552 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



five novices — one 3'oiing woman, two young men, a small boy, and an old 

 man. 'J'he young girl sits by the side of one of the young men upon 

 the ledge at the west end of the room and to the north of the altar; 

 the other young man and the boy sit upon the same ledge at the 

 south side of the altar, and the old man, who is a cripple from rheu- 

 matism, sits upon the floor with the other members of the fraternity." 

 The leader of the choir beats on a te'pehan (a vase-shaped pottery 

 drum), and the other members of the choir use the gourd rattles. 

 The ceremonial opens with the making of the medicine water, when 

 there is no longer any semblance of quiet. At the first stroke of the 

 drum the choir simultaneously commences the song, to the accom- 

 paniment of the rattle, and the noise is deafening. 



Pi'cparation of medicine vmter. A large vase of water is brough,t 

 in by a woman and placed opposite the medicine bowl, which stands 

 before the altar and by the side of the a'kwamosi (maker of medicine 

 Avater), who sits to the north of the altar. He at once begins the prep- 

 aration of the medicine water,* but his prayers, oti'ered in low tones, 

 invoking the Beast Gods to be present, can not be heard because of the 

 nuisic of the choir; at the same time notes can be heard from the flute, 

 which is played by a young man who sits behind the altar. The chief 

 warrior stands before the altar and whirls the rhoml)us. He also keeps 

 the cloud symbol suspended above the altar in rotary motion, calling 

 upon the rain-makers to gather quickly and send rain. The a'kwamosi 

 prays for power to see disease, and that it shall be carried ofl' by the 

 four wind.«. 



Jmorallon of the Liltlr Fire fraternity 



Lion of the North, give me power to see disease. 

 Bear of the West, give ine power to see disease. 

 Badger of the South, give me power to see disease. 

 White Wolf of the East, give me power to see disease. 

 Eagle of the Zenith, give me power to see disease. 

 Shrew of the Earth, give me power to see disease. 

 Thou, my Sun Father, give me power to see disease. 

 Thou, mj' Moon Mother, give me power to see disease. 

 All ye ancient ones, give me power. 



Three medicines of the Beast Gods: (1) The medicine of the Cougar and Bear, 

 which is white and said by the Indians to be a mineral deposit from dripping water; 

 (2) a grayish root medicine of the Badger and Wolf; and (3) a blackish root medi- 

 cine of the Eagle and Shrew, are found only on two mountains— Yiilljin Ko^han, 

 (White mountain), in the west, and Ka'pachu mountain, near Acoma. When 

 these medicines are required by a fraternity some twelve members, including the 

 director, his deputy, and the warrior, are each provided with six i)rayer plumes. 

 The stick of one is colored yellow for the Cougar of the North, another blue for 

 the Bear of the West, another -red tor the Badger of the South, another white 

 for the Wolf of the East, another all-color for the Eagle of the Zenith, and another 



«U is usual for the novice not to appear until the fourth night of the ceremonies. 



'■See p 492 There is b\it little variation in the consecration of the water bv the fraternities. 



