32 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. XI. 



there happened to be none or whether initiations are not made during 

 the winter ceremonies I did not ascertain. 



Nothing of importance occurred from now until after the noon 

 meal, in fact no further regular ceremonies took place on this day. 

 The women conversed, went back and forth between the kiva and their 

 homes and some were sleeping on the floor. After breakfast Wickwaya 

 got some firewood from the valley. Navini was not there at all. The 

 altar was completely dismantled, the paraphernalia lying on the floor 

 (see Plate X, a). 



In the afternoon the women assembled again to arrange and practice 

 for a public performance on the plaza at about sundown. It was soon 

 to be noticed that the performance was to be of a comical nature. 

 The women were attired in all kinds of ludicrous costumes. The chief 

 priestess, for instance, had donned a man's overcoat and hat; two wore 

 men's blankets, held in their place with men's silver belts, and had on 

 men's hats; one was wrapped in a Navaho blanket, wearing an old 

 soldier cap. A fifth one had a blue American blanket wrapped around 

 herself; on her head she had an old, big, man's straw hat with two 

 eagle feathers in it; a sixth one had put on a man's shirt, and the rest 

 were similarly attired. Some had corn-husks tied to their hair. 



The songs were evidently composed right there; each one referred 

 to some man of the village in a humorous way, of course. This is 

 called tao-somngwu, a word difficult to translate. A literal transla- 

 tion would be "song-tie"; meaning to bind, compel or obligate by a 

 song. The man about whom the song is sung on the plaza is bound in 

 honor to make some presents to the order. It is surprising how quickly 

 the women get a song ready, though there may be some question as to 

 its poetical value. 



Towards sundown the women emerged from the kiva. Those 

 outside sang until all had come out. They then proceeded to the plaza, 

 the one at the head of the line beating a small drum. Some had long 

 sticks with feathers attached to them. At the plaza they performed 

 various dances. Sometimes two danced, sometimes more. Their 

 performances and singing caused a great deal of hilarity among the 

 spectators that line the house-tops, steps and copings, especially when> 

 the names of the men are mentioned that are being "song-tied." 

 The names are generally mentioned in a humorous way, reference 

 being made to some real or imagined peculiarity of the man, a long nose, 

 curly hair (though it be only slightly wavy), etc. Occasionally the 

 reference is of a phallic or even of an obscene nature. The performance 

 probably lasts about an hour, when the women return to the kiva 

 commenting on and laughing over their achievements. Nothing more 



