252 THE ZUNI INDIAT^S [eth. ann. 23 



After this ceremony the personator of the Sha'lako and his alternate 

 seat themselves b}' the male head of the house in the same manner 

 as in the seating of the Council of the Gods, and repeat, in substance, 

 the same litany. The Sha'lako, too, says: "I leave my children with 

 you for five da3'^s. They will dance in your houses; they will then go 

 to the home of the gods in the east 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 3^ear we will bring you all kinds of 

 seeds." When the prayer closes the maker of medicine water dips his 

 plumes into the water and sprinkles toward the north. This is 

 repeated for each of the six regions. Again dipping the plumes into 

 the water, he touches them to the lips of the personator of the Sha'- 

 lako. The same is repeated with the alternate, who now rises and 

 dances for a time, when he is joined by four members of the Hunters 

 fraternity, who are nude except as to breechcloths. The personator 

 of the Sha'lako slips into the effigy, behind a blanket, then the blanket 

 is dropped and the giant god joins in the dance. He is observed by all 

 present with the most solemn interest. Although the walls of this 

 chamber are the highest in Zuni, the man bearing the effigy is com- 

 pelled to dance with bended knees, which he does with much difficulty. 

 As he can not peep through the opening in the blanket, constant atten- 

 tion is required on the part of the attendant to prevent such accidents 

 as stumbling, falling down, or knocking against others. 



The six ki'wi*siwe furnish dancers to assist in the great celebration. 

 Each director of a dance vies with the other in having his dancers per- 

 fect in the dance and song. Each personator of a god is supposed to 

 have the spirit of the god he represents abiding with him for the time 

 being. "'Have the gods not said: 'We will all be with 3^ou in the 

 spirit?'" When the visiting dancers are absent from the house the 

 Sha'lako dances. 



The Sha'lako houses are crowded at all times during the night. 

 Each set of dancers is followed from house to house by a number 

 of men, who pack the already overfilled chamber, leaving barely 

 space enough for the dancers, and hang on to the inner ladder as long 

 as there is standing room. Every one who enters the room, except 

 the dancers, goes immediately to the altar and effigy to pray and 

 sprinkle meal, passing the line of dancers for this purpose. 



Zuni, like more civilized places, has its exclusive set, and at no time 

 is this more in evidence than at festivals, some women especially holding 

 themselves aloof from others, whom they esteem less fortunate. Here 

 also are many whose birth would justify but whose poverty prevents 

 the exclusiveness in which they would indulge, their houses not being 

 sufficientl}^ spacious when ceremonials are hold. In the present in- 

 stance this, the largest house in Zuni, has a private hallway and several 



