuesto the people assembled the commands of the Kōk-kō and gives thehistory of the Käk-lō and the gathering of the cereals of the earthby the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya. At sunrise he is gone. The morning afterthe arrival of the Käk-lō, those who are to represent the Kōk-kōprepare plume sticks, and in the middle of the same day these areplanted in the earth. The same night they repair to their respectivekivas, where they spend the following eight nights, not looking uponthe face of a woman during that period. Each night is spent in smokingand talking and rehearsing for the coming ceremony. The second day allgo for wood, bringing it home on their backs, for so the ancientsdid when beasts of burden were unknown to them. The third day is alsospent in gathering wood, and the fourth day likewise. On the same daythe ten men who are to personate the Kō-yē-mē-shi, in company withthe [t]Sī-[t]sī-[t]ki (great-grandfather of the Kō-yē-mē-shi), pass through the village, inquiring for the boys who are to beinitiated; before such houses as have boys ready for this ceremonialthese men assemble; one of them enters the house and, greeting themother of the boy with "Good morning, " inquires the name of her son. She replies: "He has no name, " and requests the Kō-yē-mē-shi togive him one. The man then joins the group, repeating the words of thewoman. In passing from the kiva through the village the Indian screenshis face with a blanket, so as not to see the women as he passes. Onthe fifth day they go on a rabbit hunt, the capture of but one rabbitbeing necessary. The rabbit is carried to the He-i-i-que (or Kiva ofthe North) by the [t]Sī-[t]Sī [t]ki, who, after skinning the rabbit, fills the skin with cedar bark; a pinch of meal is placed for theheart and the eye sockets are filled with mica; a hollow reed ispassed through the inside filling to the mouth. The sixth daythe inmates of the kivas again go for wood; the seventh day largeTē-līk-tkī-nā-we are made of eagle plumes; the eighth day isconsumed in decorating the masks to be worn. As these people havenot the art of mixing their pigments so as to be permanent, masks andaltars have to be freshly decorated before using; and, when the masksare completely decorated, they, with the other paraphernalia, arecarried on the same day by the men and youths who have to wear them tosome secluded nooks among the rocks, a distance from the town, wherethey put them on, returning to the village by early moonlight. 

The impressive ceremonial of initiating the youth into the order ofthe Kōk-kō occurs but once in four years. No male child above theage of four years may, after death, enter the Kiva of the Kōk-kōunless he has received the sacred breath of the Kōk-kō. Those whopersonate the Kōk-kō are endowed for the time being with theiractual breath. Besides the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North, West, South, East, Heavens, and Earth, and a number of younger brothers whoappear on this occasion, there are Pā-oo-tī-wa (Plate XX), father ofthe Sun, ten Kō-yē-mē-shi, and the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. 

The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North wear yellow (hlūp-si-na) masks;those from the West, blue (hli-än-na); those from the South, red(shi-lō-ā); those from the East, white (kō-hān); those from theHeavens, all colors (ī-tō-pō-nän-ni); those from the Earth, black(quin-nā). (Plate XXI. ) These colors represent the cardinal points, the zenith, and the nadir:

 North. Yellow. Hlūp-si-na. West. Blue. Hli-än-na. South. Red. Shi-lō-ā. East. White. Kō-hān. Heavens. All colors. ī-tō-pō-nän-ni. Earth. Black. Quin-nā. 

[Illustration XXI: GROUP OF SÄ-LÄ-MŌ-Bī-YA MASKS. 

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

They come after sundown to the village. The serpent, made of hide, isabout twelve feet long and eighteen inches through the thickest partof the body. The abdomen is painted white, the back black, coveredwith white stars, which are represented by a kind of semicircle, an entirely conventional design. The neck rests through a finelydecorated kind of altar carried by the two Soot-īke. The tail endof the fetich is held by the priest of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, whoconstantly blows through a large shell, which he carries in the righthand, holding the serpent with the left. The Kōk-kō pass through thetown and visit each kiva; they put the head of the serpent through thehatchway, that those who are privileged to assemble in the kivas maysee the fetich. The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si is then taken to the Kiva ofthe Earth, Hē-tkā-pa-que. The walls of this kiva are decorated withtwo Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si, which extend almost around the entire walls ofthe room, the heads nearly meeting at the north end of the room. Thefetich is placed between the heads. The others of the Kōk-kō repairto 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 orKiva of the South, the ōh-hē-i-que or Kiva of the East, and theOop-tsān-ā-ā-que or Kiva of the Heavens. From each of these kivasmen and youths from the secret orders to which I have referred areassembled to receive the Kōk-kō. When all the Kōk-kō have gone totheir kivas, the ten Kō-yē-mē-shi, who reach the village after theothers, go to their house, which is not one of the sacred assemblyhouses, but chosen from among the Sūs-ki-i-que, or people of the Wolfgens. 

