STEVENSON] Bl'^^SFSI WITH THE MO'lAWE 281 



with the feathers by Bi"''si*si, who at the same time blows his whistle. 

 Bi"'si^si afterward stands west of the hatchway, facing east, and offer- 

 ing a short prayer follows the mo'lawa into the ki'wi'sine. The Kia'- 

 kwemosi, and his associate holding the basket of fruit and seeds, stand 

 east of the ladder at the end of the meal line. The pe'kwin, advanc- 

 ing, sprinkles meal on the gift and passes up the meal line, sprink- 

 ling meal as he goes. The associate shi'wanni, following him and 

 also sprinkling meal, deposits the basket containing the watermelons 

 and seeds on the meal line near the mi'li of the Kia'kwemosi. The 

 Kia'kwemosi follows, sprinkling a line of meal, and upon reaching 

 the basket throws meal over the offerings. The Kia'kwemosi and his 

 associate then return to their places back of the cloud symbol; the 

 pe'kwin returns to his seat on the north side of the room. The 

 mo'lawa passes from the east side of the ladder around north of the 

 meal line and takes his seat to the left of the pe'kwin. Bi"'si'si 

 follows, passing up north of the line, and, stepping over the heap 

 of corn, takes his former place immediately back of the meal paint- 

 ing. He does not speak on this occasion, but expresses much as 

 with folded arms he looks upon all those present. If anyone should 

 sleep or doze while Bi''*si*si is in the ki'wi'^sinc he must remain seated 

 until the sleeper awakens. Such a delinquent usually receives a shake 

 from some one. No one in the ki'wi'sine speaks during this cere- 

 monial, when heart speaks to heart. When a cigarette is to be 

 lighted, the younger brother Bow priest ignites the cedar fiber at the 

 fire altar and hands it to the one wishing to smoke. 



When all the mo'lawe have entered the ki'wi'sine," Bi"'si'si, passing 

 south of the meal line, joins his ceremonial father at the east end of 

 the room and stands with crossed arms; his father rises from his seat, 

 and Bi"'si'si deposits bis whistle from his mouth into the palm of the 

 right hand of his father, who on this occasion is director of the Ne' wokwo 

 fraternity. The father prays for rain and the fruits of the earth, waves 

 his hand in a circle symbolic of all the world, and draws in conunon 

 with the others present the sacred breath of A'wonawil'ona (see page 22). 

 Then Bi"'si'si, speaking for the first time, utters the greeting given 

 after sunset: " Ko'naton sun'hakianapkia." The others reply : '" Kets'- 

 anishi (All good come to you, or be with you)." After Bi"'si^si taki\s 

 his seat by his ceremonial father the general silence is broken. The 

 mo'lawe now rise and remain standing while the pe'kwin removes each 

 offering from the basket, returning it to the owner. After the return 

 of the basket the Ko'raosona administers the consecrated water, dip- 

 ping it with a shell to each mo'lawa, beginning with the one at the 

 west end of the line. As soon as the draft is swallowed the recipient 

 says: "Ta'*chumo" (Father). The Ko'mosona rep lies: ^^Tal'lemo" 



a The scenes in the ki'wi'sint^ at this time are a dramatization of the rediscovery of the Corn maidens 

 and re-creation of corn (see p. 54). 



