275 



feathers, three by the chief of the Laguna Fathers, and four or five 

 by the chief of the Bkie Corn group. (Wild turkey is eaten at Isleta.) 



The wood commonly used for prayer sticks is willow (iala). Red 

 willow is used by the Black E5^es and referred to in ritual as tupahwa 

 (tu, cane, pa, water, for liwa, see pp. 343-344). Yellow willow is 

 used by the shure' and referred to as 

 paw'iala (lake willow). Willow is used 

 also by the town chief and by kumpa for 

 their prayer sticks. The stick is worked 

 but little; the representation of a face 

 through a facet at the tip was unfami- 

 liar to my informant. The usual hand 

 measures are followed: From base of 

 thumb to tip of middle finger, the length 

 of the middle finger, or the last two joints. 

 The pigments used are koafunto, dark 

 blue mineral (? malachite) which is also 

 described as black, used on the sticks of 

 the Black Eyes; natope', a red pigment; 

 pari', also a red pigment, used in the 

 sticks of the shure', also on the face. 



Feathers are tied with native grown 

 cotton. (For the ritual of this tying 

 see p. 292.) As elsewhere, the tie string 

 may be painted. (See p. 292.) 



Prayer stick or feather is not buried ; -* 

 it would bring misfortune. Nor are there 

 shrines.^^ The sticks or feathers are 

 placed out of sight under bush or rock, 

 Laguna fashion, or thrown into spring 

 or river. 



In a folk tale a large bunch of prayer 

 feathers, together with a cigarette, is I'e- 



ferrcd to as wsemi (w'emi), pay, suggesting that at Isleta as else- 

 where, prayer feathers or sticks are thought of as compensation to 

 the spirits for what is asked of them. 



Figure 6.— Prayer stick for Sun. 

 Willow, from wrist to tip of middle 

 finger. Black, and spotted with 

 various colors. Feathers, eagle, 

 turkey, duck, red bird, yellow 

 bird, k'grade (black, spotted 

 white) 



Offerings^'' of Corn Meal or Pollen; Road Making; Food 

 Offerings 



Corn meal or pollen (our informant uses the terms indiscrimi- 

 nately)^' is in very general ritual use. It is sprinkled by everybody 



" But see p. 374. 



" Again see p. 374, where a hunter's shrine is clearly indicated. 



" .\ny gifts to the spirits, including prayer sticks or feathers, are called "pay." 



" This failure to discriminate should be held in mind in reading the accounts of ceremonies. 