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 tothe South, and so on. This is continuous until the first white streakwarns them that day is approaching. At this time the head of theKō-lō-oo-wĭt-si is put through the opening in the side wall of thekiva, when all who choose may look upon it. Behind this creature theold priest stands and blows through the body, making the same peculiarnoise, representing the roaring of a sea monster, that he has keptup throughout the night. The image is only seen by the uncertainlight of the faintest impression of day. Pā-oo-tī-wa remains withthe Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si in the Kiva of the Earth. At sunrise theSä-lä-mō-bī-ya go to this kiva, each bearing the plume stick madeon the sixth day and an ear of corn. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of theNorth 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 theKō-lō-oo-wĭt-si will give to his people the seeds of the earth; theSä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West next approaches, presenting his wandand an ear of blue corn, praying that the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si willbring to his people the seeds of the earth; and so the red corn ofthe South, the white of the East, the all-color of the Heavens andthe black of the Earth are presented with the same prayer. TheSä-lä-mō-bī-ya remove their masks after entering the kiva, whenthey immediately lose their identity as the Kōk-kō. They are merelymen now, praying to the Kōk-kō. This ceremony over, they return totheir respective kivas, having put on their masks before leaving theKiva of the Earth. 

At this time the [t]Sī-[t]sī-[t]ki partially ascends the ladder ofthe Kiva of the North, remaining just inside of the hatchway, and, holding the rabbit to his mouth, calls through the reed: "Your littlegrandfather is hungry; he wishes something to eat; bring him somestewed meat. " The Kō-yē-mē-shi, in obedience to the request of thelittle 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 eachnovitiate his name. Previous to this the boy is designated asbaby boy, younger boy, older boy, &c. The food is received bythe Kō-yē-mē-shi and taken to the Kiva of the North, where it isdivided and carried to the different kivas. For this occasion thenative beans are prepared. There is as great a variety of color inthese as in the corn. The yellow beans are carried to the Kiva of theNorth, the blue beans to the Kiva of the West, the red to the Kivaof the South, the white to the Kiva of the East, the all color to theKiva of the Heavens, the black to the Kiva of the Earth. A sumptuousmeal is now served in each of the kivas. 

After this meal the Kōk-kō begin their bodily decorations, withtheir bodies almost nude. Those of the North are painted yellow; thoseof 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 neckand 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 thevillage and, going for a short distance to the north, deposits aplume stick, the stick to which the plumes are attached being paintedyellow. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West, South, and East planttheir plumes at their respective cardinal points. Those for the zenithand nadir are planted to the west, on the road to the spirit lake, thestick 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, drinksthe medicine water prepared by the priest of the great fire order(Mā-[t]ke-hlān-ā ā-que), who, with some of his people, is nowbusy in the preparation of a sand altar. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya againemerge from the kivas, with long bunches of Spanish bayonet in theirhands, in the ends of which grains of corn of the respective colorsare placed and wrapped with shreds of the bayonet. Any man or youthdesiring to raise yellow corn appeals to the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya ofthe North, who strikes him a severe blow with his bunch of bayonets. Similar appeals are made to those representing other colors. Thesand altar is made in the Kiva of the North. It is first laid in theordinary yellowish sand, in the center of which the bowl of medicinewater is placed. Over the yellow sand a ground of white sandis sprinkled. All the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya and their brothers arerepresented on the altar (Plate XXII). The altar is circular in formand some twelve feet in diameter. The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si encircles thewhole. 

