STEVENSON] 



shu'maakwe 539 



When the a'kwamosi has consecrated the water a cigarette of native 

 tobacco wrapped in corn husk is handed to him, and leaving his 

 stool he bends forward on his knees and draws smoke from the cigar- 

 ette six times, each time blowing the smoke into the bowl of water, 

 bringing his mouth close to the howl. After the sixth time he waves 

 the cigarette toward the altar, then to the six regions and in a circle, 

 and thrusts the lighted end into his mouth for a moment. Then he 

 hands the cigarette to the cloud-maker, who repeats the same rite over 

 the cloud bowl and continues his work. All music and the rhombus 

 cease, and the a'kwamosi dips his eagle plumes into the consecrated 

 water and sprinkles the altar while he chants a praj^er; at the same 

 time the warrior carries oif the food from before the altar. Men and 

 women now form into a circle and dance from left to right, the three 

 Sai'apa dancing back and forth within the circle. The cloud-maker 

 continues the preparation of the (?louds, a ceremony requiring three- 

 quarters of an hour. The suds frequently fall over the bowl to the 

 floor. When this occurs he lifts them with his reed and returns them 

 to the mass. When he completes his task he rises, and standing before 

 the altar throws suds over it, lifting them with his reed, while he 

 chants a prayer in very low tones. After the dance has progressed 

 for a time the master of ceremonies removes the yellow-faced mask 

 from its place behind the altar and carries it, concealed with a piece 

 of new cotton cloth, to the east end of the room for the man who is 

 being dressed behind the blankets to persojiate the Shumai'koli of the 

 North. The dress of this god is the same as described, with the ex- 

 ception of the leggings. He emerges from the dressing room and, 

 stepping within the circle, begins to dance. The dance closes at 1 

 a. m., when all except the master of ceremonies, the Great Mother, 

 the four novices, two Sia guests, and the writer leave the chamber to 

 visit the He'iwa, Chu'paw^a, and Mu'he'wa ki'wi^siwe," where members 

 of these ki'wi'siwe and girls chosen by young men appointed for the 

 purpose spend the night in dancing. Not a word is spoken by those 

 who remain in the ceremonial chamber. Once the master of ceremo- 

 nies lights a cigarette and hands it to one of the novices. The two Sia 

 guests smoke constantly. 



The Shumai'koli and Sai'apa are absent an hour, the others return- 

 ing in three-quarters of an hour. Upon his return the a'kwamosi 

 chants a prayer before the altar, while the four novices rise and stand 

 in line, live women alternating with the men, who clasp the hands of 

 women beside them. The lingers are entwined, the novices' hands 

 being above. In this position the chain of hands is kept in motion 

 from right to left, the women slightly bending their knees. Three 

 women and a little girl stand on the ledge behind the men, each one 

 placing a hand on each shoulder of the man before her. At the con 



a See Ki'wi'siwe and their functions. 



