lo Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VI., No. I. 



women who in the mean while have come in. The altar paraphernalia 

 is brought into the kiva, either the previous evening or early in the 

 morning of this day, in order to prevent the articles from being seen 

 by any one not initiated. The slabs are tied up in bundles, the 

 small objects, such as birds, cloud symbols, etc., are kept in jars. 



In constructing the altar, first a ridge of moist sand is placed on 

 the floor in the north end of the kiva, about thirty inches long, eight 

 inches wide, and five inches high. Into this ridge are thrust eight 

 pairs of sticks of a strong reed, the two and two sticks being close 

 together. The upper end of these sticks or poles lean against a heavier 

 pole which is suspended transversely from the ceiling or roof of the 

 kiva. To these eight sticks are fastened transversely, with yucca 

 leaves, five pairs of the same kind of sticks, though somewhat thinner. 

 To this framework are fastened about eighty-three slabs and sticks of 

 different sizes and forms, which is by far the largest number of pieces 

 on any Hopi altar known to the author. (See Pis. I and VI.) While it 

 is highly probable that formerly these slabs and sticks were always 

 arranged in the same order, such is not the case now. The wide slab 

 in the middle and the sun slab always stand at the same place and a 

 few of the others nearly so. But the arrangement of the others varies 

 very materially in the different ceremonies. A good deal of advising 

 and arguing generally takes place among the women on this point, 

 which usually ends in such expressions as: "Put it on anywhere!" 

 "It is immaterial where you tie it!" "That way it is all right," 

 etc. The work of erecting the altar is superintended by Ng6si, 

 though I have now and then heard Masatoiniwa give advice or 

 express an opinion. In 1893, however, he repainted a number 

 of the slabs; he and Homikini also assist in getting the objects 

 for the altar in proper shape, make the nakwakwosis that are 

 fastened to the wooden birds, cloud symbols, etc. They also card 

 and spin cotton for making prayer-offerings. Masatoiniwa usually 

 prepares the so-called "mohongola," The latter consists of four 

 lengths of yucca (moho) leaves, which are tied together by the ends at 

 four different places, thus forming a ring or wheel (ng61a). To each of 

 the four knots is tied a nakwakwosi. This wheel is used in initiating 

 new candidates, as will be described by and by. 



Among the objects usually prepared by Homikini at this time are 

 the louse scratchers (nahringpi, lit: self-scratcher). These consist of 

 a stick eight to ten inches in length and about a quarter of an inch 

 thick, bent into a triangle with one end projecting. (See D, PI. VII. ~ 

 This stick is wound closely with cotton twine, a few tiny blue-bird 

 feathers being fastened to each of the three corners. One of these 



