448 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



corn husk to the doctor of his choice who is associated with the 

 *Hle'wekwe, who personally notifies the warrior of the fraternity, 

 who in turn notifies each member of the org-anization to l)e present at 

 night in the ceremonial chamber. Later all go with their rattles from 

 the ceremonial chamber to the invalid's house and sing. The relatives 

 of the invalid may be present. A basket containing the corn husk 

 of meal, presented to the doctor b}^ the parent or relative of the invalid, 

 is placed on the floor, and after one song by the fraternity the husk is 

 opened and each member of the fraternity, even the youngest child, 

 takes a pinch of the meal and, passing to the invalid, runs the hand 

 containing the meal up the larynx to the tip of the chin. Retaining 

 the meal, in the hand, he passes directly out of the house, and facing 

 east prays to the Pleiades and Orion for the restoration of the invalid, 

 and then throws the meal toward the east. Three more songs are 

 sung and then all return to their homes except the chosen doctor and 

 one woman of the fraternity whom he selects. The family also with- 

 draw. The two remain alone with the invalid. Early in the morning, 

 a member of the fraternitj^ brings a white-blossomed medicine plant '^ 

 which has been freshly gathered. A woman of the fraternity brmgs 

 the pot in which the medicine is to be boiled, and the woman in atten- 

 dance prepares it for the invalid, who drinks three large gourdfuls 

 one after the other. '^ The throat is then tickled with a feather by the 

 doctor, and copious vomiting is the result. The material ejected is 

 carried by the woman who prepared the medicine some distance from 

 the house; it must not l)e emptied near by. This treatment is repeated 

 for four uiornings. On the fifth morning a tea is made from a red 

 root and drunk warm, and is administered on the three succeeding 

 mornings. The family may now be present. After the tea is drunk 

 the doctor and the woman leave the house for a short time, going a 

 distance from the village, and each deposits two prayer plumes, which 

 were made by the doctor on the fourth day, to the deceased members 

 of the fraternit}'. The doctor and associate remain with the patient 

 until after their morning meal on the eighth da}'. 



When one has been restored to health by the ''Hle'wekwe, he may 

 at any time go to his doctor and request permission to join the frater- 

 nity, handing him at the same time a small quantity of meal wrapped 

 in a corn husk, with a fluffy eagle plume pendent from the white cord 

 wrapping. Should the request be made in summer one winter must 

 pass and another come before initiation, as the *Hle'wekwe fraternity 

 holds only winter ceremonials. It is common for a member of the 

 fraternity to solicit new members, especially among his own clan. 

 Certain clans are always represented in this fraternity. The *Hlem'- 



a Plant not yet classified. 



b No one not a member of the 'Hle'wekwe could be induced to enter the room of the patient while 

 the medicine i.s there. All the meals of the doctor and his associate during their stay with the 

 invalid are served by the patient's family in a separate room from that occupied by the invalid. 



