STEVENSON] WINTER SOLSTICE CEREMONIES 131 



would come.) Kwe'lele rises and touches his brand to the lig"ht, after 

 which the director throws the crushed fiber into the flames of the tire 

 altar. The fire tender lights a similar brand at the fire altar, and the 

 party leaves the ki'wi*sine in the following^ order: Shits'ukia, carrying 

 a rhombus in his right hand and an ear of yellow corn in his left; the 

 Ko'pekwin, with a basket of sacred meal and his mi'li in his left hand, 

 while with his right he throws meal before him; the po'kwin, who 

 carries a basket of meal and an ear of blue corn in his left hand and 

 sprinkles meal with his right; the fire-tender, carrying in his blanket 

 over his left arm four ears of corn with te'likinawe in the center and 

 a firebrand in his right hand; the Ko'mosona, carrying his mi'li and 

 basket of meal in his left hand and sprinkling meal with his right; 

 Pau'tiwa, wearing a white cotton shirt, embroidered sash, four mi'hawe 

 (sacred embroidered blankets), white deerskin leggings fringed at the 

 sides, and dance moccasins; his mask is elaborately decorated; on his 

 left arm are many te'likinawe, including offerings from each member 

 of the first body of A'shiwanni, while with his right hand he sprinkles 

 meal, which he carries in his sash; four Sa'ya*hlia, who carry bows 

 and arrows in their left hands, and bunches of 3'ucca in the right; four 

 men of the Sun clan; Kwe'lele, who follows a short distance from the 

 others, carrying a firebrand and crushed cedar fiber in his right hand, 

 and in his left fire sticks, from which the fire is made. 



The part}^ proceeds to Ku'shilowa (red earth), a short distance east of 

 Zuni, where the fire tender lays his burning brand on the ground and 

 Kwe'lele places his brand south of it. The Ko'pekwin runs a line of 

 meal between the two brands, which are a short distance apart. Shits'- 

 ukia stands north of the brand of the fire tender and Kwe'lele stands 

 south of his own brand. The fire tender stands just west of the meal 

 line and Pau'tiwa stoops with bended knees behind the fire tender. The 

 four Sa'ya'hlia stand a short distance back of Pau''tiwa, the remainder 

 of the party forming in groups north and south and back of the others, 

 all facing east. Those grouped at the back sprinkle meal on the gods 

 and draw in the sacred breath. The te'likinawe ai'c now deposited in a 

 circular excavation, an arm's length in depth, made b}- the ceremonial 

 father of Pau'tiwa, a member of the Sun clan, he having preceded the 

 others from the ki'wi'sine in time to have the excavation in readiness. 

 The fire tender separates his corn from the te'likinawe and carries it 

 home. The father of Pau'tiwa covers the offerings with earth, leaving 

 no trace of the excavation. 



The plume offerings are made to the Sun Father, Council of the 

 Gods, Sa'ya*hlia, Shits'ukia, Kwe'lele, u'wannam A'shiwanni," Ku'pish- 

 ta3^a,'' and Po'shaiyilnki,'^ The prayers offered on this occasion are for 

 rain, snow, and warmth from the Sun Father to fructify the mother 

 earth, that she may give in abundance the fruits of her being, all seeds 



a Rain priests (rain-makers). b Lightning-makers. c Culture hero. 



