Feb., 191 2. The Oraibi Marau Ceremony — Voth. 53 



stops about a minute. She then shells the corn, whereupon the kernels 

 are pressed into the soft cone, first in four stripes, an inch to an inch 

 and a half wide, one yellow (north), one dark blue (west), one red 

 (south), and one white (east). These stripes run from the base to the 

 apex of the cone. The spaces between these four lines are then filled 

 up with kernels of the four different kinds of color. Into the apex 

 a bunch of feathers 1 is inserted and the cone then placed on the floor 

 at the east side of the altar (see Plate XIII). 



One time I noticed again on this day that soon after the morning 

 ceremony two women stroked and massaged the back and limbs of 

 Wickwaya and the two leading priestesses again. 



At about half past ten in the forenoon the work of making the 

 bahos and nakwakwosis is finished. They are disposed of in various 

 ways; some nakwakwOsis are laid over the arms of the figurines, one 

 time one woman tied one to a beam of the ladder; two were placed 

 on the floor near the fireplace, as a prayer that the Hopi should never 

 suffer for want of fire. Most of them were placed on a tray with 

 some meal. The chief priest and the women sitting around the tray 

 sing a few songs, accompanying this by shaking their rattles. After 

 the singing the priest utters a short prayer. He then smokes over 

 them from a cloud blower which his assistant has lighted and from 

 which he had first blown some smoke over the altar. Both always 

 spurt some honey after having smoked. Some more nakwakwosis 

 are then disposed of. On one occasion I observed that some were tied 

 to the netted gourd vessles; one woman took a pinch of prayer-meal, 

 mumbled a prayer over it, and threw the meal and feathers on the 

 embers of the fireplace. The nakwakwosis that are still on the tray 

 are handed with some meal to six women, each one also having a pinch 

 of honey placed on her tongue, who deposit them at six different places 

 near the village. Each woman also takes her white ear of corn along. 

 As one after the other returns, in about ten minutes, she takes a pinch 

 of meal from a tray, holds it to her lips and casts it toward the altar, 

 all the others saying, thanks! More women usually are present on 

 this day than before. Each one brings with her a white ear of corn 

 and throws some meal to the altar when she comes into the kiva. 

 After the prayer offerings have been disposed of, the women soon squat 

 down in an oblong circle in front of the altar and make nakwakwosis 

 for their departed loved ones. "This is for my mother," said one to 

 me; "This for my sister," another one, etc. These nakwaksosis are 

 put on a tray, which is placed near the altar. Then nothing of im- 

 portance takes place for several hours. 



My notes do not state what kind of feathers. 



