STEVENWN] RABBIT HUNT 441 



The medicine bao- containing the te'nas'sali is placed b}^ the side of 

 the game. The fetish which was carried to the hunt, if the animal 

 was shot, was dipped into blood of the game immediately after it was 

 killed and was told to eat of the blood. This is now laid beside the 

 game. The neck of the animal is elaborately ornamented with neck- 

 laces of ko'hakwe, turquoise, and coral. A cotton cloth is first laid 

 over the unfla3^ed body of the game, and upon this a white cotton 

 embroidered sacred blanket. Plate cvi a shows a deer lying in state. 

 The song of thanksgiving is then sung. After the song the father of 

 the household, the family, and all present, including the youngest chil- 

 dren, their mothers guiding their tiny hands, sprinkle sacred meal on 

 the game. 



The deer is now flayed. The tirst cut is made from the heart, or 

 breast, to the mouth. The knife is then run from the heart out and 

 down the right foreleg, then along the ventral line and down the right 

 hind leg. This process is repeated on the left side of the animal. 

 Prayer meal and corn pollen are sprinkled into the mouth of the deer 

 and the prayer mentioned above is repeated. After the animal is flayed 

 it is drawn. The fetish is dipped in the tirst blood drawn from a deer 

 which has been smothered. . If the game is not to be offered ceremon- 

 ially to the A'shiwanni, it is consumed by the fortunate huntsman and 

 his friends." The heart and intestines are chopped and put into the 

 paunch and are cooked in an excavation lined with slabs, which con- 

 tains live coals. The skin is his unless the hunt was for the purpose 

 of securing skins for masks or other religious purposes. If the skin 

 of the head to be used as a mask by the huntsman, it is packed with 

 hay in order that it may retain its shape while it is being cured. A 

 hoop of white cedar is attached to the base, and buckskin thongs are 

 secured on each side with which to tie the head to that of the hunter. 



A portion of all game, whether it is used for ceremonial purposes 

 or otherwise, is offered to the Beast Gods, with prayers that they will 

 intercede with the Sun Father and the Council of the Gods for the 

 A'shiwi. It is related that years ago the warrior of the ^San'iakiakwe 

 threw large live coals of tire to the six regions in order that the game 

 should hurry and come near. He threw to the North for the blacktail 

 deer, to the West for the mountain sheep, to the South for the ante- 

 lope, to the East for the whitetail deer, to the Zenith for the jack 

 rabbit, to the Nadir for the cottontail rabbit. 



RABBIT HUNT 



Although the rabbit hunt described in anthropic worship occurs 

 only by the order of certain priests, the one here recorded is by order 

 of the governor. It also is of a religious character. 



a After the flesh is eaten its spiritual life returns to the spirit home whence it came, saying: " I have 

 been to my people and given them my flesh for food; they were happy and their hearts were good: 

 they sang the song, my song, over me, and I will again return to them." 



