STEVENSON] '^hle'wekwe 469 



The waving- of the tchl'nawe, an exceedinoly g-raceful motion, never 

 ceases during the dance. 



The two a'mosi (directors) and two a'mosono''kTa (directresses) hav- 

 ing charge of this dance were energetic in gathering dancers. The 

 a'mosi wear black velveteen trousers over white cotton shirts, black 

 native wool shirts with plaited red and gi'een ribbons over the should- 

 ers and falling in streamers, and the ordinary moccasins. Yucca 

 wreaths are woin and a fluffy white plume is tied to the forelock, 

 and the la'showanne, made of two Milai'aluko feathers, hangs at the 

 right side of the head. The hair is done up in the usual knot. 

 Elaborate necklaces complete the costume. The a'mosono"kia have 

 their hair done up as usual, with the white fluffy (>agle plume attached 

 to the forelock and the la'showanne at the right side. Thev wear the 

 black wool dress embroidered at top and bottom in dark blue, a red 

 belt, and about the shoulders a whit(> blanket boi-dered at top and 

 bottom in red and blue. The moccasins are white buckskin, with 

 })lack soles. Long strings of turcpioise l)eads hang from the ears 

 and silver and other beads adorn the neck, while the left wrists are 

 well covered with bangles. Each director carries a ball of yarn, 

 colored light green from a native dye, with thi^ end run through a 

 large needle, for the purpose of fastening the blanket wraps of the 

 girls who dance, that they may not fall from their shoulders. 



The circle danee continues until the arrival of the 'Ille'wekwe, 

 when the dancers group themselves in the northeast corner of the 

 plaza. The 'Hle'wekwe enter the i)laza from the western sti'eet and 

 proceed as described in the accovmt of their ))revious danee. They 

 pass six times around the boxes, swallowing the swords each time after 

 the first circuit. Several group themselves before the boxes and swal- 

 low their swords simultaneoush'. After the last circuit the 'lllem'- 

 mosona, on reaching the south end of the boxes, steps l)(>fore them and 

 facing them waves his swords over the boxes and prays aloud to the 

 Cougar, the Bear, the Badger, the White Wolf, the Shrew, A'chiyii- 

 lii'topa, the Rattlesnake, the Pleiades, and Orion" for their intei'cession 

 with the Council of the Gods for cold rains and snows, and that the 

 Sun Father may give to his people, referring not only to the 'lllc- 

 wekwe but the Zuni in general, long life, that they may not die. but 

 sleep to awake in Ko'thluwala'wa, During this prayer all hold their 

 swords with the points upward, and as the prayiM- closes each one draws 

 a breath — all that is good from his swH)rd. 



At this time the rattles and drum of the Sword order of the (ireat 

 Fire fraternitj' are heard, and as the last man in the line of the "^Hle'- 

 wekwe reaches the east side of the boxes the leadei- of the (ireat Fire 

 fraternity arrives at that point. This fraternity follows in {'\\v after 

 the *Hle'wekwe, the step of both fraternities being the same. After 



"While the animal warriors labor for the Siin Father on earlh, the I'leiades and Orion are his 

 important celestial warriors. 



