STEVENSON] DANCE OF THE KIA'nAKWE 225 



Kia'kwemosi, and his deputy before the pe'kwin (sun priest), who 

 receive the basket trays. These trays are now transferred to the 

 Shi'wano'-kia, who retains both, the basket of feathers being placed 

 on top of the basket of corn. The burdens are now removed from the 

 backs of the priest and his deputy and laid upon a blanket spread for 

 the purpose. The directors of warriors advance and stand before the 

 Shi'wanni of the Nadir and younger brother Bow priest, and their 

 burdens are removed. Long prayers are repeated by the four per- 

 sonating the Kia'nakwe as they stand vis-a-vis to their prototypes in 

 Zuni. These prayers continue until all the otierings are deposited. 

 The priest and deputy speak in the Sia tongue, which they refer to as 

 archaic Zuni, but the warriors talk in the modern tongue, as only the 

 former are familiar with these prayers of the Kia'nakwe. 



Two blankets are laid side by side, wnth a space of several feet 

 between, and each dancer deposits his burden on a blanket. As soon 

 as the Ko'yemshi perform their share in relieving the dancers of their 

 burdens, they busy themselves bringing in the watermelons from the 

 house of the keeper of the great shell, which they deposit in a heap 

 near the ladder leading to the ceremonial chamber of the Kia'kwemosi. 

 When all the dancers have made their offerings, the Kia'nakwe priest, 

 his deputy, and the directors of warriors turn and face the dancers, and 

 each dancer in unison grasps his rattle with both hands, the ])riest and 

 deputy holding theirs in the same way. The priest offers a prayer, 

 and all wave the rattle, still holding it with both hands, in a circle from 

 right to left, and inhale a breath. Then the rattle is held in the right 

 hand and shaken for a moment, and the song and dance begin. 



The A'shiwanni now adjourn to their ceremonial chamber, but return 

 to the plaza after the dancers leave and carry the gifts up the ladder 

 on their backs. It is all Nai'uchi, the old Shi'wanni of the Nadir, can 

 do to carry up a large buck. He fails to lift it by placing the yucca 

 strings, which are attached to the fore and hind logs, across his breast, 

 but is able to bear it after it is raised to his back by others. The 

 offerings are spread on the floor of the ceremonial chamber of the 

 Kia'kwemosi. The Shi'wano"kia« at once begins collecting the birds 

 and plumes from the packages. The A'shiwanni sit smoking in a 

 group in the southeast corner of the room. Baskets of te'likinawe 

 made during the afternoon are on the floor, to be offered to the 

 deceased predecessors of the A'shiwanni and to the priests of the 

 Kia'nakwe. 



After all the birds and plumes are collected, and there are manv of 

 them, the question arises regarding the allotment of the buck. It 

 seems that no special package goes to any particular shi'wanni, but that 

 the whole mass is divided; yet in this case it is agreed that the buck 



aThe .Shl'wano"kla, the wife of the Kia'kwemosi, and the writer were the only women present. 

 23 ETH— 04 15 



