Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/352



When rain is desired one of the leading men who understands the ceremony will notify the medicine-men, the orator or reciter, and the singer. These agree upon beginning the ceremony at the end of four days. On the third day they send one or more men as criers to announce to the people of the adjoining villages that the ceremony will be held on the morrow.

When all have assembled in the evening the leader calls out the names one by one of the medicine-men, who take their position behind the fire, facing toward the east. Then the names of those who will sing are called. The leading singer sits behind the medicine-men and his assistants place themselves on either side of him and around the fire. Then the orator is named and takes his place with the medicine-men. When the leader announces that it is time for the ceremony to begin, the orator recites the following:



Is it in this condition that we are sitting here, understanding the advice of our forefathers? There is an unknown house in which lies the magic brand; toward this we point the ceremonial cigarette and smoke, thus acquiring an insight that shall enable us to speak wisely.

When the earth was new it was shaking and rough. As you know, Black Mocking Bird lives tn the west. I had considered my relation-





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