lafleschbj tribal rites free translation 145 



The Mo^'-gthu-stse-dse (Arrow Ceremony) 



When the No°'-ho°-zhi°-ga has left the lodge, the Sho'-ka 

 approaches the A'-ki-ho° Xo-ka and places m his hands a small bow, 

 the front of which is pamted red to symbolize the day and the back 

 black to symboUze the night. The bow is accompanied by two 

 arrows, each of which has a dual significance — namely, the arrow 

 painted red symbolizes day and the posterity of the Initiate; the one 

 ])ainted black symbolizes night and also the posterity of the Initiate. 

 (See p. 99 for illustration.) 



These symbolic weapons are in turn put by the A'-ki-ho" Xo'-ka 

 into the hands of the Xo'-ka. The Initiate rises and with him the 

 Xo'-ka, who is to fit the arrows to the bow and to speed them one 

 after the other on an eternal course, even as the days and the nights 

 move on in endless succession. 



The Xo'-ka addresses the members of the two gentes who remained 

 to lend themselves for use as symbols, one as the sky and the other 

 as the earth, in this ceremony relating to the life force, and says, 

 "I call upon you, O, fsi'-zhu and Ho^'-ga, to assist me" (in the 

 speeding of this life). ,He then adjusts the red arrow to the string 

 of the bow, and as he does so he speaks to the Tsi'-zhu Wa-no°, 

 saying, ''O, fsi'-zhu, I am about to set in flight this aiTow toward 

 you, and it shall not be without success. Toward the setting of the 

 sun there are seven villages; it is the seventh one at which I aim this 

 arrow." At this the No'^'-ho^-zhi'^-ga of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-no° begin 

 to recite their wi'-gi-e relating to life (seep. 118). The Xo'-ka points 

 the arrow over the heads of the No°'-ho°-zhi''-ga and goes through 

 the motion of releasing it. At the same time he cries, "A-tha-tha 

 tha tha-tha . . .!" a cry uttered by a person when suddenly 

 stricken with pain, and follows the cry with the words, "Tsi'-zhu 

 o-xo-be xtsi e-dsi a-ka, we-to^-i" da!" "It is apparent the Tsi'-zhu 

 (the Sky) sits yonder in mystery!" It was explained that the cry 

 is a mimicking of the cries of the persons tattooed, but most likely 

 this statement is to mislead the uninitiated, and the act undoubtedly 

 has a deeper significance, one toucliing closely upon the coming of 

 life into bodily form. The Xo'-ka then takes the black arrow, 

 adjusts it to the string of the bow, turns to the No°'-ho°-zhi''-ga of 

 the Ho^'-ga U-ta-no^-dsi (the Earth) and addresses them in the same 

 words he used to the Tsi'-zhu Wa-no". These also reply by reciting 

 their wi'-gi-e (see p. 102), while the Xo'-ka goes through the motion 

 of releasing the arrow over their heads and utters the cr}' of pain. 

 Each of these acts is repeateil, ami the last brings the ceremony to a 

 close. 



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