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

[Illustration XXII: ZUÑI SAND ALTAR IN KIVA OF THE NORTH. ]

Toward evening the ceremony for initiating the children begins. Thepriest of the Sun, entering the sacred plaza (or square), sprinkles abroad line of sacred meal from the southeast entrance across the southside, thence along the western side to the Kiva of the North, and upthe ladderway to the entrance (which is always in the roof), andthen passing over the housetops he goes to the Kiva of the Earth andsprinkles the meal upon the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. He then precedes theKōk-kō to the plaza and deposits a small quantity of yellow mealon the white line of meal near the eastern entrance. By this spot theSä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North stands, south of the line of meal. Thepriest, continuing in advance, deposits a quantity of blue meal on theline a short distance from the yellow, which indicates the positionfor the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West. In like manner he indicatesthe position of the respective Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya with red meal forthe South, white for the East, meal of all colors for the Heavens, and black meal for the Earth. The remainder of the Kōk-kō take theirpositions successively along the line of meal. The Kō-yē-mē-shigroup in the plaza. The godfathers then pass along the line of meal, each one holding his godchild on his back by a blanket, which he drawstightly around him. In olden times tanned robes of the buffalo wereused for this purpose. As he passes the line of Kōk-kō each onestrikes the child with his large bunch of Spanish bayonets. While theIndian from almost infancy looks upon any exhibition of feelingwhen undergoing physical suffering as most cowardly and unmanly, theseverity of the pain inflicted by the yucca switches in this ceremonyis at times such as to force tears from the eyes of the little ones, but a boy over the age of five or six rarely flinches under thisordeal. After passing the line the godparent enters the Kiva of theNorth, where he is met by a priest of the great fire order, who asks, "Who is your Kōk-kō?" When the godfather replies, he is directedto select his boy's plume. The plumes which ornament the heads of thefigures have been previously wrapped in corn husks and carried tothe priest by the respective godfathers. The godfather attachesthe feather, which is a soft, downy feather of the eagle, to thescalp-lock of the child. The godparent is then given a drink of theholy water, which is dipped from the bowl by the medicine man witha shell attached to a long reed. The child also drinks and repeatsa prayer after his sponsor. They then leave the kiva, and, taking aposition on the north side of the plaza, the child kneels and claspsthe bent knee of his godfather, who draws him still closer with theblanket around him. Four new characters of the Kōk-kō now appear, the Sai-ā-hli-a (see Plate XX). Each one of these strikes the childfour times across the back with his yucca blades, having first testedwith his foot the thickness of the child's clothing. The child mustnot have anything over his back but the one blanket, which is a giftfrom the godfather. This ceremonial over, each child accompanies hisgodparent to his home, where a choice meal is served. 

The night ceremonial is conducted in two kivas, that of the South andthat of the East. The Kōk-kō for this ceremony divide and enter thetwo kivas. 

The godparents sit upon the stone ledge which passes around the room, whose walls are rectangular, and, spreading his knees, the boy sitson the ledge between them. To the right of the guardian his wife sits, and to his left his sister. In case the wife is not present, the oldersister sits on the right and a younger sister on the left. The fatherof the Sun (Pā-oo-tī-wa) enters and sits upon the throne which hasbeen arranged for him at the west end of the room; this has a sacredblanket attached to the wall and one to sit upon, the whole profuselyornamented with white scarfs, woven belts, and many necklaces ofturquoise and other precious beads. To his right and left sit the twoyoung priests who prepared the throne; to the left of the priest, onthe left of Pā-oo-tī-wa, sit the high priest and priestess of theEarth. The remainder of the ledge is filled with the boys and theirfriends. Nai-ū-chi, the living representative of āh-ai-ū-ta, thewar god, sits to the left of the fire altar as you enter and feedsthe sacred flames. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya enter immediately afterPā-oo-tī-wa. All these, including Pā-oo-tī-wa, enter headforemost; the head touches the stone slab over the fire, and, completing a somersault, they vault into the room on all fours and inlike manner pass to the right of the kiva and around to their places. Pā-oo-tī-wa is followed by the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the Northand others in proper order and rapid succession, the hind one alwayshopping into the foot and hand prints of the former. In the two kivasmounds of sand have been laid for the Kōk-kō and each one sits uponhis mound. These mounds are some eighteen inches in diameter and afoot in height (Plate XXIII). When all have taken their places theSä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the North arises and taking the wand from hismound walks to the group immediately to the right of the ladder as oneenters. Holding the wand between his hands, he goes to each child andblows four times upon the wand, at the same time extending it towardthe mouth of the child, who draws from it each time the sacred breathwhich passes from the mouth of the Kōk-kō over the plumes. The[t]Sī-[t]sī-[t]ki carries the rabbit in addition to the wand, andover them he passes the sacred breath of the little grandfather. Thegodparent covers the eyes of the child with his hand, for the childrenmust not look upon the Kōk-kō near by. The Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of theNorth is followed by the Sä-lä-mō-bī-ya of the West and others, all in turn going to each child; as each one completes the round heplaces his wand in his belt, stands in the center of the kiva, andturns a somersault over the fire, striking his head on the fire slabas before, and so leaves the kiva feet foremost. 

