522 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Then the ye'wix-ila asks four other people to act as his messengers. 

 Again he gives each a button blanket, a head ring and neck ring of red 

 cedar bark, and eagle down for the head. They go to all the houses and 

 invite the people to come at once. They go to each house and say, 

 "Walk back."' 



As soon as the people begin to enter the house, the ye'wix-ila beats 

 time on a board, in quick measures, concluding with a sharp rap and 



the call, "hai, liai." 



The Koskimo are the first to enter. Each 

 man carries as many hemlock wreaths as 

 he has killed enemies during war expedi- 

 tions. They also carry bows and arrows. 

 Then they step up to the middle of the 

 house and throw one wreath after the other 

 into the fire, calling the name of the enemy 

 whom it represents. As soon as a wreath 

 is thrown into the fire they call "ye," and 

 all repeat this cry. At the same time they 

 shoot arrows into the fire. This ceremony 

 is called yi'lxoa, which means placing the 

 head of an enemy on a pole. The fire is 

 called XusE'la, which means fighting place. 

 The whole ceremony is called al'Xts';iliL 

 wa'lastEin (carrying blood into the house 

 and giving away much property) or k-'a'- 

 g''euLaxsta/la (sharp edge of knife). At 

 present the wreaths represent the number 

 of coppers which a man has given away. 

 They have taken the place of heads, be- 

 cause, according to the usages of the 

 Kwakiutl, a man who has given away a 

 copper by doing so becomes a victor over 

 his rival. They also throw paddles into 

 the fire, the meaning of which is that 

 they send a caooe to call their rivals to a 

 festival, in which they are going to show their greatness. 



After the Koskimo have entered, the niaa'mx'enox come in. Pieces 

 of board representing dorsal fins are attached to their backs. They 

 carry wreaths of hemlock branches in their hands. Their arms are 

 stretched back and they make the motions of swimming, blowing from 

 time to time like whales. They dro^) their wreaths in the rear of the 

 house, go out again, take their fins ott', and reenter. Then the people 

 beat time, and the maa'mx'enox, holding their blankets stretched out 

 backward, enter. They take up their wreaths, and call the name of the 

 copper or other property that they are going to give away. Then they 



Fig. 179. 



SECOND HEAD KINO OF HAI'ALIK-AUAK. 



Nirakish. 



The crosspieces represent the powers 



of the shaman. 



Cat. No. I75B12, U. S. N. M. Collected by F. Boas. 



' Qatsestai'. 



