258 THE HAKO. A PAWNEE CEREMONY [eth. anx. 22 



Trdiislafioii 



1297 Ho-o-o-o! An iutrodoctory exclamation to the song. 



1298 H'l re ra! 



h', the S3''mbol of bi'eath; breathing forth life. 

 I, a part of the word ']"'ii'a'\va, the mighty power above, 

 re, is. 



ra, coTuing. The word as here used conveys the idea of coming 

 from a great distance. 



1299 See line 1298. 



1300 Pirautahao! 



pira, a part of the word pirao, child, a general term. 



uta, a i)art of the word kuta, possessed by or belonging to 



some one other than the speaker, 

 hao, offspring. 

 loOl Pira uta, uta hao! See line 1300. 



Explmiafioii hij the Kii' minis 



When I sing this song I i)ray to Tira wa to come down and toiicli 

 with his breath the syml)ol of his face and all the other symbols on 

 the little child. I pray with all my spirit that 'I'ira'wa atins will let 

 the child grow up and become strong and find favor in its life. 



This is a very solemn act, because we believe that Tira'wa atius, 

 although not seen by us, sends down his breath as we pray, calling 

 on him to come. 



As I sing this song here with you I can not help shedding tears. I 

 have never sung it before except as I stood looking upon tlie little 

 child and praying for it in my heart. There is no little child here, 

 but you .are liere writing all these things down that they may not be 

 lost and that our children may know what their fathers believed and 

 practiced in this ceremony. So, as I sing, I am calling to Tira'wa 

 atius to send down his breath upon you, to give you strength and 

 long life. I am praying for you with all my spirit. 



This song is sung eight times. 



As we sing it first we bow above the little child, and nuike a move- 

 ment as if to touch it with the feathered stems and the ear of corn. 

 The second time we sing it we again bow low over the child and the 

 chief touches it on the forehead with the ear of coi'u, while the Ku'ra- 

 hus and his assistant stroke it on each side with the feathered 

 stems. We then i)ass to the south, to the right side of the child, and 

 sing for the third and the fourth time. Tiie first time we make the 

 motion of touching tiie child, 1ln' second time tlic cliief touches its 

 head witli the ear of corn, and the feathered stems are passed down 

 its sides. Then we go west to the back of the child and t here sing for 

 the fifth and sixth times, making the same motions and again touch- 

 ing it. Then we go north, to the left of the child, and sing for the 



