struck across each arm and across each ankle with the yucca blades.

There are very few women belonging to the order of the Kōk-kō. I
think there are now only five in Zuñi. When a woman of the order
becomes advanced in age she endeavors to find some maiden who will
take 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. The
maiden replies, "I know nothing concerning the mysteries of the order.
You must talk to my father." After the father is spoken to, he in
turn spends the night in explaining the duties of the position to his
daughter and that the gods would be displeased if she should marry
after joining the Kōk-kō. Assuming the Kōk-kō vows is entirely
optional with the girl. It is never her duty, but a special privilege
which is rarely accepted. If she accepts she passes through both
ceremonials described. She chooses her godfather, who gives her for
the first ceremony a woman's blanket and for the second a woman's
dress, a white blanket, a quantity of blue yarn, a woman's belt, a
buckskin, a sacred blanket, and the mask she is to wear. But even here
in Zuñi, where the people are so controlled by the priests and have
such a superstitious dread of disobeying the commands of the Kōk-kō,
women have been guilty of desecrating their sacred office and
marrying. At present there is a woman of the order of the Kōk-kō
married to a Navajo. She is of course forever afterwards debarred from
joining in the ceremonials, but she is permitted to live among her
people with no other punishment than their indignation.


INDEX.

Gilbert, G.K., visit of, to Zuñi 540