June, 1902. The Mishongnovi Ceremonies — Dorsey. 243 



The two Kalehtakas were now heard above the kiva whirling the bull 

 roarers, but they did not enter. Lomanakshu made a long speech or 

 prayer and Namurztiwa, who had just entered, then began to relate 

 in a low and subdued tone an account of his trip. Two priests now 

 entered the kiva and kneeling by the hearth, each took a pinch of 

 ashes between the thumb and forefinger, upon which they spat, twirl- 

 ing the hands in a circular motion, and then cast the ashes up the 

 ladder. This is called nawuhc/iingwu (discharming). 



At half-past five there was no sign of life in the Snake kiva, the 

 priests being asleep either inside or on the roof of the kiva. In the 

 Antelope kiva the singing ceremony had just been concluded. Tala- 

 mossi now came in, handing a nakwakwosi to Polihungwa, who tied 

 it to the top of one of the eagle feathers in the tiponi of the northeast 

 side of the altar. She now dressed the hair of the maid in the usual 

 whorls of the virgin, whereupon she took up a pinch of ashes from 

 the hearth, spat on it, made a circular motion four times and then 

 cast the meal upwards toward the hatchway. 



At a few minutes after six o'clock Namurztiwa appeared at the 

 head of the trail leading to the first terrace, bearing a mong^vikuru and 

 a small black wheel. He now deposited on the trail a road-marker 

 or piihtaT-i, upon which he sprinkled meal and a line toward the 

 village. The winner of the race, Talahkuiwa, on this morning was 

 the same young man who won it on the previous morning, and as he 

 passed by Namurztiwa he took from him the inongwikuru and black 

 wheel and ran on at full speed toward the Antelope kiva. Soon after 

 tlif two Kalehtakas appeared and many of the racers. Soon after the 

 winner had reached the first ledge of the mesa where the spectators 

 awaited the racers, Namurztiwa also arrived there. He first sprinkled 

 a little meal on the ground and placed two road-markers on it, 

 sprinkled a pinch of meal on it again and then sprinkled a short line 

 toward the village. He then awaited the arrival of the first Kaleh- 

 taka, who, when he had arrived, first shot his lightning frame and 

 twirled his bull roarer, and then awaited the arrival of the second 

 Kalehtaka, who repeated the performance of the first. During these 

 performances nearly all of the racers had arrived at the edge of the 

 mesa, where they sat down, bathed in perspiration and panting for 

 breath. When the Kalehtakas were through, each of them uttered a 

 brief prayer, whereupon they started for the kivas, the participants 

 in the race following them. In the kiva they seated themselves with 

 the others, most of whom were smoking. Prayers were uttered by 

 Namurztiwa, the Snake chief, the Antelope chief and Sikanakpu. 

 Being through with this devotional smoking, the Snake chief picked 

 up his snake whip and snake bag and, after a parting wish or prayer 



