KARSTENj BLOOD EEVENGE, WAK, AND VICTORY FEASTS 49 



pots (muifsa), in \vhich the great quantity of manioc beer brewed 

 for the feast is kept, and smaller dishes (phmiga), used for the 

 food and the drink. The large pots are painted red with ochre, 

 but without ornaments. Some of them, however, have triangular 

 black figures painted at tlie mouth. Even the piningas have the 

 outside uniformly painted red with ochre; the inside, on the other 

 hand, is adorned with various ornamental figures on a black ground. 

 The black paint used is a sort of wax, called nelx-dta^ produced by 

 certain Avild bees, which is melted at the fire for the purpose of 

 painting. The ornaments represent spirits {wakdni, yum), often 

 with the arms stretched out, and snakes, especially the great boa 

 serpent (pangi), and some of the most poisonous snakes known to 

 the Indians, as well as butterflies {icavibishku). Triangles and 

 other linear ornaments are also common. The Jibaros on the Rio 

 Pastaza usually paint the outside of the piningas with white orna- 

 ments on a red ground. 



Some piningas are made quite small, about a third or a fourth of 

 the normal size. These are intended for certain persons, who at 

 the feast take part in important conjurations, and hence have to 

 fast afterwards, being allowed to drink only a small quantity of 

 manioc beer. 



A quite small pot is made with special care. In this pot, 

 managed by the priest or whuea, the juice of tobacco is kept, which 

 is given to the slayer and some other persons at the feast before and 

 during certain important ceremonies. The pot is called natfipya, 

 and is provided with a small cover, from which the women taking 

 part in the ceremonies have to drink the juice of tobacco. The pot 

 and the cover are likewise painted red wnth ochre. 



More multifarious are the preparatory works incumbent on the 

 men. At first they make a number of benches of split bamboo 

 (guadua) of almpst square form, each side about 1^ meters in length, 

 Avhich are placed along the walls of the house and also in the middle 

 close to the central pillars of the fore room (tangdmasha). These 

 benches, which are called pedka, serve as seats during the day and as 

 bedsteads during the night. For feasts some new ones must always 

 be made for the guests who pass the nights in the house. Some 

 small round seats (kutdnga), for one man to sit upon, are also made. 

 One of these is made with special care. Upon this lutdnga the 

 principal person of the feast, the slayer, will sit during the 

 ceremonies. 



The fetching of a number of large chonta trunks from the forest 

 also belongs to the earlier ^^reparations for the feast. They will 

 serve as firewood at the feast, and have to be brought in good time 

 in order that they may dry. 



