110 THE HAKO, A PAWNEE CEREMONY [eth.ann.22 



450 Xa 'tira werira! Se<^ lint' 44!t. 



461 Xawa 'tira, nawa 'tira, iiawa. Ha! ^ye^il•a! 



ha! behold! look! For th*^ other words, .see line 449. 



Explanation hy iht' Ku' rahns 



In the first stanza the Fathers speak; thej^ tell the Children to 

 behold Motlier Corn, who comes bringinf< the promise of good gifts. 

 They must fix their eyes and thought upon Mother Corn, who now 

 comes hither. They must give her thanks for all .she is bringing to 

 make their hearts glad. 



We sing this stanza four times as we go around the lodge. 



Wlien we reach the west we pause and then start on the fourth 

 circuit singing the second stanza. 



Translation of Second Stanza 



452 Ho-o! Ho-o! Introductory exclamations. 

 45o Ha wa 'Tira, ha wa 'Tira, ha 'Tira werai! 



ha, yonder. 



wa, part of nawa, now. 



'tira, part of atira, mother. Refers to the corn. 



ha, yonder. 



'tira, atira, mother. 



werai, she is coming. 



454 Ha 'Tira werai! See line 453. 



455 See line 453. 



Explanation tty the Ku' rahuH 



In this stanza the Children speak. Yonder Mother Corn is coming. 

 She is bringing good gifts of peace and plenty to make glad our hearts. 



The Fathers, they who are carrying the sacred objects, are singing, 

 but if the Children choose they can Join in the song as the waving 

 feathered stems are passing by. 



"When we have sung this stanza four times and have reached the 

 west we have completed the fourth circuit of the lodge. 



We sing each stanza four times during one circuit and -we must 

 make four circuits of the lodge after we ha\'e taken up the Hako and 

 before we can laj^ them down. 



The four circuits of the lodge are made in recognition of tlie four 

 directions, the four jjowers at the west and the four sacred ob.jects, 

 the two eagles, the ear of corn, and the wildcat skin. 



Up to this time the feathered stems have been simply laid down 

 upon the wildcat skin without ceremony, but now and hereafter 

 during the ceremony, whenever we complete a fourth circuit of the 

 lodge and return to the west, they are laid to rest upon the skin with 

 certain peculiar movements made to the rhythm of song." The songs 

 which belong to this act explain its meaning. 



o In the following pages the places will he indicated where these songs must be sung, but to 

 avoid unnecessary repetition the songs themselves will be omitted. 



