STEVENSON] ""hla'hewe ceremony fok rain 201 



the dancing- several of the nii'laiihipo'na of the Sho'ko'we side come 



to the plaza and pass 'hle'we before the mouths of the dancers. The 



miwachi bearers make frequent visits to the plaza to pass the mi'wachi 



before the lips of the dancers, that they mav inhale the breath of life 



the breath of A'wonawil'ona. ' 



The *kia'punakwe appear about half past T o'clock, already attired in 



their ceremonial dress. They are led by the pe'kwin first down the 



Sho'ko'we side, when they sprinkle each basket of corn, the vouths with 



the reeds dipped into their gourd jugs of water and the maidens each 



with an ear of corn dipped into her cloud vessel. They continue round 



to the south and down the 'Hla'hewe side, sprinkling the baskets of 



corn on that side; they then go out into the plaza, where thev form 



into line, facing east, back of the 'kia'potiikwe. At the same time 



the elder brother Bow priest passes a lighted reed filled with native 



tobacco to the flutists, one after the other ceasing to play to take a 



puff.^ Ten mi'wachi bearers now pass in line before the *kia'potiikwe 



and *kia'punakwe, each drawing her mi'li three or four times before 



the mouth of each dancer, after which they approach the flute players 



and repeat the passing of their mi'wachi before the mouths of" the 



flutists; and, beginning with the Sho'ko^we choir, they draw their 



mi'wachi before the mouth of each person in the ham'pone, always 



with prayers for a pure heart, health, and long life, which comes from 



A'wonawil'ona. 



After the reed has been smoked by the flutists the elder brother 

 Bow priest stands on one side and the younger brother Bow priest 

 on the other side of the dancers, and they whirl the rhombi that 

 the rain-makers may gather together and water the earth. AA'hen the 

 rhombi cease the *kia'punakwe sprinkle the dancers as heretofore 

 described, passing from the north end of the line; and, preceded l)y 

 the pe'kwin and elder brother Bow priest and followed by the younger 

 brother Bow priest, they leave the plaza by the eastern covered way 

 to visit He'patina,« a shrine (see plate xl) which is symbolic of the 

 Middle of the world. 



He'patina has an under room 6 by 6 feet, measured by the feet of 

 the Indian placed one before the other. The floor and walls are of 

 stone. The shrine is roofed with beams some (5 inches in diameter. 

 These beams are filled in with twigs and the whole is covered with 

 earth to a depth equal to the distance from the elbow to the tip of the 

 middle finger. This roof has a hatchway sufliciently large to admit the 

 objects deposited within. The roof is level, and forms the uppcM- floor 

 of the shrine, which is walled on three sides with stone slabs secure! v set. 

 The fourth slab on the east side is so arranged as to be readily removed. 

 This wall is roofed with slabs upon which are several curiously shaped 



« He, from he'liwe, mud; pa'tina, to place; so named Ijecatisc it was discovered that the water had 

 soaked through the vases and made mud on the floor beneath. 



