574 thp: zuni Indians [eth. ann. 23 



their feet are bare. Bunches of willows are carried in each hand by 

 all except the director, who carries a po'nepoyanne" belonging to the 

 A'pi'Mashiwanni and leads the others to Si'aa' te'wita. They proceed 

 in tile, waving the long willows gracefully as the}^ moye with, slow, 

 measured steps, chanting in low tones their prayers to the new day, 

 while the drummer beats lightl}'' upon the drum. The scene is most 

 impressiye. They reach the plaza just as the sun rises aboye the 

 horizon; after forming an ellipse and dancing twice around, the 

 director turns his face inward, which is the signal for all to do like- 

 wise. They cease moying and the director steps within the circle, and 

 holding his po'nepoyanne upward asks that his people may have good 

 health, that their hearts may be pure, and that the}^ may so please the 

 gods that all good may come to them and to all peoples. They then 

 leaye the plaza as they came. 



After breakfasting in the ceremonial chamber they prepare for a 

 second visit to the plaza. The bodies are painted white with kaolin, 

 which contains the mixture of the chewed squash blossoms and seeds 

 and the burr seeds, this medicine is the property of the Gods of 

 War. The elder brother Bow priest has the upper portion of his face 

 colored black, the portion below the upper lip painted white and dot- 

 ted over with hawk down, symbolizing clouds; a bit of the down is 

 stuck on the end of the nose. The others have their faces painted a 

 brownish red, with a line of micaceous hematite across the face, under 

 the eyes, and a spot of the same on each cheek. All wear the breech - 

 cloth and a belt, from which falls a deep fringe of goat's wool, with 

 here and there an eagle plume attached, and a fox skin. Pendent 

 at the back leather armlets, elaborate necklaces, hanks of iSlue yarn, 

 with sleigh bells attached, tied around the leg below the knee, and 

 moccasins. The hair is flowing and tied at the nape of the neck 

 with red ribbons or garters. A 3'ucca wreath is worn and a fluffy 

 eagle plume colored red is attached to the forelock. The two war- 

 riors wear their war pouches. While the others are completing their 

 dress, the leader of the dances, whose place is alwa3"S midway of the 

 line, and his fellow sit by the bench of cactus and eject the mixture of 

 squash blossoms and seeds over each piece, and rub the cactus one way 

 repeatedly with long flufty eagle plumes, afterward sprinkling bits of 

 hawk down over it. When the cactus is all prepared the pe'kwin of 

 the fraternity goes to the bench, and the leader of the dances takes a 

 piece of cactus in each hand and places them in the hands of the 

 pe'kwin. He gives two pieces of cactus to another oflicer and his 

 alternate gives two pieces to each warrior, the officers also carrying- 

 willows. Each of the other members carries a bunch of willows, 

 while the director, who precedes the fraternity, bcai-s the po'nepoy- 

 anne (see plate cxxix), they all go to the plaza through the eastern 



n See p. 598, note a. 



