254 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



gain at any cost, and send out emissaries from these inner rooms to bring in those 

 who wish the hquor. The drunker the man the more eager the emissary is to get 

 him, as he is sure that the trade will be in favor of those of his house. 



After each dance the participants have medicine water administered 

 to them with a .shell from the bowl by the maker of medicine water. 

 These dancers are no sooner outside of the house than the Sha'lako 

 appears on the floor. 



Dmcing is suspended at midnight, when an elaborate feast is 

 spread, in which those present indulge to the fullest extent. This 

 supper is served with the same ceremonies as those observed over 

 the feast in the house of the Sa'yatiisha, food being deposited under 

 the ladder outside of the house by the personator of the Sha'lako and 

 his alternate. After the feast the dance continues until daylight, when 

 the ceremonies close to be resumed at a later hour in the morning. 



Night Ceremonies of the Ko'yemshi in 1896 



In 1896 the ten Ko'yemshi as usual closely follow the Sha'lako on 

 their arrival at the village. The}" wear white cotton trousers, white 

 dressed deer skins, or white embroidered blankets wrapped about 

 them, and ordinary moccasins. Each one carries a fawn skin con- 

 taining seed, the skin })eing sewed for the purpose. A miniature 

 gaming ring of the Ko'yemshi, with a la'showanne attached, hangs 

 from the mouth of the fawn skin carried by the Great Father 

 Ko'yemshi, pe'kwin, and Pi'^Mashiwanni of the Ko'yemshi. Each 

 carries a gourd rattle colored pink. They form into a group at the 

 base of the outer ladder of each house entertaining a Sha'lako and 

 sing. Now and then a joke is passed between them. After their 

 tour through the village they go to the house which the}' are to 

 dedicate. The Great Father Ko'3'emshi deposits te'likinawe in the 

 excavation under the ladder and his pe'kwin sprinkles meal over them. 

 Ascending the ladder they are met by the master of the house, his 

 wife, and daughters, and the director of the Ma'^ke ^San'nakwe {Little 

 Fire) fraternity, who precede them to the room where the choir of the 

 fraternity is singing to the accompaniment of the rattle and drum. 

 This room, contrary to the Zuni method of building, extends north 

 and south. The altar, which is most elaborate — this fraternity being 

 one of the largest and wealthiest organizations in Ziuli — is in the north 

 end of the long room. The fraternity is grouped on the east side. 

 The Ko'yemshi, led by the director of the fraternity, are sprinl-i.led 

 with meal as they proceed down the room. Each Ko'yemshi empties 

 the contents of his fawn skin into a basket by the altar as a gift to (he 

 host of the house. The Great Father takes meal from his l)elt, and 

 with it runs his four fingers down each wall of the room, beginning 

 with the north wall. His pe'kwin follows and strikes the lines with a 

 bunch of vucca baccata. 



