558 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



cease dancing they don their cotton shirts, trousers, and head-ker- 

 chiefs. The dance continues, however, and the former dancers, minus 

 the warriors, are joined by two young men, two women, and a little 

 girl not over 8 years of age. The young men wear the breechcloth 

 and wreaths of yucca ribbon tied in fanciful knots at the side and 

 passing around the forehead at the edge of the hair, which is parted 

 in the middle. At the same time the male and female novices leave 

 the chamber, guided by an officer, to offer prayers to the Sun Father 

 as he disappears for the night. The men wear pure white cotton 

 clothing; the girl, the ordinary Zuni dress. The girls who ground the 

 medicine are seated on the north side of the room near the east end. 

 As each woman or girl retires from the dance she puts on her pi'toni.« 



Two women, one an albino, each bearing a large bowl of water, 

 enter the chamber at sunset and deposit the bowls on the floor near 

 the east end of the room, the bearers of the bowls standing Ijetween 

 them and the east wall and facing west. A third woman takes her 

 position between the two water-carriers, and the water is consecrated 

 by the two warriors, who repeat a long prayer, when the medicine 

 grinders, who approach in twos, are baptized, the elder brother Bow 

 priest receiving one, and another warrior the other. Each warrior 

 extends his left arm across the girl's back, placing his left hand upon 

 her left shoulder and his right hand upon the right shoulder. The 

 head is bent while the woman opposite bathes the forelock; the hands 

 and wrists are afterward washed thoroughly. Throughout this cere- 

 mony, which is repeated with all the medicine grinders, the warriors 

 and women repeat scarcely audible prayers. After the baptizing the 

 grinders resume their seats upon the ledge, the two warriors take seats 

 on low stools in front and facing them, and the elder brother Bow priest 

 repeats a litany, which is responded to by the second warrior with 

 '' Eh!"" (Yes). During the prayer, which seems to be of little interest 

 except to the grinders, women are bringing in vessels of bread, meat 

 stews, sliced melons, and dried peaches. At the conclusion of the 

 litany the elder brother Bow priest offers a grace over the food, when 

 l)its of food are gathered from each vessel and placed in a heap before 

 the altar. After all have enjoyed the feast the assembly separates. 



Th'ml night. Sixteen members of the Ko'tikili (M3^thologic frater- 

 nity) are gathered in a chamber of a dwelling. The walls are intenselv 

 white, and a line of cord extends across the room near the west end. 

 Freshly painted masks of the 'Cha'kwena (certain anthropic gods) to 

 be worn in a dance which is to occur in four days are suspended from 

 a line. The masks are covered with a strip of calico, but the long- 

 beards appear below the cloth. As usual, this group is interested in 



"A piece of cotV^n cloth tied in front and fallings over the back. The Zuni women would as soon 

 uppear in public without llie pi'toni as a civilized woman would without a dress; but this article 

 must not he Wi)rn dnring certain ceremonies. 



