Dec. igoi. The Oraibi Powamu Ceremony — Voth. 99 



(east) and now represents Muyingwa, the God of germination and 

 growth, who is said to live at Yaka (Below), from where he is now 

 supposed to have arrived by a long route. Deep silence prevails 

 throughout the kiva. Presently one of the older men addressing 

 Muyingwa, asks: "Taa, hakak urn pito ?'' (Well, or now where did 

 you come from?) Muyingwa: ^'Yangk, Tow anas hangak nu pito." 

 (From yonder, below, from Towanashabe came I.) The other 

 man: '■'■Taa, anchaa, pai kashok hakton um wainoma, pai lalawaia!" 

 (Well, all right ; for what purpose do you go, (or wander) about ? 

 Tell us, or relate !) Muyingwa then speaks in a doleful, monotonous 

 tone, a free rendering of his talk being in substance as follows: "Yes, 

 all right, those there at Towanashabe'* were all assembled making a 

 ladder. They put up the ladder ; with turquoise strands was it tied 

 together. That way we came up and out.^ 



" Eastward we came, traveling on a road marked with yellow 

 corn seed (shelled corn). We beheld the house of the Akush 

 Katcina chief. In a beautiful yellow mist was the house enveloped. 

 So we went in. The Akush Katcina chief was there. He has 

 beautiful yellow corn seed, beans, watermelons, muskmelons, and 

 that way he lives. Here these Oraibi children, little girls, little 

 boys, of different sizes, here at the sipapu^ shall they know our 

 ceremonies*; yes, they shall know them. BeautifuP ladder beam, 

 beautiful ladder rungs, tied to the beam with turquoise strands ! 

 Thus we came out. 



"Westward we came. On a road marked with beautiful blue corn 

 seed we traveled. We beheld the house of the Nakachok Katcina 

 chief. (PI. LVni, a.) Beautiful white mist enveloped the house. 

 Thus we went in. The Nalcachok Katcina chief was there. Having 

 beautiful blue corn seed, beans, watermelons, muskmelons, he 

 dwells there. These Oraibi children here, little girls, little boys, of 

 different sizes, here at the sipapu shall they know our ceremonies. 

 Yes, they shall know them ! Beautiful ladder beam, beautiful ladder 

 rungs, with turquoise strands are they tied to the ladder. Thus we 

 came out. 



"Westward we came. On a road marked with beautiful red corn 

 seed we traveled. We beheld the house of the Hototo Katcina chief. 

 {PI. LVIII, b.') A beautiful red mist enveloped the house. Thus we 

 went in. The Hototo Katcina chief was there. He had beautiful 

 red corn seed, beans, watermelons, muskmelons, and thus he lived 

 there. Here these Oraibi children, little girls, little boys, of different 



*The numbers throughout the speech refer to corresponding numbers in the explanatory 



notes at the conclusion of the talic. 



