Dance Hall of the Dead

The title and the thrilling plot revolves around the traditional beliefs of the Zuni Indians of New Mexico on one hand, and the pursuit of fame at all costs by an archaeologist. The archaeologist Reynolds wanted to disprove an accepted theory about Folsom Man. To ensure this he was systematically planting artifacts in the ground at a research site, to be dug up by an undergraduate assistant for real. Unluckily for him Cata, one of the local kids, found the artifacts he’d hidden and took some away. Reynolds then set out to get the artifacts from the boy to prevent his returning them to his assistant (which would break his cover). He couldn’t go openly so he went under the mask of a Salamobia, a spirit that was supposed to cut off the head of anybody that had broken a taboo. In their encounter he murdered the boy (by nearly chopping off the head) and this became the genesis of the story. Who killed Cata and why?

Cata was a Zuni and had George, a Navajo, for a friend. Not finding all the missing artifacts with Cata and having killed him, Reynolds set out to get George, probably because Cata admitted giving George some of the artifacts. George on the other hand believed that a kachina or spirit had killed Cata for breaking a taboo (by telling him too much about their religion). He set out to visit the place where the Zuni spirits were supposed to go after death, to appease the spirits. This place was Kothluwalawa, or the Dance Hall of the Dead.

Leaphorn is the Navajo policeman on the case who tries to find the fleeing George. It is he who pieces the bits together and informs the Zuni about who had killed their son. Leaphorn sees George in the end but could not save him from Reynold’s bullet. Reynolds on the other hand had committed a grave offence against the Zunis, especially by wearing their sacred mask, and shortly after he shot George was himself killed conspicuously.

June 6, 2015. Review initially written in 1993. Novel first published in 1973.