Dec. 1901. The Oraibi Powamu Ceremony — Voth. 119 



Singers' Societies had taken place in the preceding fall, at the great 

 Wowochim ceremony. As the latter has not taken place in Oraibi 

 while the author has lived there, and, in fact, not for a number of 

 years previously, neither that ceremony nor the additional Powamu 

 ceremonies just mentioned have ever been studied. But it might not 

 be amiss to record here, at least what the author has been able to 

 learn about the latter from descriptions by various eye-witnesses. 

 This is about as follows : 



After the Katcinas which had been roaming through the village, 

 as just described, had dispersed, the Powamu chief went to a place 

 about one-eighth of a mile northeast of the village, descending a trail 

 part of the way where there is an opening in the side of the mesa 

 called ihe pohki (dog-house). Tradition says that a long time ago the 

 dogs lived in this opening but left it and moved to the village, where 

 they have lived ever since.* Here several Mongwi (chief) Katcinas, 

 one Hahai-i Wuhti and a number of maidens from the village had 

 assembled and dressed up. These the Powamu chief conducted to 

 the village. The procession is said to have been formed in the fol- 

 lowing manner: It was headed by the Powamu priest, who carried 

 a tray with bahos to be given to the maidens the next day. He was 

 followed by the Mongwi Katcinas, of which there were usually four, 

 who walked abreast. (PI. LXXH, a.) These Katcinas carried 

 in their right hand a rattle consisting of a bunch of scapulae, in their 

 left a bag with sacred meal and a mongkdho (see PI. LV), and were 

 singing while the procession slowly proceeded to and through the 

 village. Behind these Katcinas walked in single file the manas, each 

 one carrying an empty tray, which was to be used the next day. By 

 the side of the column walked another Katcina, the Hahai-i Wuhti 

 (Hahai-i woman), who frequently poured and sprinkled from a vessel 

 water on the children that were among the spectators and distributed 

 among them somiwiki (corn-meal mush tied up in corn husks and then 

 boiled), which is a favorite dish with the Hopi and not infrequently 

 used to distribute to the spectators when certain ceremonies are in 

 progress. 



Having slowly proceeded to and through the village (the Mongwi 

 Katcinas constantly singing), they lined up on the east side of the 

 Honani kiva, where they were sprinkled with corn-meal by the Pow- 

 amu priests, whereupon they proceeded to Towanashabee, a place 

 about one-quarter of a mile south of the village. Here they disrobed 



*This place seems to be selected because it is suitably located. It has otherwise no connec- 

 tion with or bearing on the Powamu ceremony. The Katcinas are said to come from Ki shiwuu, 

 the ancient home of the Honani clan and the Powamu fraternity, which is situated sixty miles 

 northeast from Oraibi. 



