STEVENSON] WINTER DANCES OF KOR'koKSHI 141 



The visits of the Sul'imobij'a, with the dances and distribution of 

 seeds, are repeated at each ki'wi^sine every fourth night until the four 

 visits have been made. P^aeh member of the Ko'tikili carries a bowl of 

 food to the road leading- to Ko'thluwala'wa, praying as he goes that 

 the g-ods will bless the A'shiwi with rain to fructify the earth, that 

 she may bear to them the fruits of her being. The food is emptied 

 into the river as offerings to the Kok'ko A'wa (all the gods). 



The Sa'ya'hlia leave the He'iwa ki'wi*sine after the whipping, but 

 return at midnight and are sprinkled with meal by the Ko'pi"lilshi- 

 wanni, after which they depart over the western road, accompanied 

 by the *Hle'lele. 



When the Sa'3'aMiIia leave the ki'wi'sine the mi'wachi (plural of mi'li, 

 see page 416) and other objects are removed f ron\ the meal painting, 

 and the Ko'pekwin gathers the meal of the painting together and 

 deposits it in the circular hole in the floor of the ki'wi'sine (sym- 

 bolic of the entrance to the undermost, or fourth world), with a 

 praj^er for corn and all the fruits of the earth, and the winter solstice 

 ceremonies are closed. 



Winter Dances of the Kor'kokshi 



On the day following the winter solstice ceremonies, about sunset, 

 the chief Sha'lako wor'li of each ki'wi*sine calls upon some man to 

 notify the older and more important members of his ki'wi'sine to meet 

 in his (the wor'li's) house at night. When all are gathered some one 

 present asks the wor'li: "What do you wish to say?" He replies: 

 ""What do you think;! What man will take the te'likinane (referring 

 to the wand to be given to the entertainer of the Sha'lako)? What 

 man will entertain the Sha'lako in his house?" Someone present 

 replies: ""I will receive the te'likinane and have the Sha'liiko in my 

 house." The wor'li then stands and hands over the wand with the 

 words: "I pray that all things will be well with you; I pray that you 

 may have much rain, that you will have much corn and all things to 

 eat, that 3'our family may keep well, and that you may all live, not 

 die, but sleep, and awake in Ko'thluwala'wa." The wor'li then selects 

 a man to serve as elder brother Sha'lako and gives to him the other 

 wand, composed of feathers of eagles' legs, of ducks, and of l)irds of 

 the six regions. 



The wor'li blows his breath upon the plume wand four times, each 

 time drawing it before the mouth of the chosen man, and prays: " May 

 you speak with one tongue; may you be gentle; may \'ou be good to 

 others, that we may have much rain, nmch corn, all things to eat, 

 and all clothing. May your life be long, and may you pass over your 

 road to the end and sleep, not die, to awake in Ko'thluwala'wa." The 

 four smaller te'likinawe left at each ki'wi'sine by Pau'tiwa are also 

 given to the chosen personator of the Sha'lako. The wor'li then selects 



