104 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. aijn. 23 



from the eyes of the boys, the novices discover for the first time 

 that the supposed gods are but men. Four of the boys stand before 

 the four Sa'ya'hlia, each god placing a maslv on the bo}" before him 

 and handing him his yucca. The novices now pass down the line 

 of gods, the first boy striking the first god once over the right arm 

 and then the left, the right ankle and then the left. He repeats the 

 strokes with each god, the other boys doing the same. Passing on, 

 they afterward form into line and again approach the gods, each boy 

 being vis-a-vis to the god whose mask he wears. Each god removes 

 his mask from the boy's head and the novices return to their seats, 

 when four others pass through the same ceremony. 



After all the boys have been initiated the gods replace the masks 

 over their own heads and the godfathers are struck by each god over 

 the limbs, as heretofore described. Afterward each shi'wanni is struck 

 in the same manner. The Ko'mosona informs the boys that if the}'^ 

 divulge the initiatory secrets, especially those associated with the 

 masks, their heads will be cut off with a stone knife. 



After the initiation a feast is served in the ki'wi'sine, the food being 

 brought to the hatchway in the roof ])y the families of the Sa'3'a*hlia. 

 After the feast the boys pass out one b}^ one with their godfathers. 

 The Sa'ya'^hlia go to the plaza while the Kor'kokshi are dancing and 

 run up the ladder and over the housetops, using their 3'ucca freely. 

 Women are whipped to cure them of bad dreams. 



As the writer was closeted in the ki'wi*sine, she could not observe 

 the ceremonies in the plaza at this time; but on a similar occasion 

 she remained in the plaza instead of going into the ki'wi'sine, and 

 the scenes observed at that time, which are virtually the same each 

 year, are here given. 



There are thirt3^-one Kor'kokshi 'u'wannami (rain-makers) dancers 

 in the plaza. Seven are goddesses. Those representing women wear 

 the ordinary black woven dress and white blanket wraps, bordered 

 top and bottom in blue and red, blue knit leggings, man}^ necklaces, 

 and turquoise earrings. Their hands and arms are colored pink and 

 their feet yellow. The hair is parted over the top of the head and 

 down the back, and done up on either side over forms made of wood 

 and wrapped with native blue yarn. After one side is wrapped, the 

 person whose hair is being dressed holds the 3'arn tightly until the 

 hairdi-esser rolls the rest of the hair, when it also is wrapped with 

 3'arn. A bang of goafs wool 4 inches deep passes around the head. 

 The woman's mask, which covers only the face, is white, with a black 

 beard about 6 inches long. Each personator of a woman has a large 

 white fluffy eagle plume tied to the forelock, except one who has two 

 plumes, which are somewhat smaller than those worn b3^ the others. 

 They carr3' spruce twigs in both hands. 



Those personating the male gods have their legs and arms painted 



