462 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



The k'i'iiqalaLala to wliom belonged tliis song, used the rattles shown 

 in figs. 96, 97. Each rattle represents a raven with a skull on its back; 

 a fish is shown on its stomach. The skull indicates that the ha/mats'a 



is tilled with the desire of eating 

 skulls. The form of the rattle 

 is evidently suggested by the 

 beautiful northern raven rattles. 

 (See pp. 623,629.) 



This song was also made for a 

 girl of ill repute who had spread 

 the syphilitic contagion among 

 her tribes. To this refers the re- 

 mark: "I cut the veins of the 

 wild monster." The singers 

 mean that she is infecting every- 

 body, even the wild monster. 



q'o'minoqa. 



The q'o'minoqa dance was ob- 

 tained recently, through inter- 

 marriage, from the La'Lasiqo- 

 ala. The novice also disappears 

 in the woods to be initiated 

 by BaxbakualanuXsI'wae. 

 ^- ^""^^ When she is brought back by 



the tribe, her hair is falling out, and her head is covered with blood, 

 because it is torn by BaxbakualanuXsrwae. She is carrying a skull in 

 each hand. As soon as she is seen, 

 the ha'mats'as begin to cry hap and 

 dance squatting with trembling 

 hands up to her, full of desire to de- 

 vour the heads which she is carry- 

 ing. The other q'o'minoqas and 

 those who have formerly been 

 q'o'minoqa join her dance and move 

 as though they were carrying heads. 

 Thus she dances into the house, al- 

 ways surrounded by the ha'mats'as, 

 who finally take the skulls out of 

 her hands and lick them and eat the 

 maggots and the dry skin that is still 

 attached to them. When returning, 

 the q'o'minoqa is dressed in hemlock 

 in the same way as the ha/mats'a. 

 Loose hair is placed on her head and alder juice is streaming down her 

 hair, giving the appearance as though she was bleeding profusely and 

 as -though her hair was falling out, being torn off by BaxbakuillanuX- 



Fig. 96. 



RATTLE OF K' j'NQALALALA. 



Length, ITJ incbes; black, blue, red. 



rV A, No. 6S35, Royal Ethnographical Museum, Berlin. C 



Fig. 97. 



RATTLE OF K'i'NQALALALA. 



Length, 16J incites; blue, black, red. 



IV A, No. 456, Royal Ethnographical Museum, Berlin. Collected 

 by A. Jacobsen. 



