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



Part III. Offeking of Smoke 



At the close of the song to Mother Earth the chief spreads tlie wild- 

 cat skin on tlie holy place and the assistant lays upon it the white 

 feathered stem, resting one end on the erotohed stick. 



Then tlie Kn'rahus says: "My Cliildren, your fathers are listening 

 to what I have to say. Yesterday wc remembered our fatlu'r tlic Sun, 

 today we remember our mother the Earth, and today Tira'wa has 

 appointed that we should leaiu of those things which have been 

 handed down to us. Tira'wa is n<jw to smoke from the brown eagle 

 stem, Kawas, the mother, and you are to smoke from it also." 



The bowl from tlie pipe belongiiig to the Rain shrine is i)ut on 

 the brown-eagle stem and the priest of the shrine fills it and calls 

 on some one to light it. lie also directs in what order the smoke 

 shall be offered. I can not remember the order — if I .said anything 

 about it I might tell it wi-ong, for it is not my business to remember it, 

 the priest alone knows it. 



After the offering of smoke as directed by the priest, the feathered 

 stem is taken to the Son, who sits near the door, and after he has 

 smoked the pipe is offered to everyone; all the men, women, and 

 children of the Son's party smoke. This is a holy act and giv( s long 

 life to the people. 



When the we.st is reached, the feathered stem is lifteil four times 

 and the ashes are emi^tied on the edge of the fireplace. The Ku'i-a- 

 hus then hands the feathered stem to his assistant and returns to his 

 seat, where he takes the feathered stem fi-om his assistant, removes 

 the bowl and replaces it upon its own stem. Then he puts the 

 feathered stem beside its mate on tlie wildcat skin, resting it against 

 the crotched stick. 



Part IV. Songs of the Birds 

 Explanation Jnj flic Ku'raliufi 



The songs about the birds begin with the egg, so the song of the 

 bird's nest where the eggs are lying is the first to be sung. Tlien 

 comes the song about the wren, the smallest of birds. After that we 

 sing about the birds that are with the Ilako, from the smallest to the 

 largest. 



These songs are to teach the jjcople to care for their chihlren, even 

 before they are born. They also teach tlie people to be happy and 

 thankful. Tliey also explain how the birds came to be upon the 

 feathered stems and why they are able to help the people. 



Tliere is no fixed time foi* these songs to be sung, but they belong 

 to the third day of the ceremony — the day when we sing the song to 

 Mother Earth. Sometimes the songs of the nest and the wren are 

 sung early in the day, as these songs were made in the morning. 

 Tile song of the owl must be sung toward night. 



