26 UNIVERSITY MUSEUM ANTHROPOLOGICAL PUBLICATION VOL. VI 



to those which have been observed among many nations of 

 antiquity, in which a woman is open to violation at certain 

 feasts. This privilege is taken advantage of, and may become 

 a preliminary to marriage. 



THE BLADDER FEAST 



The Bladder Feast (Tcauiyuk) is held in December at the 

 full of the moon. The object of this feast is the propitiation of 

 the inua of the animals slain during the season past. These 

 are believed to reside in the bladders, which the Eskimo carefully 

 preserve. The ceremony consists in the purification of the 

 bladders by the flame of the wild parsnip (Aikituk). The 

 hunters are also required to pass through the flame. They 

 return the bladders then to the sea, where entering the bodies of 

 their kind, they are reborn and return again, bringing continued 

 success to the hunter. 



The first three days are spent in preparation. They 

 thoroughly clean the kasgi, particularly the kenethluk or fire- 

 place, the recognized abode of all spirits visiting the kasgi. 

 Then the men bring in their harvest of bladders. 1 They tie 

 them by the necks in bunches of eight to the end of their spears. 

 These they thrust into the walls at the rear of the room leaving 

 ample room for the dancers to pass under the swaying bladders 

 in the rites of purification. Offerings of food and water are 

 made to the inua, and they are constantly attended. One old 

 man told me that they would be offended and take their depar- 

 ture if left alone for a moment. Dogs, being unclean, are not 

 allowed to enter the kasgi. Neither is anyone permitted to do 

 any work during the ceremony. 



1 The mothers also preserve with greatest care the bladders of the mice, ground squirrels, 

 and other small animals killed by the children. These are purified at the same time. 



