120 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



attuchecl a miniature crook, symbolic of longevity, the other a minia- 

 ture corn planter bound to it, to bring- much corn in the coming year. 

 He also plants one to the Cougar of the North, to the Sun Father, and 

 to the Moon Mother, the two latter being bound together. Some of 

 the te'likinawe have pendent la'showawe (one or more plumes attached 

 to cotton cord). Those having the la'showawe bear the prayers for 

 rains, and those without are for clouds and other things. 



Each female, including the child of 4 years, plants one te'likinane 

 with the stick colored yellow to the Moon Mother, and three with the 

 sticks colored black to her ancestors. Each infant offers one or two 

 te'likinawe with sticks colored black to its ancestors. The writer 

 deposits one to the Sun Father and four to ancestors. In addition to 

 the individual plumes, both the wife and elder daughter of the asso- 

 ciate shi'wanni, as members of the Shu'maakwe fraternity, deposit 

 two te'likinawe to Shumai'koli and two to Sai'apa (patron gods of the 

 fraternity), one to the ettone,'* and four to the deceased members of 

 the fraternity. 



After the te'likinawe are all stood in the ground each person takes 

 a pinch of meal brought by the mother-in-law in a cloth and, hold- 

 ing the meal near the lips, repeats a prayer for health, long life, many 

 clouds, much rain, food, and raiment, and the meal is sprinkled thickly 

 over the plumes. The little child seems to understand perfectly her 

 duties and prayers. The tiny babies have their hands dipped into 

 the meal and held over the plumes. These plumes remain uncovered 

 until sunset the following day, that the Sun Father, in passing over the 

 road of day, may receive the prayers breathed upon the meal and into 

 the plumes, the spiritual essence of the plumes conveying the breath 

 prayers to him. The excavations are afterward so covered that no one 

 could discover that the earth had been disturbed.^ 



After the te'likinawe are deposited no animal food or grease can be 

 eaten or touched with the hands for four days, those excepted being 

 members of the ^San'iakiakwe (Hunters) and Shi'wannakwe (those who 

 do not fast from animal food) fraternities and children receiving 

 nourishment from their mothers. As the latter take milk, they may 

 eat grease. The first body of A'shiwanni must fast from animal food 

 and grease and observe continence for ten days from this time. 



There must be no trading of an}^ description for four days, and to 

 begin trading before ten days have expired is indicative of plebianism. 

 No ashes or sweepings may be taken from the house during this 

 period, and no artificial light must appear outside the house, not even 

 a burning cigarette, nor the flash of firearms, no matter how great the 



«See A'shiwanni (Rain-priesthood), p. 163. 



6When the associate shi'wanni visited the excavation in the evening after the plume planting, the 

 writer accompanied him and induced him to let her have the complete set of plumes which were 

 planted the previous day. These te'likinawe are deposited m the United States National Museum 

 in an excavation as they appeared in the field at Zuni. 



II 



