146 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL, I33 



his father. "The one in Coiiaripe is a man 50 years old ; his father 

 was the prophet before him. When the father died, this son did not 

 want to be the prophet, but the people acclaimed him to be one, 

 unanimously. Always someone in the same family is to be the 

 prophet." The prophet does not dream to become one, nor is there 

 any training or initiation given him. 



Each family prepares food needed for the days at the qillatun before 

 leaving home. "I remember well with what interest my grandfather 

 prepared to go to the qillatun. Today, still, every family all around 

 here slaughters a sheep to take along as food." The father slaughters 

 the sheep, or if he is dead, the oldest person in the household will 

 do so ; usually this is the mother. Whoever slaughters it sprinkles the 

 yard of the ruka with the steaming blood of the sheep as he walks 

 about the yard saying a prayer. A twig is used in sprinkling. Tor- 

 tillas to be used as a sacrificial offering are baked without salt, yeast, 

 or grease. When so baked, they are called marew ekull. These tortillas 

 are taken to the rjillatun and so are ollas filled with mudai. No in- 

 toxicating liquor, such as chicha, is drunk at the qillatun. 



On the opening day — or the day previous, if the distance requires 

 it — families set out for the celebration. Those from a distance come 

 on horseback, each man blowing his pifalka almost continuously as he 

 rides along. (See pi, 32 for pifalka,) "Not long ago, when the 

 rjillatun was held here [Coharipe], we could hear the shrill sounds of 

 the pifalka from here and there and there [pointing in various direc- 

 tions] as the families in the Cordillera came down the mountains. 

 Those who wish to make a family sacrifice will bring a hen ; an occa- 

 sional family brings a sheep; sometimes a group of families from a 

 locality make a joint sacrifice of a sheep. When this is done, the 

 sheep is brought to one of the leaders of that locality, and he brings 

 it to the rjillatun." 



All members of a family attend the rjillatun, except the sick and 

 someone who stays home to guard the ruka, usually one or two chil- 

 dren. In December 1946, in Conaripe, there were 500 to 600 men, 

 women, and children present. Nearly everyone comes and brings all 

 the dogs but one, which stays home with the children to guard the 

 house. A child who stays home the first day is allowed to attend the 

 following day, when another one must stay home. Even skeptical 

 persons attend. "I always attend," said one, "and so do my parents, 

 but we do not participate in the ceremony nor do we drink any of the 

 sacrificial mudai — it is often no good anyway ! I believe that those who 

 attend can be classified into three groups : those who merely come to 



