298 ISLETA, NEW MEXICO [eth. ann.47 



the sun and calling out, ha'i, ha'i, truhi, truhi. They conclude this 

 song. 



Putting down the basket, the chief dances with his arrow point, 

 drawing down the sim. Another song. Now the "sun" comes 

 down and the ritual already described for this solar advent is re- 

 peated. The five prayer feathers are tied to the "sun" by the chief 

 and his assistant. With the "sun," the chief dances again, waving 

 the "sun." When the "sun" opens, the people breathe in. The 

 "sun" goes. The chief takes his seat by the fireplace. Same ritual 

 as before at this time. 



Everybody rests. About one, the errand man (toasliiu'de) ^ 

 arrives, at the door removing his moccasins and knocking. The 

 Mother opens the door. Akuwam! says the man. The chief assist- 

 ant bids him approach the medicine bowl and gives him a mouthful 

 which he spits over himself. He sits down near the men attendants. 

 There is general talk except on the part of the chief who is silent 

 because he still has his power in him. The errand man reports that 

 he went around town among his wakuamnnin (members of the group) 

 to teU them to come in and get the water of their Corn Mother and 

 to bring out their infants for the Mother to fetch. . . . The chief 

 assistant gives a cigarette to the chief. Smoking ritual. Now in 

 his talk the chief states that this is their last day of fasting. 



Now the people begLu to come in, to get their drink, at the door 

 removing their shoes or moccasins. Each woman brings a basket of 

 bread and a dish of beans or stew, setting the food in a corner of the 

 outside room. This is the time they sing the song about the emer- 

 gence, giving the names of aU the springs, beginning with those "from 

 which we were born," sliipapu', and kaiHrebe'ai," and of the moun- 

 tains. . . . About four they begin to bring in the infants. By sun- 

 down all have come in. The chief tells his assistant to lay on their 

 side all the wahtainin. All the men present smoke, in the directions 

 and on the altar, giving thanks to the wahtainin. A Mother restores 

 the wahtainin to the bag. With duck feathers the chief assistant 

 sweeps up the meal of the Idtij' of which every one has to get some to 

 wrap in a corn husk. The chief assistant says they are to take it 

 home to their corn storerooms to bury in their field in the springtime 

 or, if a person has no field, to throw into the river. Then every one 

 receives a drink from the medicine bowl and puts some of its contents 

 in their own small bowl to take home. The chief addresses them all, 

 thanking them, and releasing them. 



The Mothers bring in the presents of food, including the large 

 bowlfids from the women of the house. The largest basket Avith a 

 bowl of stew in front of it are placed where the chief had stood in 



• Toa, call: shiu'de, "he this time." 

 ' See pp. 359, 360. 



