222 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



After all have taken position, one of their number examines each 

 tortoise to see that the number of deer toes attached is cori-ect. The 

 dance begins with the priest and his pe'kwin walking abreast toward 

 the west in slow steps, bending the knee with a stiff motion. When 

 near the apex of the horseshoe they stop and face each other. The 



priest bends both knees and exclaims: "Hu' hu hu " 



The pe'kwin repeats the same. The priest again cries: "Hu' 



hu hu ," and it is again repeated by the pe'kwin, when they 



simultaneoush^ bend their knees and call together, " Hu' hu 



hu hu." Immediately the dancers' voices are heard in rich 



minor tones. Then the rattles sound and the dancers form in file, 

 facing north, the one at the south end of the horseshoe now being at 

 the east end of the line. In a moment they all turn and face east, 

 and so they continue to reverse while the priest and pe'kwin walk 

 stiff-kneed back and forth. Every time the two meet midway the 

 line of dancers they halt and bow. After the priest and pe'kwin pass 

 back and forth four times the dance ceases, and the two, facing each 



other, cry: " Hu' hu hu hu." The dance is repeated, 



and the song continues. After dancing an hour they leave the 

 ki'wi'sine and visit the house of Awan ta'*chu (Great Father) Ko'yem- 

 shi, where they dance. 



After the return of the Kia'nakwe to the ki'wi*sine the night is spent 

 in smoking and talking. At daylight the masks are brought from the 

 inner room and placed on a sort of hanging shelf previously prepared 

 for them. They don their paraphernalia at sunrise and dance before 

 the dwelling of the priest of the Kia'nakwe, which is on the west 

 street, and again in the plaza on the west side of thfe town, each dance 

 being like the one in the ki'wi'sine. The dress, however, is now 

 complete. They return to the ki'wi'sine, remove their masks, and 

 smoke. 



This particular ceremony of dancing at different points and passing 

 around the village is repeated four times; each time they return to 

 the ki'wi'sine. The last of these dances closes about an hour before 

 noon. In the meantime twelve women of the Corn clan, the supposed 

 descendants of the Kia'nakwe, assemble in the ki'wi'sine, taking seats 

 on the ledges on the east and south sides of the room. Two bowls of 

 yucca suds are provided, and the priest advances to have his head 

 washed. Each woman dips a handful of the suds, and when all are 

 supplied each one rubs them down the forelock of the priest. An ear 

 of corn is now rubbed on the top of his head four times. The other 

 officers are washed in turn, and all the Kia'nakwe pass through the 

 same ceremony. 



After the washing of the heads, bowls of food and coffee are carried 

 to the entrance of the ki'wi^sine by the wives and daughters of the 

 personators of the Kia'nakwe and are received bv members of the 



