STEVENSON] '^HLE WEKWE 477 



\e&§re of the chamber, toward the west end, the woman sitting- to the 

 rio-ht of the man. The male members of the fraternity sit on the 

 south side, midway between the fireplace and the west end of the 

 room, in a group which forms the choir. The female members sit 

 Avest of the choir on the ledge and the floor. The women of the 

 To'nakwe (Turkey), To'nashikwe (Badger), and Pi'chikwe (Dogwood) 

 clans have the positions they occupied during the afternoon ceremony. 

 By 10 o'clock the room is crowded. The adjoining room is also tilled 

 with the cronies of the old man of the family and others of the privi- 

 leged clans, principall}' males. The interior windows and door leading 

 into the ceremonial chamber att'ord a view of what is going on, and a 

 group of the women of the family and their most honored guests sit 

 in a side room, looking through quite an extensive opening in the 

 wall that is made bj- removing a couple of large stone slabs plastered 

 in this space. At this time live masked characters appear in the cere- 

 monial chamber, their dress rendering them as ridiculous as possible. 

 At one time they caricature the He'mishiikwe (certain anthropic 

 gods). Again, one plays upon a notched stick, caricaturing a scene of 

 the day. Their songs and perfornumces draw constant applause from 

 the spectators. After remaining a few moments in the ceremonial 

 chamber this part}' visits the house in which the four et'towe are 

 placed, where a large number of people are congregated besides those 

 especially designated to be present with the et'towe. 



The ceremonies in the chamber of the 'Hle'wekwe begin shortly 

 before 11. The men wear breechcloths. All the women wear their 

 black wool dresses with red belts, their necks and arms uncovered and 

 their hair flowing, with the bangs over their eyes. Both the men and 

 women have elaborate necklaces and the women wear silver bangles 

 and rings. As the choir begins, the novices rise and the catchers stand 

 on the ledge behind them, with a hand on each shoulder of the uovIl-c. 

 An elderly woman and two young girls stand between and on each side 

 of the novices, clasping their hands, the forearms l)eing held upward, 

 and in this position the hands are moved l)ack and forth, while the 

 catchers slightly move first the right and then the left shoulder of the 

 novices. In a few minutes the thi'ee women are replaced by othei-s. 

 and they take position on the floor according to their clan, the one of 

 the Dogwood clan dancing on the north side of the room and those 

 of the Badger and Turkey clans on the south side, each holding 

 two eagle-wing plumes in the right hand. On two or three occasions 

 it is noticed that the plumes are held in the left hand. The upper 

 arms are extended outward, the forearms upward. No one can dance 

 until she has stood by the side of the novices, anil after the fljst two 

 groups have served women also stand at the backs of the novices in 

 the place of the catchers. There an^ usually ten female dancers on 

 the floor at one time, forming two lines. The motion is sidewise 



