520 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



ward washes her own head. After the morning meal in the ceremonial 

 chamber, preparations are begun for the outdoor festival. 



While black paint is being applied to the lower portion of the face 

 thej^ sing to Na'ke'e, accompanied by the drum and rattle: "Your 

 people are now preparing for the dance; they are happy; they wish 

 the cold rains and snows to come.'" When all is ready they ascend 

 the ladder, each with his tree, led by a woman" carrying her rai'li 

 and meal basket, from which she sprinkles meal as she advances. 



The ceremonies in the plaza are identical with those described in 

 the Sword order.* There are three dances with the trees in the plaza. 

 At the close of each dance the party returns to the ceremonial cham- 

 ber, the leader places her meal basket near the two trees by the ha;tch- 

 way, and all sprinkle the trees with meal before descending into the 

 chamber. Each one pulls his tree after him and lays it in the middle 

 of the floor, with the knife pointing toward the east, the "eyes" 

 of each tree looking upward. This is the convenient wa}" for plac- 

 ing the tree so as to carry it out. After resting a while the dancers 

 sprinkle meal over the altar and return to the plaza to dance and 

 swallow the tree sword. After the third dance the trees are returned 

 to their former elevated position near the ceiling, and the swords 

 with feathered handles are used instead of the trees in the closing 

 dance. On their return the last time to the ceremonial chamber 

 the members of the order take meal from the basket before the 

 altar in their left hands and stand around the room close to the 

 wall, the drummer standing west of the fireplace. The *Hlem'mo- 

 sona, beginning with the officer at the south end of the line, the 

 officers being assembled in the east end of the room, administers the 

 medicine water. He passes around, first by the north wall, giving 

 each one a draft, while all sing to the accompaniment of the rattle and 

 drum. Again beginning with the officer at the south end of the line, he 

 takes a shellful of water into his mouth, refilling the mouth when 

 necessary, and each one of the order throws his head back while the 

 *Hlem'mosona sprays the throat with the medicine water from his 

 mouth, that the larynx ma}^ not sufter from the sword swallowing. 

 He then sets the bowl before the altar and takes a corn husk filled with 

 diminutive and slightly sweet black seeds and places one in each per- 

 son's mouth; then he returns the husk to the altar. Ascending the 

 ladder, he brings in from the hatchway the two small trees and arrow, 

 and standing in the middle of the chamber and facing east he moves 

 the trees and arrow up and down in time with the song, and passes to 

 each one, beginning with the officers, who sprinkle the trees with the 



« It is the custom for a woman of an order to ask the director for this position, for should he select 

 one, the others might feel aggrieved. 



'> The danger incurred in swallowing the sword carved from the trees renders the sight anything 

 but pleasing to the stranger, but the Indian spectators become so enthusiastic at this ceremony that 

 they are without thought of accident to the dear ones, for ••only those of wicked heart can be injured." 