[Illustration XXIII: ŌH-HĒ-I-QUE, KIVA OF THE EAST. ]

The Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si now appears at the hatchways. He is broughtby the priest of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si and the Soot-īke. The highpriest, the priest of the bow, and priestess of the earth advanceto the hatchway, each holding a large earthen bowl, and catch thewater poured from the mouth of the Kō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. Each guardianthen fills the small bowl which he carries with the holy water and, drinking a portion of it, gives the remainder to the boy to drink. Thebowl which contains it is a gift from the godfather. The boy sprinklesthe corn stacked in his house with this water. After the water isexhausted from the large bowls a blanket is held by four men to catchthe seeds of all the cereals which are sent up from the abdomen of theKō-lō-oo-wĭt-si. These are taken from the blankets by three priestsand placed in their own blankets, which rest over the left arm, andthey, passing around, distribute the seeds to all present. The sandof the fallen mounds is gathered in a blanket and deposited in theriver, to be carried to the home of the Kōk-kō. The boys now returnto their homes, accompanied by the guardian and one other of theirattendants. In the early morning the sister of the godfather goesfor the boy and brings him to her house, where he enjoys a sumptuousbreakfast. The godfather then leads the boy to the east for somedistance from the village, sprinkling a line of sacred meal, and herehe says a prayer, which the boy repeats after him, and the godfather, making a hole in the ground, plants a plume stick which he has madefor the child. 

From this time the child eats no animal food for four days. The plumewhich has been placed on the child's head in the kiva during theinitiation is not removed till the fourth morning after the plantingof the feathers, when he again goes over the road with his guardian, who deposits the plume from the child's head with a prayer, which isrepeated by the child. 

Thus ends this remarkable initiation of the Zuñi male child into theorder of the Kōk-kō. This is really mainly done by sponsors, and hemust personally take the vows as soon as he is old enough. 

VOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE KŌK-KŌ. 

After the first initiation of a boy into this order, he is left todecide for himself when he will assume the vows made for him by hissponsors, though the father and the godfather do not fail to impressupon the boy the importance of the second initiation, which occurs atan annual ceremonial; and when the boy has declared his determinationto enter the order, if the Kōk-kō upon seeing him deem him tooyoung, he is ordered to return to his home and wait awhile till hisheart has become more wise. For this ceremonial the godparents andthe boys assemble in the Kiva of the North. Each boy in turn takes hisposition to receive his whipping, which is necessary for initiation. The godfather, standing, bends his right knee, which the boy clasps, bowing his head low. The godfather holds the two ends of theblanket and buckskin tightly around the boy, while each of the fourSai-ā-hli-ā in turn give him four strokes across the back with abunch of the yucca blades. Two of the Kō-yē-mē-shi stand by andcount the strokes; the others are in the plaza outside, indulging intheir primitive games, which excite much merriment among the largeassemblage of people. After each boy has received the chastisementand all are again seated, the four Sai-ā-hli-ā pass in turn to eachboy. Each one taking off his mask, places it over the head of the boy, handing him his Spanish bayonets. The boy strikes the Kōk-kō onceacross each arm and once across each ankle. The Kōk-kō does notspeak, but the boy is instructed by his guardian, who talks to him ina whisper, telling him not to be afraid, but to strike hard. The eyesof the boys open wide as the Kōk-kō raise their masks and for thefirst time familiar faces are recognized. The Kōk-kō leave thekiva after revealing their identity to the children, and running, around the village use their switches indiscriminately, with a fewexceptional cases. I saw a woman whipped, she taking the babe fromher back and holding it in her arms. This woman requested the whippingthat she might be rid of the bad dreams that nightly troubled her. After the Sai-ā-hli-ā leave the kiva the children are called by thepriest of the Kōk-kō and told to sit in front of him and the otherpriests, including the High Priest of Zuñi. This august body sitsin the kiva throughout the ceremony. The Priest of the Kōk-kōthen delivers a lecture to the boys, instructing them in some of thesecrets of the order, when they are told if they betray the secretsconfided to them they will be punished by death; their heads will becut off with a stone knife; for so the Kōk-kō has ordered. Theyare told how the Kōk-kō appeared upon the earth and instructed thepeople to represent them. The priest closes by telling the childrenthat in the old some boys betrayed the secret and told that thesewere not the real gods, but men personating the Kōk-kō, and whenthis reached the gods the Sai-ā-hli-ā appeared upon the earthand inquired for the boys. The people then lived upon the mesatō-wā-yäl-län-ne. The mothers declared they knew not where theyhad fled. The Kōk-kō stamped his feet upon the rocky ground and therocks parted, and away down in the depths of the mountain he foundthe naughty boys. He ordered them to come to him and he cut off theirheads with his stone knife. This story is sufficient to impressthe children that there is no escape for them if they betray theconfidence reposed in them, for the Kōk-kō can compel the rocks topart and reveal the secrets. 

