458 THE ZUNl INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



from his mouth, and the novice, taking the sword in his right hand, 

 runs it down his throat and, withdrawing it witli-his left hand, hands 

 it to his fraternity father. The two do not cease dancing while swal- 

 lowing the sword. The novice and the fraternity father now return 

 to their places. The fraternity father of the other novice, who is a 

 woman, repeats the ceremon^^ She does not run the sword down 

 her throat at this time, but merely puts it into her mouth," the 

 fraternity father running it down his throat in her stead. The 

 song does not cease during the initiation. Afterward the candidate 

 is accompanied to his home by his fraternity father. At daylight 

 on the following morning he goes to the fraternity father's house, 

 where his head is bathed in 3^ucca suds by the wife or daughter 

 of the fraternity father. After the head is washed the novice eats 

 alone in the fraternity father's house. He may take meat and bread, 

 but no peaches, beans, coffee, or sugar. The one who bathes the 

 head accompanies the novice after the meal to his home, carrying 

 the large bowl from which the head is bathed, which is a gift to 

 the novice. 



THF^ MU'WAIYE ^ 



Before the drama of the ^Hle'wekwe is enacted the Mu'waiye dance 

 must be rehearsed. The two maidens and 3'outh who personate the 

 Mu'waiye perform their part in the drama of the "Hle'wekwe just as 

 their prototypes are supposed to have done when the *Hle^yekwe 

 were received by the Kia'kwemosi upon their return after the long 

 separation from the A'shiwi. The Kia'kwemosi selects from among 

 the ki'wi^siwe'^ the one which is to furnish the choir for the dance of 

 the Mu'waiye. The rehearsals occupy six nights previous to the 

 drama, which occurs in the plaza at sunset, three nights in the house 

 of one and three in that of another member of the ki'wi'sine which 

 furnishes the music. The people of the Chu'pawa (South) ki'wi'sine 

 appeared on the occasion described. The i'kwinnakia (circle dance) is 

 also rehearsed in the same chambers. There seem to be no stated 

 hours for such meetings in Zuni. Punctuality is not one of the char- 

 acteristics of these people. 



About 10 o'clock the Chu'pakwe and others begin to saunter into 

 the large room. The three Mu'waiye, attended by their a'mosi 

 (directors) and a'mosono"kia (directresses), enter through the smaller 

 room, the Mu'waiye taking seats on the north ledge midway down the 

 large room. The choir assembles on the south side, opposite the 

 dancers. The girls who are to perform in the circle dance take their 



"It is said that this is invariably the case with women at initiation, whereas the men and elder 

 boys of the 'Hle'welJwe seldom fail in their first effort to run the sword down the throat. New 

 women members practice in the February ceremonial until they can swallow the sword with some 

 degree of ease; but few women become as expert in sword swallowing as men. 



bSee p. 447, note a: p. 4.50, note a. 



cSee Ki'wi'siwe and their functions. 



