246 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



symbols, carved of wood, stand between the front and back tablets. The lower slab 

 is carved with symbols of cumulns clouds, the sun, and the morning and evening 

 stars. The slab above shows black rain clouds, with white clouds l)eyond. The 

 upper slab represents the rainbow. The yellow face of the moon surrounded by the 

 house of tlie clouds designed in black and white blocks rises above the rainbow. 

 A^chiyiila^topa (the being with wings and tail of knives) and the figure of the star of 

 the four winds are suspended above the altar. An eagle's tail plume is attached to 

 the point of each star, which is decorated with cumulus clouds and the house of the 

 clouds. The blue-green color of the altar symbolizes the firmament (see page 24) . 



A line of meal extends from the altar to the ladder on the south side 

 of the room and thence to the east end. This line is crossed in three 

 places at intervals of 3 feet, each cross line being- about 15 inches long. 

 A number of finely dressed deerskins lying- one upon the other are on 

 the floor north of the altar. The ledge on the north side of the room 

 at the west end is covered with robes and blankets upon which the 

 gods sit, 



A number of members of the U'huhukwe fraternity, forming- a 

 choir, are grouped on the south side of the room near the west end. 

 The flutist of the fraternity sits back of the altar. The A'shiwanni 

 stand in line and sprinkle the gods as they pass up the line of 

 meal to the altar. The Kia'kwemosi and pe'kwin each hold a flat 

 basket. Shu'laawi'si empties the contents of his fawn skin into the 

 basket of the pe'kwin and lays the rabbits and rats over the basket. 

 Each of the other gods in order removes a quantity of seeds from his 

 belt and deposits them in the basket held by the Kia'kwemosi. The two 

 A'shi'wanni wave their baskets to the six regions and deposit them 

 before the altar. Sa'3'atasha and Hu'tutu stamp back and forth as they 

 did about the excavations. In a short time Sa'yatasha takes meal from 

 his belt and with it marks four lines on the north wall of the chamber 

 by running- his four fingers downward. Ya'muhakto runs his bunch 

 of yucca downward over the lines. Sa'yatasha and Ya'muhakto 

 repeat the same action on the west, south, and east walls. After 

 marking of the walls, Sa'yatasha mounts a low platform arranged in 

 the middle of the room and attaches te'likinawe— one blue for the Sun 

 Father, the other yellow for the Moon Mother — wrapped together at 

 the ends, to a unique device carved of wood and painted in various 

 colors and secured to one of the rafters. This little structure, the 

 making- of which is not restricted to any special person, is symbolic 

 of the house of the clouds and is to be found in every house which 

 has been blessed at the Sha'lako festival." During the placing of the 

 te'likinawe the choir sing to the accompaniment of the rattle and drum, 

 the flutist pla3"s back of the altar, and a warrior of the fraternity stands 

 before it and whirls the rhombus.* 



«0n this occasion it is made by the brother of the pe'ij win's wife. 



6 In 1896 the Council of the Gods met in the pe'kwin's house, where a ladder held by six men was 

 used instead of the platform, an evidence of improvement in Zuiii house structure, these walls being 

 much higher. The ambition of the Zuiiis is to have one very large room with a high ceiling in the 

 dwelling, and the houses are improved in this respect from year to year. 



