28 UNIVERSITY MUSEUM ANTHROPOLOGICAL PUBLICATION VOL. VI 



hunters. When the mad scene is at its height, they seize one 

 another, and struggle toward the pugyarok (entrance hole). 

 Here each is thrust down in succession until all the dancers have 

 passed through. I am informed that this is a pantomime 

 enactment, an indication to the inua it is time for them to 

 depart. 



The next day a hole is made in the ice near the kasgi, and 

 each hunter dips his spear in the water, and, running back to the 

 kasgi, stirs up the bladders with it. The presence of the sea 

 water reminds the inua of their former home, and they make 

 ready to depart. The bladders are then tied into one large 

 bundle, and the people await the full moon. 



At sunrise the morning after the full moon each hunter takes 

 his load of bladders, and filing out of the kasgi starts for the 

 hole in the ice on a dead run. Arriving there, he tears off the 

 bladders one by one, and thrusts them under the water. This 

 signifies the return of the inua to the sea. 



As the bladders float or sink success is prophesied for the 

 hunter by the shaman in attendance. 



In the meantime the old men build a fire of driftwood on the 

 ice in front of the kasgi. The small bundle of parsnip stalks 

 which stood in front of the bladders is brought out and thrown 

 on the fire, and as the stalks kindle to the flame, each hunter 

 utters a shout, takes a short run, and leaps through in turn. 

 This performance purifies the hunter of any matter offensive to 

 the inua, and concludes the ceremony. 



During the Bladder Feast all intercourse between the 

 married men and their wives is tabooed. They are required 

 to sleep in the kasgi with the bachelors. Neither is any girl 

 who has attained puberty (Wingiktoak) allowed near the 

 bladders. She is unclean (Wahok). 



