Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 22.djvu/33

 MASON] THE PAP AGO HARVEST FESTIVAL 21

near the field to represent the mouth of the arroyo close to the field. That evening before sunset all the clowns who have the proper costume (nanawitcu} dress up and go to see if the fields are in proper condition. They set to work and clean the ditches and the fields and burn the weeds, imitating people working in fields.

The following day the Vigita is celebrated. The tcu'i'wa*ta,M go around scattering flour on all those gathered, to keep sickness away from them, and as each person has the flour sprinkled on him he goes down to the dance-ground where the feast is to be held. All through the ten days' preparation only the men have worked but now the entire population takes part. As they near the place there is a small pile of prayer-sticks and every adult man takes one and cleanses himself with it, putting a little corn-meal on the stick and brushing it over himself. There are only a few sticks there and as each man cleanses himself he returns the stick to the pile. Meanwhile, at noon, the nanawitcu have been again to make sure that their fields are in perfect condition. Returning, they join their village groups and each group proceeds to the celebration ground. Every man in each village has busied him- self making a representation of some object out of twigs and colored cotton and he carries this to the scene. These figures are of sahuaros, tiorimus (choyas), mezquite beans, parmitas (a small seed), clouds, deer or any object of ceremonial import. As the parade nears the ceremonial enclosure they pause, all sounding their bull-roarers, wewegita, which represent the sound of the rain.

All the men, the vi^pinyiu or singers, the nanawitcu or clowns, and the unassigned men bearing the ceremonial objects enter the enclosure and deposit their paraphernalia in regular order, the women and children camping outside. The order observed is Achi, Kokmatkek, Santa Rosa, Akchin and Anekam. As each enters and deposits its gifts, the members run back towards the entrance swinging their bull-roarers to greet the next delegation. There is therefore a loud continuous roar like that of a rain-storm. When all have entered and grouped themselves in their respective places and deposited there their ceremonial objects, the vipinyiu begin to sing. At first all sing together for a short while. Then,

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