FLETCHER) FOURTH BITDAL 297 



Rhythmic Rendition 

 I 



Mother with the life-giving power now comes, 

 Stepping out of far distant days she comes. 

 Days wherein to our fathers gave she food; 

 As t J them, so now unto us she gives. 

 Thus she will to our children faithful be. 

 Mother with the life-giving power now comes! 



II 



Mother with the life-giving power is here. 

 Stepping out of far distant days she comes. 

 Now she forward moves, leading as we walk 

 Toward the future, where blessing.s she will give. 

 Gifts for which we have prayed gi-anting to us. 

 Mother with the life-giving power is here! 



Part III. The H.\ko Party Presented to the Powers 



The recognition of man's dependence on the supernatural is still 

 further empba.sized by the peculiar dramatic movements which 

 accompany the songs after the Hako party for the first time as a body 

 passes outside of the lodge, within which all the preceding ceremonies 

 have taken place. 



The sacred objects, which under the open sky had been vivified and 

 acknowledged by the supernatural powers, now lead the party along 

 certain lines defined by their sjniibolically numbered steps to face the 

 localities where these ijowers were believed to dwell. First the east 

 was faced and the jjowers there were addressed ; then the west ; next the 

 south ; and then the north. At each of these points the sacred ob.jects 

 were elevated, while the people invoked the powers to "behold" (to 

 recognize and accept) those who were about to perform the ceremony. 

 When each of the four cardinal points had been addressed and the 

 leader had completed the ceremonial steps, the outline of a man had 

 been traced upon the ground. Concerning this outline the Ku'rahus 

 explained that it "is the image from Tira'wa." "Its feet are where 

 we now stand, its feet are with our feet." 



This figure would seem to represent a visible answer to the ceremo- 

 nial appeal of the people and to indicate a willingness of the super- 

 natural powers to grant their i:)resence throughout the coming 

 ceremony. This interpretation of the tracing is borne out by the 

 words of the Ku'rahus when he saj's that "it will move with our feet 

 as we now, bearing the sacred objects, take four steps in the presence 

 of all the powers, and begin our journey to the land of the Son." 



The song addressed to the east is in four musical phrases, while 

 the songs to the west, south, and north are in six musical phrases. The 

 four-phrase song is sung to Tira'wa at ins, the father of all things, 

 and it is noticeable that all the songs throughout the ceremony which 

 specially address this power are in a four-phrase rh\i:hm. AVhen all 



