248 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



The two baskets are removed from the altar and held bj the 

 Kia'kwemosi and pe'kwin, while prayers are offered. The pe'kwin 

 passes his basket by the Kia'kwemosi to the associate Shi'wanni 

 of the North, and the Kia'kwemosi passes his basket to the Sh'i'- 

 wanni of the West, and in this order the baskets are passed down 

 the line. One basket is not passed over the other, but around 

 and before it. As each shi'wanni receives a basket lie draws a 

 breath of the contents and prays for much rain, all seeds, rats, 

 rabbits, and gther game. The gods say: "To-morrow 1 go to 

 Ko'thluwala'wa, but I leave my children [referring to other gods] 

 with you for five days. They will dance in your houses [the new 

 ones]; they will then go to the homes of the gods in the east, where 

 they will spend one night and leave te'likinawe, which you shall give 

 to them, and they will return to Ko'thluwala'wa. Give us food that 

 we may eat, and next year we will bring you all kinds of seeds." The 

 pe'kwhi passes to the end of the line of A'shiwanni, receives the basket 

 containing the gifts of Shu'laawi^si, places it before the altar, and, 

 returning, receives the basket containing the gift of Sa'yatilsha, and 

 places it beside the other. The rats and rabbits are offerings to the 

 host. They are cooked b}" the women of the house and eaten as deli- 

 cious tidbits ))y the A'shiwanni and others in the morning after the 

 sunrise ceremony. 



A 3'oung man clad in pure white, with a red silk scarf around his 

 head, sits by the large fire holding a rod of cottonwood root, with 

 which he furnishes light for the ceremonial reed cigarettes, which are 

 constant!}^ smoked by the personators of the gods and A'shiwanni. 



For two hours a litany is intoned in low notes ))v the gods and 

 responded to by the A'shiwanni while two members of the A'pi'Hiishi- 

 wanni (Bow priesthood) stand before the altar and whirl rhombi. 

 There is much repetition in the prayer, at the close of which the six 

 A'shiwanni take their seats near the fire and the personators of the 

 gods remove tneir masks and place them upon the dressed deerskins. 

 Afterward fifty-six large bowls filled with meat stew, containing 

 corn, beans, and chili, several varieties of bread, stewed peaches, and 

 sliced watermelons are brought in by women and placed in lines 

 down the north side of the room; for the w^ant of space, some are 

 placed on the opposite side. After the food is set down, the wife 

 of the Kia'kwemosi, accompanied by a male member of her familv 

 (filling the place of the host, who must remain with the iV'shi- 

 w^anni), advances to the altai", the man preceding the woman. He 

 wears cloth trousers, a red calico shirt, a red silk scarf around his 

 head, and another around his waist. The woman wears her ordi- 

 nary dress, with the white pi'toni, a piece tied in front and falling 

 over the back. After sprinkling meal upon the altar they turn toward 

 the food, and the man in half whispers offers a long grace. Every 



