418 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



On the fourth morning after the death of a member of the MyHtcny 

 medicine order, the director having taken the mi'li of the deceased 

 apart, each member of the order prepares a prayer plume from the 

 plumes of the mi'li. As each prayer plume is completed, the maker 

 prays to the Beast Gods to intercede with the i-ain-makers for rains, 

 and draws from the plumes the breath of A'wonawil'ona, the breath of 

 life. He also prays for happiness for all, and that they may not die, 

 but live to old age, and that they may sleep to awake in Ko'thluwa- 

 la'wa. The praver plumes are handed to the director, who, after 

 receiving them, makes them into a kia'etchine (a group of plumes 

 wrapped together at the base) and deposits it in the river that the spir- 

 itual essence of the plumes and prayers may be carried to the gods. 

 The same process is observed with the mi'li of a deceased Shu'maakwe, 

 the prayers being offered to the Shumai'koli gods for rains, ha])pi- 

 ness, and long life. 



When a mi'li is disintegrated, the seeds are taken from the cavity 

 of the corn cob and the grains from off the cob, and they are distrib- 

 uted among members of the order, who plant them in their ffelds in 

 the coming year. 



The Shi'wannakwe do not destroy their mi'wachi. The mi'li of the 

 deceased is kept in his house until his son is old enough to join the 

 fraternity, when it is presented to him. If there is no son, or should 

 the son not wish to join the fraternit}^ the director of the fraternity 

 presents the mi'li to whomever he chooses. Although the writer has 

 never allied herself with any of the fraternities, several of them have 

 presented to her sacred objects of their organizations; among these is 

 a mi'li" of the order of Mystery medicine (see plate ci) prepared by 

 Nai'uchi, the elder brother Bow priest and warrior of the Little Fire 

 fraternity, which was presented with the same pra3'er and ceremony 

 as over a novice. Nai'uchi also allowed her to have his own mi'li for 

 a few days, with the promise that no one, unless it be his own son, 

 should see it. 



The ear of corn for the fetish nuist be perfect in form and every 

 portion of the cob must be covered. Should the ear be irregular, and 

 it often occurs that a straight ear can not be found, it is held by the 

 tire for a while, the breath is I)lown on it for a few minutes, and then 

 it is securely bound to a rod and left for a couple of days. When 

 removed from the rod the ear of corn is straight. Should one or 

 more grains be lacking to make the ear a j^a'pota (perfect ear), grains 

 are taken from another ear of corn and attached by the use of cement. 

 After the portion repaired is dampened with the mouth, several 

 mouthfuls of water are thrown over the ear to cleanse it thorough!}'. 



The son, an associate shi'wanni and a theurgist of no mean standing in tlie Little 

 Fire fraternity, who, being fraternity father to several persons, had constructed 



a This fetish was deposited in the United States National Museum. 



