KABSTEN] BLOOD REVENGE, WAR, AND VICTORY FEASTS 35 



NUMBUIMARTINYU, " THE WASHING OF THE BLOOD ^' 



Immediately after their return the victor or victors have to pass 

 through the purification procedure, connected with a small feast, 

 which the Jibaros call numhuimartinyu (from nmnha, blood, and 

 mdrtinyu, to paint, to coat), the principal ceremony of which con- 

 sists in their legs being coated with chicken's blood. If the victors 

 are many, this ceremony is at first performed with the one who cut 

 the head of the enemy, and thereafter by turns with each of those 

 who took part in the killing. Before the victors, who travel slowly 

 and stop in various houses on the way, arrive home, a message has 

 been sent that the warriors are coming, that a head has been captured 

 and that the j^reparations for the feast nwinhuiinartinyu should begin 

 at once. This feast therefore always has a more or less improvised 

 character. 



The first slayer stops in the house of some relations in the neigh- 

 borhood of his home until the trophy is definitely prepared. It is 

 not until then that his solemn entrance into his own house can take 

 place. He is in the dress of a penitent, has his hair untied, and 

 wears no body-painting or other ornaments. At his side stands the 

 chief or some other old warrior, who will lead the ceremonies at the 

 following feasts and in this capacity is called whuea. Behind these 

 two men the rest of the warriors arrange themselves in a row. The 

 whuea at first gives the slayer juice of tobacco through the nose. 

 Thereafter the latter disengages the trophy from tlie cloth in which 

 it has been enveloped and with the aid of the old man hangs it 

 round his neck, over the breast. Followed by the rest of the men, 

 he nov*' slowly and ceremoniously, and continually smoothing the 

 hair of the trophy with the hand, proceeds toward the house, stop- 

 ping outside the door. From within all the women come to meet 

 him, arranged in a row and holding each other by the hands, all 

 in festive dresses and with rattles of snail's shells around the cinc- 

 tures. On each side of the women the men arrange themselves in 

 two rows inside the house. The introductory dance with the trophy 

 which is called ihidmbratna^ and which is performed by the victor 

 together with the women, now takes place. From among the women 

 two step forth who have been standing at the head of the rest. 

 'I'hose are the wife and daughter of the victor. For the following 

 dance the daughter grasps him from behind at the cincture with 

 both hands; the wife gives him her hand, standing at the head of 

 the other women. The slayer again seizes the tsantsa with the right 

 hand, holding it up Avith the arm stretched out; with the left he 

 grasps the hand of his wife. All now pass, dancing or hopping 

 with the side foremost, into the interior of the house, to the accom- 



