152 BUREAU OF 7\MERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



Changing Woman wiJl give the pubescent gu*l long hfe. This is 

 the fundamental theme of na ih es. During the ceremony, and for 

 4 days thereafter, the girl is called sa ni bi ti gishih, which means 

 'old age beckoning to her.' "Changing Woman is calling her," the 

 people say. "Changing Woman makes na ih es." 



PREPARATIONS 



Around 7 a.m. on the day of na ih es, two or three of the pubescent 

 girl's male relatives make the few preparations that the ceremony 

 requires. They spread a large tarpauhn (10X10 feet) on the ground 

 near the center of the dance area, on which they pile 8 to 12 blankets, 

 one on top of the other. The ceremonial buckskin is then placed on 

 the uppermost blanket, with the forward part of the buckskin pointing 

 east. From the cooking shade of the pubescent girl's camp, the same 

 men bring six or eight cardboard cartons or te tza ('burden baskets') 

 filled with candy, chewing gum, popcorn, and fruit, which they 

 arrange in two rows directly in front of the buckskin. Then two 

 small baskets, one filled with cigarettes, the other with holy powder, 

 and four drums are placed in an arc to the west of the buckskin. 



Shortly before the beginning of na ih es, some 45 minutes after the 

 blankets have been "laid out," the nan tan of the pubescent girl's 

 camp walks out of his shade and moves to the edge of the dance area 

 where he addresses the people. A typical address follows: 



It is time that you should all be awake. Pretty soon na ih es will start up. 

 Don't be lazy. We want you all to see this dance. It will be a good one. Every- 

 body should behave real good, and don't get into any trouble. Wear good 

 clothes and get real clean. Don't drink or make any disturbance. We have 

 spent a lot on this dance and we want you to like it. So do us a favor and don't 

 get into trouble. And watch out for your children. There will be lots of people 

 milling around and driving their trucks. Last week over at Canyon Day a 

 little boy got run over because his mother wasn't watching he was behind a 

 truck. Don't let that happen here, please. We want everyone to have a good 

 time. I have said what I have said. 



When the nan tan has concluded, the medicine man and four drum- 

 mers walk onto the dance area and take their places du'ectly behind 

 the buckskin, facing east. Suddenly, the medicine man begins to 

 sing and, seconds later, the drums join in. As the song gathers 

 momentum, the pubescent girl comes out of her wickiup, dressed as 

 she was for bi til tih, and carrying her cane.^" She is closely followed 

 by one of her maternal relatives (almost always a maternal aunt) 

 clad in a new camp dress. The crowd, which has gathered around 

 the tarpaulin, parts silently and lets them pass. Directed by the 



2' Ihe girl may wear a different dress than the one she wore at bi til tih. Also she may have on an elabo- 

 rate multicolored bead collar, which is a very full necklace. Aside from this, and with particular regard 

 to her ritual paraphernalia, she is dressed exactly as she was for ii keh Vil ze" and bi tii tih. 



