24 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 79 



The Jibaro chief Nayapi, on the Rio Pastaza, told me that among 

 his people the warrior starting for an expedition takes tender leave 

 of his wife, embracing her and consoling her, but at the same time 

 preparing her for the eventuality that he, perhaps, will never return 

 and never see her again. 



Among the Jibaros of the Pastaza it is also customary for the 

 women during the Avhole time the men are absent on the warpath to 

 assemble every night in one house and perform a special dance with 

 rattles of snail shells around the waist and chanting conjurations. 

 This war dance of the women, which is called ihidmbrama, is supposed 

 to have the power of protecting their fathers, husbands, and sons 

 against the lances and bullets of the enemy, of lulling the latter into 

 security so that he will not apprehend the danger before it is too late, 

 and lastly of preventing him from taking revenge {ayamhruam^k- 

 tinyu) for the defeat inflicted upon him. The dance ihidmhrama thus 

 has much the same magical significance as the war dance enema and 

 the war song anemdrata. 



The warriors march from the house of the chief in a single row, 

 going one after the other, and strictly observing silence. The 

 chief goes out last and shuts the door. During the whole journey 

 to the scene of the war, a journey that takes several days, sometimes 

 even weeks, the warriors are allowed to speak only when necessary, 

 and even then not in a loud voice but in a whisper. Only the chief 

 has the right to speak in a loud voice when at the camping places he 

 gives his men the necessary instructions. As soon as the warriors 

 arrive at the place where they propose to camp that night they ar- 

 range themselves in two rows, keeping silence. The chief walks 

 along the rows and gives his instructions, exposes the details of the 

 attack planned and, above all, tries to dispel fear of the young war- 

 riors and to inspire them with courage. Although on the march to 

 the war the chief no longer drinks maihoa or natema^ he still pays 

 great attention to his dreams and from them tries to derive favorable 

 presages. Thus he may with the following words try to inspire his 

 people with courage and confidence : " Take courage and don't fear, 

 for I dreamed this night that I saw the great eagle {unfa pinchu) 

 and the toucan {tsukanga) . They told me that we are going to take 

 a waMni (a soul). You are not going to die; you are going to be 

 victors and to kill your enemies." 



On the eve of the day fixed for the attack the warriors arrange 

 their dress. The Jibaro always pays great attention to his dress 

 and his ornaments, which form a part of his personality, and at the 

 feasts the dressing has a ceremonial character. The dress of the 

 Jibaro Indian normally consists of a loin cloth (itljn) which is at- 

 tached to the waist by means of a cincture of human hair {aJcdcIm), 



