524 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



before it is cast upon the water. The two eagle phimes w^hich the 

 a'kwaniosi has in his left hand are now transferred to the right, and 

 the quill ends are dipped six times into the water, the plumes being 

 held in a perpendicular position. Each time the a'kwamosi stirs the 

 water with the plumes, at the same time giving a most beast-like 

 growl, he invokes the prey animals of the six regions to give their 

 spirits to the bodies of his people that they may have the power to 

 penetrate the flesh and see disease. 



After the consecration of the water the a'kwamosi dips the feather 

 ends of the plumes into it, and taking a plume in each hand sprinkles 

 the altar, striking the underside of the plume held in the left hand 

 with the one held in the right, keeping both plumes in a horizontal 

 position. The sprinkling of the altar is repeated four times, and 

 then the a'kwamosi throws meal six times over the altar. Though 

 the music of the choir and the whirling of the rhombus are continu- 

 ous throughout the consecration of the water, the impressive tones 

 of the a'kwamosi and the sweet music of the flute are distinctly 

 heard. Two members of the choir now collect the food in front of 

 the altar and throw it into the river, to be borne to the Beast Gods, 

 and the dance begins with both men and women, the warrior being a 

 conspicuous dancer. 



The room graduall}' becomes crowded with those suflfering from 

 some real or imaginary malad3^ While such persons are often rela- 

 tives of the members of the fraternity, others who wish to be cured 

 may be present. The dancing and healing of the sick being similar in 

 all orders of Mystery medicine, the writer will mention onl}^ certain 

 features in this ceremonial. 



Those men who have not already removed their shirts and trousers 

 bare their bodies as soon as the tirst dancers take the floor. At the 

 beginning of the dance two members of the choir, their bodies painted 

 white, join in the dance. Suddenly they spring before the altar, and 

 bending their bodies low dip the eagle plumes'* which they carry into 

 the medicine water and sprinkle the altar, each striking the left 

 plume on the underside with the right one. Again dipping the plumes 

 into the medicine bowl, the water is sprinkled to the North, West, 

 South, and East. Each time the feather is struck the dancer cries, 



"Uh hu.'' After the sprinkling to the four regions has been 



repeated four times the two return to the choir and two others come 

 to the floor. Dipping their plumes into the medicine bowl, they 

 repeat the sprinkling to the four regions, calling upon the Beast Gods 

 to come. No women dance while the water is being sprinkled, but 

 immediately after the sprinkling three women, dressed in white cotton 

 gowns and red sashes, and holding an eagle-wing plume in each hand, 



a The eagle plumes carried by both men and women are referred to as kla'Wiili a'slwe (eagle hands), 

 and when once taken In the hands must not be laid down until the close of the ceremony. 



