STEVEXSONl 



ma'^ke "^hlan^nakwe 497 



part in the healing. He falls on one knee before the altar, his back to it, 

 then rises and proceeds to practice. Touching one of the women with 

 the tips of his two eagle-wing plumes, he extends his hand and receives 

 the stone, which he professes to draw from the bod}- bj' the touch of 

 the plumes, and holds it up to view. The trick is beautifully and 

 gracefully performed." The Sia theurgist stamps in the tire with his 

 bare feet, and runs about with a large live coal in his hand, tinally 

 rubbing it over his nude body. The scene is dramatic when the floor 

 becomes crowded and the theurgists, jumping about in groups in sijuat- 

 ting positions, manipulate their eagle- wing plumes as they approach 

 the invalids. As one touches an invalid the others of the group draw 

 near, waving their plumes, which are usually held in the left hand 

 during the dance or sucking, and pointing them toward the sick one. 

 Occasionall}' two theurgists practice upon an invalid at the same time, 

 the others manipulating their plumes about him. 



For a time no woman is on the floor; then one appears, doing her 

 share in the healing. A warrior stands back and to the south of the 

 altar, keeping time with a plume held in each land. A second warrior 

 also beats time with his plumes while he remains seated at the south 

 side of the altar. The a'kwamosi retains his standing position, 

 keeping time. 



At 11 o'clock the director of the fraternity and a woman leave the 

 chamber, each carrying a pinch of meal, which they sprinkle outside, 

 and a Sia Indian steps to the door and throws out a })inch of meal, aft- 

 erward gargling his throat to cleanse it, and returns to the choir. All 

 the dancers but one now leave the floor. He performs extravaganza 

 before the altar for a time, and resumes dancing, when he is joined bj'' 

 a female theurgist, who gives the most peculiar screeches as she awk- 

 wardly jumps about the floor. After a time a man joins the couple 

 and the three dance sidewise, one liehind the other, up and down the 

 room. In moving toward the altar the}^ face south, and as they dance 

 from it they face north. 



Shortly after 11 the first of these dancers goes outside the house and 

 gargles his throat, the second man returns to the choir, and the female 

 theurgist is left alone on the floor. After dancing violently for a time 

 she is joined by another woman, who holds her eagle plumes in her 

 right hand. The two dance until twenty minutes after midnight. 

 The position of the arms of the women in dancing seldom varies, the 

 upper arms being kept close to the l)ody, and the lower extended out- 

 ward. When they take their seats all draw in a sacred breath from their 

 eagle plumes, and the officers of the Mystery medicine order repeat a 

 prayer. The warrior now carries out the ])owl containing the 

 extracted matter and buries the contents. The a'kwamosi administers 



a The Sia are more expert than the Zunis in the theurgistic performances and in plaj-ingwith fire. 

 23 ETH— 04 32 



