Dec. 1901. The Oraibi Powamu Ceremony — Voth. 83 



5. INTERVAL BETWEEN POWALAWU AND POWAMU. 



On the morning following the Powamu ceremony, the chief Pow- 

 amu priest takes the bahos which were lying in a tray during the 

 Powalawu ceremony, and over which he and the Katcina priest prayed 

 at the conclusion of the ceremony, and distributes them in the differ- 

 ent kivas. In each kiva he smokes a few minutes, leaves one baho, 

 and then tells the people they may now plant beans in the kivas, 

 which planting seems to symbolize the planting of the corn, beans, 

 etc., etc., of the coming season. He expresses a prayer that these 

 ceremonies may secure for them blessings, that no evil may befall 

 their crops, that they may come up, have plenty of rain, grow well, 

 that the corn may have plenty of ears, that the Hopi may be able to 

 harvest the corn, put it into their houses and use it, etc. Qomahoiniwa 

 says that on this occasion he represents the tokotska* (Molothrus ater 

 obscurus — Gmel.), whose feathers, as already stated, are on the bahos. 

 He now leaves the kivas, and so gives the signal for the planting in 

 the kivas. 



During this day, large bowls, tin pans, boxes and other vessels 

 are brought into the various kivas and filled with earth brought for 

 this purpose from a place east of the mesa. In the evening beans of 

 all kinds are planted in these vessels, which are then placed on the 

 floor and banquettes at the north end of the kiva. (See PI. XLV^.) 

 This planting of beans is continued on the three following evenings. 

 After this a fire is kept up day and night in the kivas until the last 

 day of the Powamu ceremony, when the beans are disposed of, as will 

 be described later. No special ceremonies are connected with this bean 

 planting. The chief Powamu priest and two other men, one of whom 

 acts at the conclusion of the ceremony as Aototo, the other as Aholi 

 Katcina, plant, in addition to the beans, a little corn in their respec- 

 tive kivas, the disposition of which will be described later. 



The Katcina dances which have taken place in such great variety 

 since the conclusion of the Soyal ceremony are suspended during the 

 Powamu ceremony. 



A peculiar custom observed during these days is the cutting of the 

 hair of such children as have not yet been initiated into religious organi- 

 zations. The hair of the boys is cut very short; over each ear, how- 

 ever, and over the forehead a lock is left; in the. case of very small 

 boys, only over the forehead. The girls only retain a small strip of 

 hair around the forehead. 



, * When later this bird actually appears the Hopi say: " The tokotska has come, it is time to 

 plant," and at once they begin to plant the earlier varieties of corn. 



