236 NAVAJO GEREMONIAL OF HASJELTI DAILJIS. 
meaning the giant’s uncle. The name was originally given to the cere- 
monial to awe the children who, on the eighth day of the ceremony, 
are initiated into some of its mysteries and then for the first time 
are informed that the characters appearing in the ceremony are 
not real gods, but only their representatives. There is good reason 
for believing that their ideas in regard to the sand paintings were 
obtained from the Pueblo tribes, who in the past had elaborated 
sand paintings and whose work at present in connection with most 
of their medicine ceremonies is of no mean order. The Mission 
Indians of southern California also regard sand paintings as among 
the important features in their medicine practices. While the figures 
of the mythical beings represented by the Navajo are nq doubt of 
their own conception, yet [ discovered that all their medicine tubes 
and offerings were similar to those in use by the Zuni. Their presence 
among the Navajo can be readily explained by the well known fact that 
it was the custom among Indians of different tribes to barter and ex- 
change medicine songs, ceremonies, and the paraphernalia accompany- 
ing them. The Zuni and Tusayan claim that the Navajo obtained the 
secrets of the Pueblo medicine by intruding upon their ceremonials or 
capturing a pueblo, and that they appropriated whatever suited their 
fancy. 
Fic. 115. Exterior lodge. 
My explanation of the ceremonial described is by authority of the 
priest doctor who managed the whole affair and who remained with me 
five days after the ceremonial for this special purpose. Much persuasion 
was required to induce him to stay, though he was most anxious that 
we should make no mistake. He said: 
My wife may suffer and T should be near her; a father’s eyes should be the first 
to look upon his child; it is like sunshine in the father’s heart; the father also 
watches his little one to see the first signs of understanding, and observes the first 
steps of his child, that too is a bright light in the father’s heart, but when the little 
one falls, it strikes the father’s heart hard. 
The features of this ceremonial which most surprise the white spec- 
tator are its great elaborateness, the number of its participants and its 
prolongation through many days for the purpose of restoring health to 
a Single member of the tribe. 
