Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 22.djvu/75

 PARSONS] ISLET A, SANTA ANA, AND AGO MA 63

exists at Zuni in the so-called bow-priesthood or apilashiwanni. Of these lifelong representatives of the war gods there are at Isleta about eight or nine. Nowadays these kumpaw^lawen are recruited through sickness. A sick man will think of becoming a kumpawi*- lawen, if he recover, and he will make known his plan or, so to speak, vow, to his family. Relatives are summoned to talk it over and give consent. The invalid's father will go to the house of the ktimpawi* lawen and present his son. The head of the kumpawi*- lawen waits one day, and then calls together the members to tell them "he has received a new child." 1 Thereafter they will all pray for the invalid in their heart, wherever they may be, that is there is no ceremonial. If the invalid recovers, they hold an initiating dance. If he dies, they will be in attendance at the house and at the grave ; so that people will know that the deceased belongs to the kumpawi'lawen.

The kumpawi^lawen assist at the daikwan ceremonial. Their own special ceremonial they hold in April in connection with the footraces. On the first and second Sundays the races are secular, on the third Sunday they are for the kumpawi^lawen. Until about four in the afternoon the kumpwai^lawen and volunteers dance, tuavdrd the dance is called. The kumpawi^lawen are dressed in buckskin, carrying bows and arrows, with bandoliers crossed over their shirts, making the familiar war god design. There are two lines of male dancers, and women take part. After the afternoon race, the dance is renewed to continue all night.

The race is of the relay, queue or chongo catching type, made familiar by Lummis' lively description. 2 The winner's father takes a package of native grown tobacco to the estufa. The head kumpawi^lawen comes up and receives it and prays. Other kum- pawi^lawen stand on the ladder to receive and pass down the presents of food and goods brought by the kinswomen of the winner.

1 The phrase is current at Zuni. Besides, when a society member happens to find anyone unconscious and restores him he may say, "I have found a child" and have him initiated into his society.

At Laguna the warrior who made a coup on a Navajo went into retreat for twelve days and chose a "brother" from the u'pi* with whom to exchange presents.

2 The Land of Poco Tiempo, Chap. v. New York, 1897.

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