158 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



VI. SHA NAL DIHL 



('candy, it is poured') 



In phases I-V, only the pubescent girl profits from Changing 

 Woman's power. However, in phases VI and VII it is used to the 

 advantage of everyone at the dance ground. 



Phase VI begins when the medicine man blesses the girl by sprin- 

 kling a small amount of holy powder over her head and shoulders, and 

 on the crook of her cane. He may be followed in this by one or two 

 of his assistants, or by some of the girl's old male relatives. Next, 

 the medicine man picks up a small basket filled with candy, corn 

 kernels, and coins of low denomination. Standing on the buckskin, 

 directly in front of the girl, he pours these contents over her head. 

 As the candy and corn fall to the gTound, spectators nearby scramble 

 wildly to pick it up. 



After he pours it over her head, everything in all the baskets gets holy. Not 

 just the stuff from the basket he pours over her. All the baskets, even the big 

 ones near the buckskin. Because it is holy, all those things, everybody wants it. 

 If you get a piece of candy, you will have plenty food all the time. If you take 

 one of those corns home and plant it, you have plenty corn to bring in later on. 

 You get some money, that means you get rich and never be poor. The girl's 

 power makes all those things holy and good to have. 



Following the "pouring of the basket," the other cartons and 

 baskets containing candy, fruit, etc. are carried through the crowd 

 by several of the girl's male relatives who encourage everyone to 

 reach in and take as much as they can. When aU the baskets are 

 empty, they are placed in front of the girl on the buckskin. This 

 concludes phase VI. There has been no singing. 



VII. BA NA IHL DIH 



('blessing her') 



Phase VII begins when the medicine man blesses the pubescent 

 girl and na ihl esn with holy powder. At this point, all the adults at 

 the dance ground take a small pinch of powder from a basket held by 

 one of the medicine man's assistants, and line up to repeat the blessing 

 for themselves.^^ Singing continues until everyone has done so. I 

 have witnessed one na ih es, attended by an unusually large number 

 of people, at which phase VII lasted for 23 songs and approximately 

 50 minutes. 



The significance of phase VII for the community is enormous, for 



" By adults I mean persons 18 years or older. Although children may accompany their parents in line, 

 they never sprinkle powder on na ihl esn or the pubescent girl. 



