40 THE SIA. 



it." The wouiau first made a road of fine cotton which she produced 

 from her body (it will be remembered that the Ka'pina society was 

 composed of the spider people), suspending it a few feet above the 

 earth, and told the people they could now move on ; but when they saw 

 the road it looked so fragile that they were afraid to trust themselves 

 upon it. Then tit' set said : " I wish a man and not a woman of the 

 Ka'pina to work for me." A male meml)er of the society then appeared 

 and threw out the serpent (a fetich of latticed wood so imt together 

 that it can be ex])anded and contracted); and when it was extended it 

 reached to the middle of the earth. He first threw it to the south, 

 then to the east, then to the west. The Na'pakatsa (a fetich com; 

 posed of slender sticks radiating from a center held together by a fine 

 web of cotton ; eagle down is attached to the cotton ; when opened it is 

 in the form of an umbrella, and when closed it has also the same form 

 minus the handle) was then thrown upon the ground and stamped upon 

 (the original Na'pakatsa was composed of cotton from the spider's 

 body) ; it was placed first to the south, then east, west and north. The 

 people being in the far north, -tbe Na'pakatsa was deposited close to 

 their backs. 



The earth now being firm so that the people could travel, t"Tt's6t selected 

 for the ti'amoni who was to take her i>lace with the people and lead 

 them to the center of the earth, a man of the corn clan, saying to him, 

 "I, tJt'set, will soon leave you; I will return to the home whence I came. 

 You will be to my people as myself; you will pass with them over the 

 straight road. 1 will remain in my house below and will hear all that 

 you say to me. I give to you all my wisdom, my thoughts, my heart, 

 and all. I fill your head with my mind." She then gave to her newly 

 appointed representative a crooked start' as insignia of his office, saying, 

 "It is as myself; keep it always." "Thank you, mother," he replied, 

 and all the people clasped the start' and drew a breath from it. "I give 

 to you all the precious things which I brought to this world [IJt'set 

 having brought tliese things in a saci'cd blanket on her backj. Be sure 

 to follow the one straight road for all years and for all time to come. 

 You will be known as Ti'amoni |meaning the arch-ruler]. I bid you 

 listen to all things good, and work for all things good, and turn from all 

 thingsbad." Hereplied: " It is well, mother; I will do as you say." She 

 then instructed this i-uler to make the I'arriko' (PI. ix) which was to 



'The I'arriko or ya'ya (motluT) is an ear of corn which may be any folor bnt must be symmetrically 

 perfect, and not a grain must bo missing. Eagle and parrot plumes are placed in jiyramidal form 

 around the com. In order that the center feathers may be sufficiently long they are each attached to 

 a very delicate splint. The base of this pyramid is formed <tf sidints woven together with native cot- 

 ton conl and orniimented at the top with shells and precioii.s beads. A pad of native cotton is attached 

 to the lower end of the corn. When the ya'ya is completed Ihei-e is no evidence of tbe <-orn, which is 

 renewed every four years when the old corn is planted, Tho ya'ya i.s made only by the theurgists of 

 tbe cult societies, and coutinency must bo practiced four days previous to the mating of the I'arriko, 

 and an emetic taken each of the i'onr mornings before breaking fast for purification from conjugal rebi- 

 tions. A ya'ya is presented by tlii^ Ihourgist to each otbiaal member, the little ones being apparently 

 as appreciative and proud as thoir elders of the honor conferred upon them. The I'iirriko is the Sia's 

 supreme idol. The one given to tho writer by the theurgist of the knife society is now in the National 

 Museum. 



