180 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



Order of Retreat of the A' shkmnni in 1891 



The following is the order of retreat of the A'shiwunni as observed 

 by the writer in the summer of 1891: 



Kia^kwemosi retires June 26; leaves retreat July 4. 

 Shi'wanni of the West retires July 4; leaves retreat July 12. 

 Shi^wanni of the South retires July 12; leaves retreat July 20. 

 Shi'wanni of the East retires July 20; leaves retreat July 28. 

 Shi'wanni of the Zenith retires July 28; leaves retreat August 1. 

 Shi'wanni of the Nadir retires August 1; leaves retreat August 5.« 

 Shi'wanni of Eagle clan retires August 5; leaves retreat August 9. 

 Shi'wanni of Dogwood clan retires August 9; leaves retreat August 17. 

 Shi'wanni of Black" Corn clan retires August 17; leaves retreat August 25. 

 Shi^wanni of Shu^maakwe fraternity (Chaparral Cock clan) retires August 



25; leaves retreat August 29. 

 Shi'wanni of Sun clan retires August 29; leaves retreat September 2. 

 Shi'wanni of Corn clan (Kia^nakwe) retires September 2; leaves retreat 



September 6. 

 Shi'wanni of Corn clan retires September 6; leaves retreat September 10. 

 Shi'wanni of Corn clan retires September 10; leaves retreat September 14. 



^HLA'HEWE CEREMONIAL FOR RAIN AND THE GROWTH 



OF CORN 



The drama of the *hla'hewe (singular 'lila'ha),* which is enacted quad- 

 rennially in August when the corn is a foot high, is supposed to be a 

 reproduction of the ceremonies held at the time of the third appearance 

 of the Corn maidens before the A'shiwi, and is regarded as one 

 of their most sacred festivals. Great preparations were made by the 

 A'shiwi for the third coming of the Corn maidens, who were to dance 

 that rains would come and water the earth, that the new corn might 

 be made beautiful to look upon, and that the earth would furnish all 

 food for nourishment. While the drama must be played once in four 

 years, it may occur more often by order of the first body of A'shiwanni.^ 



In 1890 there was a special play of the *Hla'hewe, owing to the fact 

 that the former pe'kwin (sun priest) had been impeached for having 

 caused a drought, and it was necessary that the new incumbent should 

 become acquainted with this drama, in which he plays an important 

 part. The Zuiiis declare this celebration of the festival brought so much 

 rain that they danced all night in mud instead of on the hard ground. 

 When the writer visited Zuni in 1891, she expressed regret to the 

 Kiu'kwemosi (rain priest of the North) and the elder brother Bow priest 

 that she had failed to be present at the drama of the *Hla'bewe in the 

 previous year, and asked if it were not possible to repeat the ceremony. 

 Whereupon the Kia'kwemosi declared that this could not be done as 



" The elder and younger Bow priests also make a retreat at this season. 

 '''Hla'ha, rabbit skin blanket. The name .signifies fecundity. 



'•The writer learned when at Zuiii in 1902 that the 'Hla'hewe drama had not been performed since 

 1891, owing, the Indians said, to their wish to keep the sacred ceremony from the eyes of Americans. 



