STEVENSON] MINOR CEREMONIES OF THE SHA'lAKO 287 



for the wood, but on the return at sunset the little animals are loaded 

 with the wood and are driven by the Ko'3'emshi. The wood is depos- 

 ited before the new house that is to be dedicated by the Ko'yemshi, 

 and the women of the house and members of their clan staclc it. 



There is no altar erected during the eight days' retreat of the 

 Ko'3'emshi and they do not dance. The one remaining indoors spends 

 his time principally in sewing- his personal ap})arol. In the evening 

 there are prayers and songs. They may eat anything, the food being- 

 served ]>y women of the fraternity to which the Great Father belongs, 

 but they must observe continence and not even touch the hand of a 

 woman. 



At this time the chief wor'li of each ki'wi'sine with his associates 

 meets the people of his ki'wi'.sine and of the fraternity which is to 

 take part in the ceremonies of the Sha'lako. The members of the 

 fraternity rehearse their songs and te'likinawe are prepared. At sun- 

 set the wor'we (plural of wor'li) proceed to the shrine of the Sha'lako 

 and deposit the otferings. This shrine, called the house of the Sha'liiko, 

 is about li miles southwest of Zuni, at the base of A'kohanna tinakwi. 

 It is a low-walled, rectangular inclosure in which stones are [)laced for 

 seats. Here the personators of the Council of the Gods and Sha'liiko 

 hold a council previous to the Sha'lako ceremonial. Formerly the 

 personators of these gods attired themselves for the festival at this 

 place, but as the influx of Americans and others has rendeied this spot 

 liable to intrusion, a house some distance east of this point now serves 

 for their dressing room. There are a number of stones piled together at 

 A'kohanna ti'nakwi to form a special shrine for Sa'yatjisha, and about 

 12 feet south is what is known as the shrine of Shu'laawi''si. Quanti- 

 ties of te'likinawe are to be seen at the shrine of Sa'yatiisha and in 

 and about all the crevices of the larger rocks. 



On the same day that the Sha'lako wor'we visit the Sha'lako shrine the 

 chosen father of Shu'laawi^si deposits two heaps of he'sho (pinon) wood 

 at the western base of I'shana an te'kiapoa (Grease knoll), six piles al)out 

 equal distance apart between this knoll and A'kohanna ti'nakwi, and 

 another heap on the knoll at the shrine of Shu'laawi*si. At noon of the 

 same day the Ko'mosona and Ko'pekwin visit A'kohanna ti'nakwi and 

 make two sand mounds, sjniibolizing the two mountains near Ko'thlu- 

 wala'wa, one on each side of Sa'yatiisha's seat or shrine, the one on the 

 north being symbolic of Ko'yemshi mountain, and that on the south 

 symbolic of Kor'kokshi mountain, the seat itself being symbolic of 

 Ko'thluwala'wa." The mounds are made of sand and covered with 

 prayer meal. The Ko'mosona extends a line of meal outward from the 

 shrine several feet to the east and crosses the line with meal four 

 times, denoting the four regions, and sprinkles meal over a consider- 

 able surface, and the two return to the village. 



a See p. 154. 



