Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/156

124 Shumi-Yushi (worship of the spirits of ancestors). This festival is held in common by members of the group, soon after the new crop is harvested; in fact, it is intended to offer the new crop to the spirits of ancestors. It is also called Burin wuttofu ("to throw towards the spirits"). It is usually held in day-time between May and June of our calendar. In this ritual no regard is paid to the moon, as in the case of the other festivals. Before the festival each family goes out hunting, prepares spirits, and grinds the grain. On the day before the festival the chief of the group cuts a branch of a tree or of a bamboo with four twigs. On the feast day he gets up early in the morning and cooks millet, of which small dumplings are made. On the same morning each family of the group sends out a man, and they assemble at the chief's house. Each of the men wraps a dumpling in an oak leaf and, tying it up with a string, attaches it to the branch, which is made to look as if it was bearing fruit. Then the chief, followed by all the men assembled in the house, takes up the branch in his hand and proceeds towards the east or the west, the direction being determined every year. At a place about a hundred yards from the house, he ties up the branch, which he carried, to a branch of a big tree and offers the following prayer: "O spirits of our ancestors, come and help yourselves!" After saying this the chief and men run about, crying in a loud voice "Stab wild pigs! stab wild pigs!" and then go back to the house and hold a feast.

The following tabus are observed during the period of ritual, besides the Pijiri mentioned above. In case a death in a family of the group occurs, all other members of the same group must suspend work for two or three days; and members of the group must not perform any ceremonies during that year. In case any family is arranging a marriage, its members must not take part in the ceremonies.