Mar. igoi. The Oraibi Soval Ceremony — Dorsey. 17 



of tobacco and pipes is also provided either by himself or by others. 

 Usually by this time other members begin to arrive, the kiva is swept 

 and put in order, and the fire is lighted on the hearth. One of the 

 -^t acts, however, performed by the chief priest is the erection of 

 . natst or standard at the Ponovi kiva.* Those for the Kwan, Tao, 

 and Nashabe kivas are put up also by Shokhunyoma. Generally the 

 natsi is inserted in the straw matting at the south end of the hatch- 

 way. At the Ponovi kiva, however, it is thrust into the earth roof of 

 the kiva just south of the raised hatchway, against which it reclines. 

 This natsi consists of four sticks about two feet long and about one- 

 half inch thick, to which are tied alternately two flicker-tail and two 

 bluebird feathers, making four in all of these feather ornaments. 

 (See PI. VI.) 



The natsi being erected, cornmeal is sprinkled over it and a small 

 pinch is thrown towards the rising sun. Returning to the kiva Shok- 

 hunyoma and those present indulge in smoking, in which every new- 

 comer joins. This smoking, thus early begun, is continued by one or 

 more almost without interruption during the entire day, and in fact 

 during the entire ceremony. All the eight leaders of the ceremony are 

 expected to present themselves in the kiva sometime during the day, 

 and they usually eat in the kiva in the morning. Other members 

 sometimes put in their appearance and begin to participate in the 

 ceremony from the first day. They are, however, expected to remain 

 on the elevated part of the kiva.f 



•It is put up at the /'o«07.'« kiva by the 5o>a/ Katcina, represented by Shfikhunyoma, fifteen 

 days before the Soyal ceremony, where it remains four days when it is taken into the kiva by 

 Shfikhunyoma and kept there until the Soyal ceremony takes place. Considerable confusion 

 seems to exist as to the day when the natsis are put up at the participating kivas. Not only is this 

 shown by the notes, taken in the different years, but the information obtained from different men' 

 differ widely. Shdkhunyoma, to whom an appeal was made for an explanation, says that when all 

 kivas still participated, before the split occurred, the natsis were put up at the Alonwi (now the 

 Ponovi) kiva, and at the Kwan, Tao and the kiva where the Ahl (Horn) fraternity were, on the 

 first day {yunha), and at all the rest on the fifth day {naloshtala). Since some do not participate 

 and this question even causes quarrels in the same kiva, a great deal of irregularity occurs in that 

 respect. He says, for instance, that it happened that the occupants of the Kwan and Nashabe 

 kivas, where the natsi should have been put up on the first day, informed him that they would not 

 participate and so he did not put up the natsi. The day after they notified him that they would 

 take part and so he put up the natsi on that day. When asked why the natsi at some of the other 

 kivas had been seen before the fifth day he said that they had asked him to put it up sooner. Just 

 why this request was made he either could or would not tell, but as he was very willing to explain 

 other matters, which seemed to be more sacred and secret, he probably did not know any good 

 reason. It is supposed, however, that some of the men in these kivas had to represent certain men 

 in the kivas that did not participate and that this necessitated an earlier erection of the natsi. 



+ This is always south of the ladder, while the leaders occupy that portion of the kiva 

 which is excavated to the extent of about a foot. This portion is surrounded by a wall or ban- 

 quette about a foot in height and is considered the sacred part of the kiva in all Hopi ceremonies, 

 and is that in which the altar is always erected. Here the chief priest and other leaders have their 

 place, the first sitting most of the time in the northwest corner, working, smoking, resting, sleep- 

 ing, and here all principal ceremonies and rites arc enacted. 



