The Religious Life of the Zuñi Child

An ethnographic portrait of Zuñi childhood religion outlines origin myths and the sacred landscape, birth and naming customs, and the rites that induct boys into ritual societies. It details kiva ceremonies, masked performers, the roles of priests and godparents, ceremonial sprinkling of holy water, planting of plume sticks, temporary dietary restrictions, and the distribution of sacred seeds. The account describes both involuntary and voluntary initiation practices, including public chastening and the revelation of masked identities, and emphasizes prayers, secrecy vows, offerings at shrines and sand altars, and the communal transmission of religious knowledge and identity across generations.