KARSTEN] BLOOD REVENGE, WAR, AND VICTORY FEASTS 51 



incantations and conjurations, acting thus, as it were, as a priestess. 

 She has also led such ceremonies at the earlier minor feasts. Both 

 the whuea and the ohdha are paid for their services, the former 

 receiving from the slayer an itipi (loin cloth), tlie latter a woman's 

 garment (called tarachi). They also receive some flesh from the 

 swine slaughtered at the feast. 



The Dancp: " Wuimensht " 



Immediately after the basket work is finished, a dance, or rather 

 a series of conjui-ations, takes place, which, on account of the word 

 wuimina (" go away ! ") often pronounced therein, is called " wuimen- 

 shV This dance, Avhich may be regarded as an introduction to the 

 feast proper, is performed during the four last nights before the 

 latter commences, and its aim seems to be in part to paralyze the 

 danger which is supposed to proceed from the tsantsa, in part to 

 increase the magical power of the trophy and make it effective in 

 different departments of the economic and social life of the Indians. 

 With the dance wuimenshi, therefore, the tsantsa feast may be said 

 to begin. 



This dance and the corresponding conjurations are performed by 

 the younger men and women, especially by the men, the nearest 

 friends of the slayer. In the first place those youths take part in it 

 who made the baskets. The rest of the guests do not arrive until 

 some days later, when the feast properly begins. 



As is the case Avith most Indian dances, the wuiinenshi commences 

 when darkness sets in, about 6 o'clock. The slayer himself, in his 

 quality of host, goes around the house and invites his friends to 

 take part in the dance. ., 



The men do not dress in festival dresses for this dance; the women 

 again, as usual, wear the rattles of snail shells around the wafst. 



Wuhnenshi is a ring dance. All men and women arrange them- 

 selves in a circle round the central pillar of the house and move 

 lound in slow time, holding each other's hands. 



The dance is accompanied by conjurations. The first conjuration 

 especially refers to the game; the dancers enumerating all those 

 quadrupeds and birds which are most hunted by the Jibaros. First 

 of all, different kinds of monkeys are mentioned, which are much 

 appreciated by the Indians on account of their flesh, their fur, and 

 their teeth. The tsantsa thus, by virtue of its supernatural power, 

 among other things will promote the hunting luck of the victor. 

 I'rom the last incantations it moreover appears that it will also 

 exert a favorable influence upon the home industry of the Indians — 

 weaving, basket raddling, etc. 



