540 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



elusion of his prayer the a'kwaniosi takes his mi'li from the altar and 

 passes it with a prayer before the mouth of each novice, who draws 

 the sacred breath. The motion of the novices' hands ceases but twice, 

 and then only for a moment each time, except when the corn is placed 

 to their lips, until 6 o'clock in the morning-. The women relieve one 

 another in attending the novices. 



Thirty minutes after the ceremony with the mi'li the dance begins, 

 and the Shumai'koli of the North backs out of the dressing room to 

 the middle of the Hoor, and suddenly begins turning around like a 

 top in a manner similar to the Sai'apa. The Shumai'koli dances two 

 minutes, when he is joined by an oiEcer of the fraternity from the 

 seat formerly occupied by the a'kwamosi, the latter being now seated 

 at the west end of the room. The Shumai'koli, with his associate to 

 his right, the latter carrying the bowl of medicine water in his left 

 arm and an ear of corn in his right hand, approaches the novice at 

 the west end of the line, and the man dips the ear of corn into 

 the medicine water, and with the Shumai'koli's hand upon the corn 

 he puts it to the mouth of the novice. Each novice has the corn put 

 to his mouth, after it has been dipped each time into the medicine 

 water. As the lips are touched each novice ceases to move his hands. 

 The Shumai'koli touches the corn only for the first novice, but he 

 stands by while the corn is put to the lips of the second, and then 

 returns to the tloor to dance. After the corn is passed to the four 

 novices, the medicine bowl and corn are deposited near the altar, and 

 the officiating officer resumes his seat on the north ledge, by the altar; 

 but in a few minutes he joins the Shumai'koli, and they stand before 

 the two novices whom the Shumai'koli omitted, while the officer prays. 

 Again the Shumai'koli returns to the floor, and after dancing a few 

 minutes he retires to the greenroom, having been in the chamber just 

 thirt}^ minutes. 



A charm fashioned of wood and similar to one of the bars of the 

 suspended form above the altar is carried by a voung man whenever 

 the Shumai'koli appears, the bearer manipulating the bar before the 

 god, which appears to have mystic control over the Shumai'koli. 

 The writer has observed the same thing among the Hopi Indians. 

 The bearer of the charm also carries a cedar-hber brand, which, how 

 ever, is not lighted until later. 



The three Sai'apa now come to the floor and dance most gracefull}^, 

 the younger of the three, a lad, remaining on the floor an hour and 

 three-quarters, dancing violentl}' all the time. He succeeds in turning 

 but three times while poised on the left foot, though he makes numer- 

 ous ettorts to do better. He can turn but twice while balanced on the 

 right foot. The leg is always drawn up as high as possible. The 

 Sai'apa are soon joined by dancers of both sexes, each one dancing 



