694 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS  [2TH. Ann. 24 
The runners are accompanied to their base by their managers and Ah’pi‘'liish- 
iwanni. Crowds gather. Every man who can obtain a horse is mounted. All 
is excitement, the women’s enthusiasm being almost equal to that of the men, 
for each wife is interested in the side her husband has chosen, and every maiden 
is interested in the side of her favorite admirer. While the men gather about 
the runners as they prepare for the race, and follow them, the women must 
content themselves in the village. The two tikwawe designating the sides of the 
elder and the younger God of War are made by the Pi‘tliishiwanni of the side 
of the second manager, and are carried by a runner of this party to the base, 
where he holds the sticks out to the opposite side, one of the party taking the 
tikwané of his choice. The racers do not form in regular line. Hach leader 
places the stick across his foot near the toes and sprinkles it with meal; then 
they cry out, “ Si!” “(Ready!).” The stick must not be touched with the hand 
after it is placed on the foot. It is often thrown a long distance, and no matter 
where it may rest it must be managed with the foot. There is nothing more 
exciting to the Zuni, except the scalp dance, than this game of tikwané. The 
equestrians urge their ponies onward to keep pace with the racers, who run 
southward over the road of the Gods of War for a distance, then around to the 
east, crossing the river. On they go, keeping to the foot-hills.c Recrossing the 
river several miles west of Zuni, they bend around to the east, and return by 
the southern road to the base, when the members of the successful party vie 
with one another in reaching the great plaza, for he who is first to pass around 
the heap of wagered articles is the hero of the hour. As they run around this 
pool they extend their hands toward it and, bringing them to their mouths, draw 
in a breath, and pass on to the house of the manager whence they started, where 
the victor deposits the tikwané of his side in a basket of prayer-meal, while all 
present make offerings of bits of precious beads in a basket. 
The wife of the Shiwanni takes the hand of the victor and, standing, brings 
her clasped hands four times before his mouth. Hach time he draws a breath. 
The waving of the hands four times is repeated before each runner, who draws 
as many breaths. 
After the prayers the victor empties the contents of the basket, which includes 
the meal and bead offerings and the tikwané, into a corn-husk and carries it to 
his home. After each runner returns to his home he drinks a quantity of warm 
water as an emetic, and when relieved he retires for the night. It is not uncom- 
mon for a runner to be so affected by the race that the manipulations of a 
masseuse (the Zuni are experts in this practice) are necessary to restore him. 
The following morning the head of each runner is washed in yucca suds, and 
he bathes. After the morning meal the tikwané of the Elder God of War is 
deposited, with the contents of the corn-husk carried by the runner from his 
manager’s house, at a shrine on Uhana-yiil/lanné (Wool mountain), while the 
tikwané of the younger God of War and the other offerings are deposited on 
Towa-yil‘lanné (Corn mountain). 
The most prominent religious positions do not debar men from taking part in 
aThere are six stone heaps which direct the runners in their course. These monu- 
ments, which are some 4 feet high, are supposed to have been made by direction of the 
Gods of War, and are distinct from those made by men and women who whirl a stone 
or bit of wood around the head in the left hand, from left to right, four times, and 
throw it over the shoulder onto the heap, that the fatigue that would otherwise come 
to the body may be cast into the stone or chip. The words expressed are “ tHlon ytitet- 
tchi hinasima tinatu” (‘This place tired, unlucky, be settled’’). These mounds are 
supposed to haye been begun by the Gods of War. Vases containing medicine of these 
gods are believed to be buried beneath the mounds, though these objects are too sacred 
to be commonly referred to. 
