Feb., 1912. The Oraibi Marau Ceremony — Voth. 31 



hungniwa, both of whom, I believe, belong to the Honani clan, were 

 called to act as guards outside of the kiva. In the kiva the usual 

 singing ceremony at the altar took place again. Each woman beat 

 time with an ear of corn. When they were through each one said 

 again: "Pai itam ookaoyani" (We shall be firm, (steadfast) ) and 

 then sprinkled meal on the altar. Hereupon they all arose, and each 

 one rolled her ear of corn into her blanket, bringing one end of the 

 rolled-up blanket over her right, the other end under her left shoulder, 

 tying the two ends in front. 



Every woman now took some loose object from the altar and all 

 then walked slowly around the altar. Wickwaya pulled out the short 

 sticks from the sand ridge, one after the other, and thrust one behind 

 the rolled^up blanket on the back of each woman when they passed 

 him the first time. These sticks are said to represent the dead members 

 of the Marau order. 1 While they made the second, third and fourth 

 round he dismantled what was left of the altar. 



While all this was going on the chief priestess was standing in her 

 corner, holding in her hand the tiponi, which is probably the most 

 sacred object among the altar paraphernalia. Her assistant had a 

 netted gourd vessel. Pungnyanomsi took the tray with the sacred 

 meal and her gourd vessel. When the women had made the circuit 

 the fourth time, the last named woman went up the ladder, the other 

 women following her, the chief priestess being the last woman in the 

 line. Wickwaya followed his sister, closing up the file. All chanted 

 while they filed out. Pungnyanomsi took a seat on the south end of 

 the hatch- way, outside, and gave to each woman a pinch of meal from 

 the tray, which the women sprinkled on a puhu feather which was 

 lying on the south side of the kiva pointing towards the east. They 

 then went to the north end of the hatch-way, where they waited until 

 all were through. Pungnyanomsi then entered the kiva again and 

 the rest followed. Here they placed the objects, which they had held 

 in their hands, on the floor and then a general conversation took place 

 by the women, the men sitting at the fireplace and smoking. Shortly 

 before sunrise bowls were brought in, suds of the roots of yucca pre- 

 pared; and then the usual headwashing, which forms a part of almost 

 all ceremonies, took place. Usually one washes the head of another. 

 Wickwaya 's sister washed his head. If any have "brought in" for 

 initiation new candidates they wash the head of their novices and 

 give them a new name on these occasions, though my notes do not 

 mention any initiation during these winter Marau ceremonies. Whether 



1 The same explanation was given me once with regard to the sticks on the Antelope altar in 

 The Snake Ceremony. 



