Dramatic Elements in American Indian Ceremonials ly 



gave the Navajo instructions as to 

 how to escape and what valuable 

 things to steal to take with him. 

 Soon after this a sleep-bringing 

 bird entered the lodge through the 

 smoke-hole, hovering over the 

 heads of the Ute. In a short time 

 all were asleep, even the watch dogs, 

 and the Navajo was free to carry 

 out the instructions of the Yay-bi- 

 chy and so begin the long series of 

 trials and supernatural experiences." 



There is one current myth which 

 accounts for the origin of this 

 dance in the following manner : 

 " When Dsilyi' Neyani visited the 

 mountain of Bistcagi, the home 

 of Estdn Cigini (Holy Women), 

 these divine beings had for orna- 

 ments on their walls the sun and 

 the moon. When the great mythic 

 dance was given they were among 

 the guests. They brought their wall 

 decorations, and when the time for 

 their alili came, they wore the sun 

 and the moon on their backs when 

 they danced." 



Fifth Dance 



" It was after midnight when the 

 blowing of a hoarse buffalo horn 

 announced the approach of those 

 who were to perform . . . the 

 tcohanoai alili or sun-show. There 

 were twenty-four choristers and a 

 rattler. There were two character 

 dancers, who were arrayed ... in 

 little clothing and much paint. 

 Their heads and arms were adorned 

 with plumes of the war eagle, their 

 necks with rich necklaces of gen- 

 uine coral, their waists with val- 

 uable silver studded belts, and their 

 loins with bright sashes of crimson 

 silk. One bore on his back a round 

 disk, nine inches in diameter, deco- 

 rated with radiating eagle plumes 

 to represent the sun. The other car- 

 ried a disk, six and a half inches 

 in diameter, similarly ornamented, 

 to symbolize the moon. Each bore 

 a skeleton wand of reeds that re- 

 minded one of the frame of a great 

 kite; it was ornamented with pend- 

 ant eagle plumes that swayed with 

 every motion of the dancer. While 

 the whole party was passing round 

 the fire in the usual manner, wands 

 were waved and heads bowed to- 

 wards the flames. When it stopped 

 in the west, the choristers sat and 

 sang and the rattler stood and rat- 

 tled while the bearers of the sun 

 and moon danced at a lively rate 

 for just three minutes. Then the 

 choristers rose and they all sang 

 and danced themselves out of 

 sight." 



393 



