June, 1902. The Mishongnovi Ceremonies — Dorsey. 241 



bundle was passed back into the kisi, whereupon the other bundle 

 was passed out and they repeated the performance, when this bundle 

 also was returned to the kisi by Tobenyakioma, stepping over Loma- 

 wungyai as he did so. The men then resumed their places in the 

 lines. The Antelope priests now continued rattling, while the Snake 

 men wheeled and began describing four circuits about the plaza, the 

 first one on this occasion being the smallest, and making meal offer- 

 ings to the two shrines, and stamping upon the sipapu they returned 

 in single file to their kiva : the chief priest and the assistant chief 

 priest remained a moment while the former restored the Snake aodt- 

 natsi to its original position on the kiva ladder, the latter laying the 

 Antelope aodtnatsi on the hatchway of the Antelope kiva. 



As the last Snake priest had disappeared from the plaza the 

 Antelope men wheeled about and also made the four circuits of the 

 plaza. They also sprinkled the shrines and the sipapus as had the 

 Snakes, while Sikanakpu asperged each time as they passed these 

 places. They also now returned to their kiva, Polihungwa remain- 

 ing a moment while he restored his aodtnatsi to its position. 



Within the kivas the priests of both fraternities began now at 

 once disrobing, the Snake priests hanging their garments on pegs on 

 the kiva wall (see PI. CXX, //), taking their fox-skins outside the 

 kiva and fastening them just beneath the natsi on the ladder poles 

 (see PI. XCIX, a and b), where they were to remain till required for 

 the dance on the following day. The reason assigned for this is that 

 when they hang outside and the air passes through, the hair stands 

 out in better shape. Some of them engaged in fraternal smoking 

 about the hearth, while others left the kiva for food for the evening 

 meal. 



It may be noted here that this is the last food which the Snake 

 men are supposed to partake of until after the final purification 

 ceremony on the evening of the next day. Up to this tirqe, how- 

 ever, the Snake priests have not been restricted in their diet. The 

 chief priest, however, is not supposed to eat any seasoned food on 

 the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth days. There is no regulation gov- 

 erning the food of the Antelope priests. Both Antelope priests and 

 Snake priests, however, are supposed, under penalty, to remain con- 

 tinent for the nine ceremonial days and the four days following. The 

 evening meal being concluded in both kivas, fraternal smoking was 

 continued into the evening on the part of certain of the priests; but 

 aside from this there were no further ceremonies during this day. 

 All priests of both fraternities are supposed to sleep in or on the kiva 

 during this night, while the two chief priests sleep in the kiva during 

 the four following nights. 



