522 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



exhil)itions with fire and are quite as enthusiastic as the men in the 

 chase witii the flaming brand. The ceremonies of the Ant order are 

 similar to those practiced by tlie Ant fraternity. 



CEREMONIAL OF INITIATION INTO O'NAYA'NAKIA 



Members of the fraternity prepare te'liliinawe (prayer plumes) in 

 the ceremonial chamber the first morning', and before sunset the tablet 

 altar (see plate lviii), which is one of the most attractive to be found 

 in Zuiii, is erected and the fetishes placed about it. 



The U'huhukwe have some good animal fetishes of stone, one a 

 well-cut image of the bison, the horns being well defined, which is 

 the only representation of this animal observed by the writer among 

 the Zunis, who claim to have but little knowledge of the bison, as they 

 say it belongs to the east. It is, certainly, an unimportant factor in 

 Zuni at the present time. The bear fetish is 10 inches long; the other 

 animal forms are somewhat smaller. The human figure (female) is 

 about 18 inches high. Figures in human form are very rare in Zuni, 

 while they are common in Sia. 



The ceremonials are so like those of the other orders of O'naya'nakia 

 (Mystery medicine) that the writer will describe only the ceremonies 

 of the fourth night, when the novices appear for the first time. 



The members are busy by 8 p. m., preparing for the ceremonies. 

 The feet and legs to the knees and the hands and arms nearl}' to the 

 elbows, of both men and women, are painted white. The rest of the 

 bodies of the men are striped or starred in white. A line of mica- 

 ceous hematite runs across the face under the eyes, and a circular spot 

 of the same is on the chin and each cheek. A fluffy eagle plume, 

 colored red with dry pigment, is tied to the forelock, and a wreath of 

 yucca ribbon adorns the head. A bow guard is worn on the left 

 wrist. The women wear the ordinary woven dress, and elaborate 

 necklaces adorn the necks of both the men and the women. When the 

 toilets are complete the women take their seats on the north ledge, 

 near the east end of the room, and the men group on the south side 

 near the west end. When the men indicate their intention of beginning 

 the song, the women gather on the south ledge and to the east of the 

 men, but they do not use the rattle. Each fraternitv father leads his 

 one or more fraternity children to the ceremonial chaml^er, each frater- 

 nity child bearing the large buckskin Avhich is the payment to the 

 fraternity father for initiation into the order of O'naya'nakia. . After 

 the novices have assembled each one is decorated by his fraternity 

 father as described on page 499. Yucca ribbons are knotted around 

 the wrists and forehead of each novice, and a fluft'y eagle plume is 

 tied to the left side of the head, not to be removed until four days 

 after the ceremonial, during which time no animal food or grease 



