Feb., 191 2. The Oraibi Marau Ceremony — Voth. 67 



few minutes after these have left, the dancers throw their corn-stalks 

 on the ground and also repair to the kiva, the chief priestess walking 

 at the head of the line. The stalks are eagerly picked up by the crowd 

 of spectators. 



While the dance is in progress one of the men in the kiva takes out 

 the medicine bowl and empties the contents on the pile of sand that 

 had formed the altar ridge. One takes the tray with sweet-corn-meal 

 out. Another man has brought in a dry juniper twig to be used later 

 in a purification ceremony. 



When all the women have returned to the kiva, each one takes a 

 pinch of ashes from the fire-place. The chief priest, chief priestess 

 and her assistant hold the ashes between the thumb and index finger 

 of the right hand and then hum a song, waving the left hand up and 

 down to the time of the singing. At the end of each of the four stanzas 

 of the song all circle the hand with the ashes in front of them, throw 

 it toward the hatch-way, and then spurt in different directions. . One 

 of the men then throws the dry juniper (or cedar?) twig on the fire; 

 the smoke is supposed to purify the kiva and everything in it. All 

 dip their fingers into a liquid which is standing in a bowl on the floor, 

 suck the fingers and then crowd towards the fire-place so that the smoke 

 goes over their bodies as much as possible. This they also do with 

 the blankets, sheepskins, etc., that have been used as bedding during 

 the ceremony. Finally all rub their bodies and limbs, spurting into 

 their hands first and with that the purification ceremony is concluded. 

 All then go to their houses for the morning meal. The chief priest 

 and priestess take out what may be left yet of the objects used in the 

 ceremony. Only the corn-cone (see Plate XIII), prepared by the 

 women on the fourth day, remains. 



After breakfast the performances on the plaza are resumed (see 

 Plate XXVI). About eight performances usually take place during 

 the day. They are essentially the same as the one in the morning, 

 only the women use their Marau-vahos, or slabs, instead of corn-stalks 

 (see Plates XVIII and XXVIII, b). Every woman has one slab in 

 each hand. These she holds by the short handle at the lower end, the 

 decorated side forward, and waves them up and down and from side 

 to side to the time of the singing. The performance is not so much a 

 dance as a procession, the women moving slowly sideways from right 

 to left. A small gap is usually left in the circle at the place where the 

 priestess with the wand has her position for the Marau-Takas to pass 

 through (see Plate XXVI). 



The women, acting as Marau-Takas, usually change for each 

 performance; now and then some will act in several performances. I 



