The commonly accepted definition of Sikyatki is "yellow house"
(_sikya_, yellow; _ki_, house). One of the most reliable chiefs of
Walpi, however, called my attention to the fact that the hills in the
locality were more or less parallel, and that there might be a
relationship between the parallel valleys and the name. The
application of the term "yellow" would not seem to be very appropriate
so far as it is distinctive of the general color of the pueblo. The
neighboring spring, however, contains water which after standing some
time has a yellowish tinge, and it was not unusual to name pueblos
from the color of the adjacent water or from some peculiarity of the
spring, which was one of the most potent factors in the determination
of the site of a village. Although the name may also refer to a
cardinal point, a method of nomenclature followed in some regions of
the Southwest, if such were the case in regard to Sikyatki it would be
exceptional in Tusayan.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY