An uncostumed chief led the four giants in single file toward the mesa,
followed by a large number of men dressed as mud-heads or Tatcü′kti,
who were called “Koyímse,” a term adapted from their Zuñi name.[100]
All who had sufficient knowledge of the idiom spoke Zuñi, and the
procession reached the Sun spring (Tawápa) at about sunset. It was
there met by two priests, Taláhoya and a nephew of Masiúmtiwa, who
were to act as conductors. All were welcomed and homoya (prayers)
were recited and much sacred meal was sprinkled. Headed by the two
conductors the procession climbed the trail to the top of the mesa,
and from thence marched into the main court of Sitcomovi by the
northeastern entrance, near which the men bearing the four giant
effigies, together with the mud-heads, halted. The latter were closely
huddled together in four groups, drumming with deafening noise on as
many drums.
The Katcina chief, Íntiwa, and a man personifying Eótoto[101] then
drew four circles with intersecting lines of meal on the ground at
the north side of the court in the positions indicated. This was
followed by a command of Hahaíwüqti, who signaled with an ear of corn
for the first (kwiníwi, north) Cálako effigy to advance. He did so
with a short, rapid step, and halted over the first circle of meal.
The “bearer” bobbed the effigy up and down so that the feathers which
had been fastened to the lower hoop of the crinoline touched the
ground. The bearer then stooped and rested the end of his staff on the
ground, holding it upright. The other three giant impersonators were
then brought up, one at a time, by Hahaíwüqti. As each settled to its
position the bearer cried “Ho!” six times in a shrill falsetto, and
rapidly snapped the beak of the effigy he bore by means of a string.
The Cálakos were then sprinkled with meal by the chiefs and others,
after which the effigies were moved one by one to circles of meal on
the southern side of the plaza. Six times this removal was repeated,
each time attended by ceremonials similar to those mentioned above.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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