70 BUBEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 79 



up on the shelves to be preserved until morning. It is not until 

 then that the flesh can be eaten. 



The dance is then continued without interruption until the morn- 

 ing, being attended to particuhirly by the women. About half past 

 5, or a little before dawn, all the men and women have to take part 

 in it just as in the beginning. Having moved several times around 

 the central pillars, all rush out from the house, continuing to hold 

 each other by the hands, and run down to the river, where they 

 take the usual bath. With this bath the ceremonies of that night 

 are finished. 



The Second Day of the Feast: Natema Umaktinyu, "The 

 Drinking of the Natema " 



At about 8 o'clock the principal ceremony of the second day, the 

 drinking of the sacred drink natema^ takes place. This important 

 narcotic is prepared from a vine specially cultivated by the Jibaros, 

 the scientific name of which is Banisteria eaapi (of the MaJpig- 

 hiaceae familj^). When the drink is prepared for the feast the slayer 

 himself has to assist in order to transfer to it the supernatural power 

 with which he is believed to be invested. 



For the preparation of the natema some pieces of the stem of the 

 vine are cut off, crushed with clubs, and parted into thinner fibers, 

 which are boiled in water for a couple of hours. The fibers are then 

 taken out and the drink is ready. The natema drink, which has the 

 effect of producing in the drinker peculiar visions and hallucinations 

 which are ascribed by the Indians to certain spirits, is generally 

 mixed with some tobacco water, through which its narcotic effects 

 are increased. At the tsantsa feast the second daj- is regularly des- 

 tined for the drinking of the natema^ and it is prepared and drunk 

 with certain ceremonies, which have now to be described. 



Some pieces of the stem of the naterria plant are laid on a banana 

 leaf on the ground. Upon another banana leaf a larger and a smaller 

 wooden club are laid, and with these the natema stems are to be 

 crushed. There is besides a pot in which the drink will be cooked. 

 The priest as usual gives the slaj'er tobacco juice through the nose. 

 Then he grasps him by the wrist and makes him seize a club with his 

 right hand and a vatema stem with his left and crush the stem, lay- 

 ing it upon the other tree club. The slayer divides the stem into 

 three or four fibers and puts tliem down into the pot, the priest 

 holding his hand. Another Indian without ceremony crushes some 

 other pieces of the natema stem and arranges them in a ring within 

 the pot. The slayer, whose hand is held by the priest, now pours some 



