Feb., 1905. Oraibi Natal Customs — Voth. 49 



but she must be of the same clan as the father of the child. She brings 

 with her a little water and corn-meal, a piece of yucca root, two white 

 corn-ears, and some wrappings for the baby. She is supposed to be 

 in a happy frame of mind when she comes over, and it is for that 

 reason, it is said, everything uncanny is removed before she comes 

 to the house, so that she sees the mother and child only. Of the 

 latter she now takes charge. After having procured a bowl she prer 

 pares suds of the yucca root she has brought and washes the child in 

 it, rubs either ashes or a peculiar clay, which is found near the village, 

 all over its body, lays it on a cradle board, on which she has first 

 placed some pieces of cedar bark, cloth, and blankets, wraps it up, 

 ties a cord around it, and then places 

 the little bundle by the mother's 

 side. By the side of the little one's 

 bed she places the two ears of corn, 

 which remain there throughout the 

 lying-in period of twenty days. She 

 then takes a little finely ground corn- 

 meal with which she rubs four lines, 

 each about an inch wide, and from 

 six to seven inches long, one above 

 the other, on the four walls of the 

 room, whereupon she resumes her 

 seat, saying: 



" Now thus 1 have made a house Fig. 2. Curtain over door. 



for you. Now thus you shall stay 



here. That you may (survive) until twenty days we shall be wailing for 

 you." (Tad nu yan umiingem kita. Puu ydntakat dma yep kAtuni. 

 Hisat umui silnatavikat ak itam umilmii makdpchiigungwni.) This little 

 rite, however, is supposed to be performed early in the morning, "when 

 the roosters crow." If this, to the Hopi more or less important, function 

 on the part of the roosters has already been performed, the making of 

 those marks on the walls is deferred until the next morning, and this day 

 is not counted as one of the twenty days of the lying-in period. 



These four lines on each wall are called " house." They are also 

 made in nearly all Hopi secret ceremonies. The explanations as to their 

 meaning are meager and unsatisfactory. Some say they represent the 

 houses of the Hopi, and if so, they may be in a general way an offering 

 or a prayer that they for whom they are made may always have a home 

 — which in the case of a new-born child would seem very appropriate. 

 I have also heard them called — in ceremonies — houses of the clouds, 

 and an old priest once sang me a song which speaks in the different 