A repast is now served to the priests and the boys and others inthe kiva. The food is brought by the wives and sisters of the fourSai-ā hli-ā to the hatch way and carried in by the Kōk-kō, who havereturned to the kiva. The feast opens with a grace said by the priestof the Kōk-kō, who immediately after collects upon a piece of Hē-wi(a certain kind of bread) bits of all the food served. This he rollsup and places by his side, and at the conclusion of the feast hecarries it to a distance from, the village over the road to the spiritlake and making a hole in the ground he deposits it as an offering tothe gods. Each child goes to the godfather's house, where his headand hands are bathed in yucca suds by the mother and sisters of thegodfather, they repeating prayers that the youth may be true to hisvows, &c. The boy then returning to his own home is tested by hisfather, who says, "You are no longer ignorant; you are no longer alittle child, but a young man. Were you pleased with the words ofthe Kōk-kō? What did the priest tell you?" The boy does not forgethimself and reveal anything that was said, for the terror overhanginghim is too great. 

When a youth is selected to personate the Kōk-kō he is instructed inregard to the decorating of the mask he is to wear. When this is donehe goes at night to the proper kiva and seated between two instructorshe learns the song and prayers. In committing songs and prayersto memory the novice holds a tiny crystal between his thumb andforefinger for a while, then he puts it into his mouth, and atthe conclusion of the instruction he swallows it. This insures theremembrance of the prayers and songs, and he awakes the followingmorning with them indelibly impressed upon his mind. The pupil is thenstruck across each arm and across each ankle with the yucca blades. 

There are very few women belonging to the order of the Kōk-kō. Ithink there are now only five in Zuñi. When a woman of the orderbecomes advanced in age she endeavors to find some maiden who willtake upon herself the vows at her death. Selecting some young woman, she appeals to her to be received into the order of the Kōk-kō. Themaiden replies, "I know nothing concerning the mysteries of the order. You must talk to my father. " After the father is spoken to, he inturn spends the night in explaining the duties of the position to hisdaughter and that the gods would be displeased if she should marryafter joining the Kōk-kō. Assuming the Kōk-kō vows is entirelyoptional with the girl. It is never her duty, but a special privilegewhich is rarely accepted. If she accepts she passes through bothceremonials described. She chooses her godfather, who gives her forthe first ceremony a woman's blanket and for the second a woman'sdress, a white blanket, a quantity of blue yarn, a woman's belt, abuckskin, a sacred blanket, and the mask she is to wear. But even herein Zuñi, where the people are so controlled by the priests and havesuch a superstitious dread of disobeying the commands of the Kōk-kō, women have been guilty of desecrating their sacred office andmarrying. At present there is a woman of the order of the Kōk-kōmarried to a Navajo. She is of course forever afterwards debarred fromjoining in the ceremonials, but she is permitted to live among herpeople with no other punishment than their indignation. 

INDEX. 

Gilbert, G. K. , visit of, to Zuñi 540Käk-lō of Zuñi mythology 544, 547Kiva, the Zuñi religious house 544, 547, 549, 552Kōk-kō, the Zuñi order of the 540-548 admission of women into the 540-555 involuntary initiation into the 547-553 voluntary initiation into the 553-555Moseley, H. N. , visit of, to Zuñi 540Mythology, brief account of Zuñi 539-545Pueblo of Zuñi, location of 539Religious life of the Zuñi child, by Mrs. Tilly E. Stevenson l-liii, 533-555Stevenson, Mrs. Tilly E. , on the religious life of the Zuñi child l-liii, 533-555Turner, H. L. , visit of, to Zuñi 542Tylor, E. B. , visit of, to Zuñi 540Yucca blades in Zuñi ceremonial 550, 551, 553, 555Zuñi, religious life of children among the, by Mrs. Tilly E. Stevenson l-liii, 533-555