STEVENSON] INSTALLATION OF A SHIWANNI 169 



•skin, furnished by the Kia'kwemosi, with the head to the east. He 

 receives from the Kia'kwemosi a small buckskin sack containing corn 

 pollen, and proceeds to sprinkle a line of pollen from one extremity of 

 the deerskin to the other, great care being observed that the line of 

 pollen shall be perfectly straight and end in the center of the mouth 

 portion of the skin. Quantities of necklaces of coral, turquoise, and 

 ko'hakwa beads, furnished by the Kia'kwemosi and other A'shiwanni, 

 are laid over the line of pollen, forming a slight ridge, this line being 

 s3mibolic of the road of life and truth, the road which must be fol- 

 lowed in order to win the favor of A'wonawil'ona.'^' 



The decoration is somewhat difll'erent when a pe'kwin (deputy to the 

 Sun Father)* is installed. A sun symbol, composed of a disk colored 

 blue-green, with three dots of black representing eyes and mouth, 

 encircled by a block of l)lack and white, sAniibolizing the house of the 

 clouds, and four lines of pollen extending from four points of the 

 periphery, is made in the center of the deerskin. The line of pollen 

 and beads on the skin is broken by the disk. A line of meal extends 

 from the deerskin to the entrance of the chamber, and the meal is 

 crossed near the skin. The novice stands upon the deerskin, and the 

 A'shiwanni and others in turn stand upon the cross line of meal. The 

 novice is appealed to to do his duty as becomes the deputy of the Sun 

 Father; to follow the straight road of the Sun Father, which will 

 insure the good of his people. Should he find evil or discontent in 

 his heart, to take it out and throw it behind him; and to keep straight 

 in the path of truth and virtue. The sun priest prays that the l)less- 

 ings of A'wonawil'ona ma}" continue, and that the Sun Father mav not 

 send his son (the rainbow) to call the rain-makers from above to send 

 them elsewhere. He prays that all people of all lands may be ])ounti- 

 fully supplied with food and clothing, and that his people and all other 

 people may have no great sickness among them, and that they may be 

 preserved from death. He also addresses prayers to Ko'hakwa (white 

 shell) mother'' of the sun, and Ma' we (salt) sister'' to the sun. 



The novice now takes a seat west of the deerskin and near it. Each 

 person present removes the head-kerchief before taking part in the 

 ceremon3^ Soon after noon the pe'kwin takes the hand of the novice, 

 Avho rises and stands in the center of the skin facing east, with a foot 

 on each side of the line of pollen and beads. The pe'kwin, still facing 



a See Classifieation of the higher powers. 



h The pe'kwin totheSun Fattier is supposed to practice celibacy, and from tlie time of assuming 

 his office to regard his wife, if lie have one, as a sister, he remaining in the family and she perform- 

 ing all the domestic duties as before. Should celibacy not be strictly ol)scrved, the A'shiwi would 

 soon die and I'tiwanna become depopulated. At least such is said to havf been the ancient law, 

 but at present the pe'liwin resumes conjugal relations when not occupied with his religious duties, 

 from which he is seldom free. He must be so pure of heart that he can malce no mistakes, otherwise 

 he would not keep the calendar correctly, and the people would be overwhelmed with infinite 

 troubles. 



c Mother and sister are figurative. 



t 



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