584 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. axk. 23 



The above is repeated four times as the warriors and Ant fraternit}' 

 proceed. The idea is that the scalp is symbolic of the A'shiwanni 

 because it brings rains. As heretofore stated, it is th(^ special duty of 

 the A'shiwanni to fast and pray for rains. 



The Kia'kwemosi stands west of the excavation. The priest of the 

 po'nepoyanne or pa'ettone (the sacred fetish of the fraternity), clasp- 

 ing- two pa'ettowe (plural for pa'ettone) to his )n-east, stands to the right 

 of the Kia'kwemosi, whose first associate is to his right. The remain- 

 der of the first body of A'shiwanni stand by in line. The i'tatononakwe 

 (scalp-kickers) arrive, and passing behind the warriors and around b}^ 

 the north of the line of A'shiwanni to the west they take their positions 

 a short distance from the A'shiwanni. They wear their ordinar}^ dress, 

 with white blankets bordered in red and blue ov^er their shoulders. 

 The quill ends of two feathers of the chaparral cock — one an upper tail 

 feather and the other an under tail feather — have been crossed and 

 placed in line by their brothers in consanguinity between the second 

 and middle toes of the left foot, the tips of the plumes pointing toward 

 the foot, and the moccasins carefully drawn over. "The feathers give 

 courage, for knowledge and courage come from this bird, who is the 

 keeper of courage." After the girls reach the scene, the same brothers 

 tie similar but somewhat larger feathers to the left side of the head 

 with a strand of the hair and a cotton string already attached to the 

 plumes. The plumes must not be removed for four days. 



Each i'tatonona holds in the right hand two pra3'er plumes tand meal 

 wrapped in corn husks. The vice pa'mosono"kia" (female aid to the 

 scalp custodian) stands north of the meal line in a soiled cotton gar- 

 ment with a conventional black blanket about her shoulders.* The 

 four women mentioned are the onl}" Zuni Avomen present at this feature 

 of the ceremony. 



The elder brother Bow priest now directs two youths to stand north 

 and south of the mounds and clasp each other's left hand with arms 

 raised over the excavation. The youth who stands on the north 

 side of the mound is of the Deer clan, the other of the Bear clan. 

 Each youth is led up the meal line to his place by the elder brother 

 Bow priest. The victor and the elder brother, stepping on the crossed 

 yucca, pass up the line of meal and under the clasped hands, each 

 carrying the cedar twig with the pieces of scalp and fluffy eagle plume 

 attached. As soon as they pass under the hands, the twigs are 

 received by the pa'mosona and the aid, who afterAvard lay them on 

 the ground a short distance southwest of the mounds, and the priest 

 of the pa'ettowe clasps the victor to his breast while the Kia'kwemosi 



"There was no pa'mosono'kla at this time, the former having been accused of witchcraft and 

 dismissed. 



'> Women holding tliis office may be of any clan, but must have passed the child-bearing period, 

 for should a pa'mosono"kla have an infant the deceased enemy would cause its death. Though the 

 appointment is for life, the pa'mosono 'kla is subject to impeachment. 



