510 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



the people to get ready for a ye'wixila. The celebration is not consid- 

 ered perfect unless a number of men — among the Kwakiutl one of each 

 tribe — act as ye'wix-ila in the same ceremonial. When a man expresses 



his readiness to join, the people go to 

 his house after the qap'e/k". Then 

 one of the relatives of the second 

 ye'wix-ila is taken to Wina/lag*ilis 

 by the ha'mats'a, as will be described 

 later on. There are as many feasts 

 that day as there are new ye'wix-ila. 

 To return to the qap'G'k". The 

 master of ceremonies takes one of 

 the dishes with feathers and, singing 

 his secret song, — 



Fig. 160. 



HEAD OP NO'NLEMO-ILA. 



Height, lOJ inches. 



IV A, No. 6892, Royal Kthnographical Museui; 

 lei-ted by F. Boas. 



1. My mind is not strong enough, 



2. My mind is afraid of it, 



3. I have seen tlie winter ceremonial,' 



BeriiD. Col- goes around the fire four times, fol- 

 lowed by the four men, who carry the 

 dishes with down. In the rear and in the front of the lire they all 

 turn once. Then the master of ceremonies 

 returns the dish to the four men and orders 

 them to distribute the feathers: "Go and 

 feather our great friends."^ 



The men begin again with the ha'mats'a 

 and feather the heads of the people, begin- 

 ning in the middle and proceeding toward 

 both ends. Then they distribute tallow and 

 batons in the same way. 



ISow the master of ceremonies puts on his 

 head ring, which consists of a flat strip of 

 cedar bark, to which a long trail of the same 

 material is attached. Again he sings his se- 

 cret song and goes around the fire four times 

 swinging the rattle, which he holds ai^proxi- 

 niately at the height of his head. During 

 this song the i)eoi)le bend their heads down 

 and move on their seats in order to gain a 

 convenient position. They hold their batons 

 ready for use. After the master of ceremo- 

 nies has gone around the tire four times, he 

 stops in front of the ha/mats'as and says 

 •'wai, wai," at the same time thrusting his rattle forward. At this 

 signal the people look up and begin to beat the boards for about ten 

 minutes, during which time the master of ceremonies shakes his rattle. 



Fig. 161. 

 HEAD DRESS OF O'LALA. 



La'Laslqoala. 



IV A, No. 6871, Royal Ethnographical Mu 

 Berlin. Collected by F. Boa.s. 



See page 509. 



^Hti'g-a qa'mx'uit xans nenEmo'Xtse. 



