June, 1902. The Mishongnovi Ceremonies — Dorsey. 



173 



Fraternity remarked to the Snake priest, "To-morrow we will make 

 bahos." This premature beginning of the ceremony was due to the 

 great drouth which had long prevailed, and as consequently the 

 melons and corn were drying up, it was decided to begin the great 

 rain ceremonies at once, and so the preliminary ceremony of baho 

 making {Ba-ho-la-wu) was performed on the following night, 

 August 4th.* 



The dates of the days of the ceremonies with their names are as 

 follows: 



Ninth day (Shipaulovi Niman.) 



Ba-h6-la-wu (baho making). 



Ting-apngvu or Cha-d-la-ang-wu (announcement). 



Shush-ta-la (first day). 



LOsh-ta-la (second day). 



Ba-yi'sh-ta-la (third day). 



Na-l6sh-ta-la (fourth day). 



Shiish-ta-la (first day). 



Losh-ta-la (second day). 



Ba-yish-ta-la (third day). 



Nal6sh-ta-la (fourth day), yungya (going in). 



Shiish-ta-la (first day). 



Losh-ta-la (second day). 



Ba-yfsh-ta-la (third day). 



Na-losh-ta-la (fourth day). 



Shush-ka-hi-mu (once not anything). 



Ko-mok-to-tak-ya (wood providing day). 



To-tok-ya (food providing day). 



Tik-i-ve (dancing day), or Pikamnovi (pikami eating). 



0-v6k-ni-va (jollification day). 



Losh-ta-la (second day). 



Ba-yish-ta-la (third day). 



Na-l5sh-ta-la (fourth day). 

 The occurrence of groups of four days in this list is very striking. 

 Thus there are two groups of four days each before the yungya or 

 assembly day, then two groups of four days of ceremony, and finally 

 four days following the public performance, which are devoted to 

 merry making, chiefly among the younger people. Nor should the 



♦On one occasion the Oraibi Snake i)riest procrastinated too lontr with tlie beginning of the 

 Snake ceremony, as the inhabitants thought. It was very dry and the watermelons, melons, cic, 

 had matured very slowly, which the Snake priest gave as a reason for his delaying'. Considerable 

 uneasiness and dissatisfaction was manifested in the village and pressure was brought to bear on 

 the Snake priest to hasten his ceremony. The people said their crop was drying up and they 

 wanted rain. 



August 

 August 

 August 

 August 

 August 

 August 

 August g. 

 August 10. 

 August II. 

 August 12. 

 August 13. 

 August 14. 

 August 15. 

 August 16. 

 August 17. 

 August 18. 

 August ig. 

 August 20. 

 August 21. 

 August 22. 

 August 23. 

 August 24. 

 August 25. 



