STEVENSON] RABBIT HUNT WITH THE GODS 89 



As the naiTiitor does not remove his mask, and as he speaks very 

 rapidly, much that is said is lost to the hearers. Though it is sup- 

 posed that this iliad is recited for the express purpose of instiliino- the 

 history into the minds of the people, it is really intended that the 

 people shall be informed about it but vag-uely. The statement that 

 this narration is begun in one ki'wi^sine and continued through 

 *Kiaklo's visit to the other live is erroneous. It is repeated in full in 

 each ki'wi'sine. 



When it becomes necessary to quench his thirst, 'Kiaklo takes 

 popcorn water (made by grinding popped corn and mixing it with 

 cold water) through a reed which is passed through the mouth hole of 

 the mask. This is his only nourishment during his visit to I'tiwanna. 



The directors and laymen of each ki'wi'sine are assembled to receive 

 *Kiaklo, who goes directh^ from one to the other in the following order, 

 and in each repeats the sacred story from beginning to end. He goes 

 from Chu'pawa to Mu'he'wa at noon, O'he'wa at sunset, Up'*sannawa 

 at midnight, He'iwa at rising of the morning star, and He'kiapawa at 

 dawn, each move being made on the back of a Ko'yemshi. He leaves 

 the He'kiapawa in the morning about 7 o'clock, and departs over 

 the western road to return to Ko'thluwala'wa. He talks more rapidh' 

 in the He'iwa and He'kiapawa ki'wi'siwe than in the others, because 

 the time is limited. 



Rabbit Hunt with the Gods. 



The rabbit hunt in which personators of the gods take part occurs 

 quadrenniall}" after the visit of *Kiaklo to the village, but may occur 

 oftener in times of great drought. 



The first body of A'shiwanni including the elder and 3'ounger 

 brother Bow priests meet in the ceremonial chamber of the latter, 

 where they spend the night, and at sunrise the warrior of the frater- 

 nity of Hunters who is either the elder or younger brother Bow priest, 

 notifies the fraternity that a hunt by the Kok'ko (anthropic gods) will 

 occur in four days. Those who are to personate the gods in the hunt 

 prepare te'likinawe the day following this announcement. The}' meet 

 the same night in their ki'wi'siwe, rehearse their songs, and smoke. 



'Si'^sikia (the suckling) and the Ko'j^emshi go about the village on 

 the fourth day inquiring for the boys to be initiated into the Ko'tikili. 

 The male children four or five years of age are brought forward by 

 their mothers, who declare that their little ones have no name, and 

 request that they be named by the Ko'yemshi and '8i"sikia, who have 

 the naming of the children. They name girls only when they are to 

 join the Ko'tikili. Pregnant women visit the 'Cha'kwena" (who is 



a The 'Cha'kwena is the deceased Ku'yapali'sa (female warrior) of the Kla'nakwe, who carried 

 her heart in her rattle as she walked to and fro before her army during the engagement with the 

 A'shiwi. She was also keeper of all game (see Destruction of the Kla'nakwe and songs of 

 thanksgiving). 



