STEVENSON] shu'maakwe 533 



symbol with meal at the base of the altar, and all the member.s who 

 are in Zuni, minus one woman, gather in the ceremonial chamber. 

 Such members as possess a mi'li of the fraternity on entering- the 

 chamber hand them to an otficer, who deposits them for the time being 

 in a basket tra3^ These fetishes, each having a zigzag stick symbolic 

 of lightning standing in the heart of the plumes, are afterward placed 

 in line before the altar. The j'ounger brother Bow priest, who is a 

 warrior to the fraternitj^, leaves the chamber after the completion of 

 the meal painting, ))ut soon returns, when he is greeted and returns 

 greetings as though he has not before been present. An aged woman 

 of the fraternity places two boxes and two home-manufactured stools 

 in line north and south before the altar. The warrior takes his seat 

 south of the altar, facing east, and is soon joined by three other 

 ofhcers. As soon as the warrior is seated all present remove their 

 moccasins. One woman having suffered an injury to her left foot is 

 allowed to retain the moccasin. The a'kwamosi consecrates the medi- 

 cine, as previously described, dropping in concretion fetishes sacred 

 to the field instead of those in animal form, and while the choir sings 

 to the accompaniment of rattle and potter}' drum the a'kwamosi 

 sprinkles the altar. The director sits on the north ledge and near 

 the altar, and a female member w^ho sits beside him deposits a basket 

 of praj^er phunes in the northwest corner of the room — the onl}' office 

 she is observed to perform, though she retains the seat throughout 

 the ceremonial. The four novices, who are all males, sit on the ledge 

 not far from the director. The male members are gathered on the 

 south ledge, near the west end of the room, and the female members 

 sit on the same ledge, but more to the east. There are present twenty- 

 five men, three young bo^^s, five girls from 6 to 11 years of age, and 

 six women. Three of the women are old, and one, known as the 

 A'wan *si'ta (Great Mother) is too aged to participate, but exhibits 

 unlimited interest in all her dim e^^es are able to see; the next oldest 

 woman acts in her place. In a short time the novices take their seats 

 on the boxes and stools and the first four officers sit on their wadded 

 blankets before them. Each officer places a corn-husk package of 

 meal in the right hand of the novice opposite him, and clasping the 

 hand with both of his repeats a long prayer. At its close he holds 

 the hand containing the husk to the novice's mouth, that he may draw 

 a breath from the meal, the novice pra3"ing at the same time. This 

 ceremony continues but a few moments, w'hen the four officers return 

 to their former positions. Then the a'kwamosi sits before them and 

 repeats a litany, to which all respond; at its close the sacred breath is 

 drawn. The four novices now pass to everyone present, giving to 

 each a pinch of meal from the husk referred to. The meal received 

 is wrapped in a bit of corn husk and tied, and each member starts for 



