256 THE HAKO, A PAWNEE CEREMONY [kth. ann. 22 



Explanatiot) hy Hie Kii'rtiliiis 



If a mail of the Father's party desires to count his war honors lie 

 steps out in front of tlie dancers. The men stop and iio to their 

 proper places; the song- slops and the man tells his deed of valor. At 

 its close the responsive cry is given by the people; then the song 

 begins again and the dance is resumed. 



Sometimes one of the Children has not been able to catch the horse 

 he intends to give away. He comes forward with his little cliild, who 

 carries a small stick and hands it to the chief, who turns it over to 

 the assistant chief, who passes it on to the record keeper. The child 

 is blessed with the corn. 



At any time during this dance of thanks a jioor person can come 

 up to the consecrated child who is sitting in front of the chief and take 

 away the robe that is on it, for the robe has been put on the child as 

 a gift to the poor. AVlien one robe is taken, the assistant chief places 

 another robe on the child, and it often happens that several robes or 

 blankets are given away to the poor in this manner. 



After a time one of the chiefs of the tribe of the Son rises and asks 

 if all have made their gifts. This is a signal that the end is near. 

 Finalljr, some one of the party of the Son rises and says, "Father, 

 you must lie tired; end this!" and he makes the sign with his hands 

 which signifies cutting off, and the dance stops. Sometimes onh* the 

 sign is made, but generally the words are s])ok('n. 



Then the prominent men of the Fathers and of the Children enter 

 the lodge for the final ceremony. 



Fourth Division. Presentation of the IIako 



twentieth ritual 



P.\RT I. Blessing the Child 



Explanation hy the Ku'rahus 



At the close of the dance of thanks the Children scatter in every 

 direction, but the leading men enter the lodge and sit down at the 

 south side. The Son sits either in the middle of the line on the south, 

 or in his proper place just south of the entrance, near the door. 



The consecrated child is taken by the chief behind the holy place. 

 The two dancei's advance to lay down the feathered stems, one at each 

 side of the little child, the brown-eagle feathered stem toward the 

 north, the white feathered stem toward the south. Then they remove 

 the downy feathers from their hair and give them to the Ku'rahus, 

 who ties them on the feathered stems. 



The Ku'rahus then girds the robe about his waist with the hair 

 rope and lifts tiie brown-eagle feathered stem. His assistant takes up 

 the white-eagle feathered stem, the chief, with the cat skin and the 

 ear of corn, .steps between the Ku'rahus and his assistant, and the 



