Page 123 - TheHopiIndians

MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND 115

ing, which must be repeated on the fifth, tenth, and
fifteenth days with the amole root, which is the only
soap known to the HopL Besides, the mother must
never be touched by the direct rays of the sun during
the first five days, which explains the blanket often
hung before the doorway; nor may she put on her
moccasins, for fear of ill luck.
At last, on the evening of the nineteenth day, cornea
the paternal grandmother, who, by custom, is the mis
tress of ceremonies, a fact which seems a little strange,
for though the child takes its descent from the mother,
the father's people name the baby and conduct the cer
emony. The grandmother sees to the fire and attends
to the stew of mutton with shelled corn, called nu-
kwibi, and the sweet corn pudding, called pigame,
cooking for the feast in the morning. While she is
bustling about, boiling a tea of juniper twigs, placing a
few stones in the fire to heat for use in the morning,
and pounding soaproot, the relatives are bringing
plaques of basketwork heaped with fine meal as pres
ents to the new-born. These the mother receives with
the woman's words of thanks, eskwali — the men's
word being kwa kwi — and invites the guests to par
take of food. It is late when the relatives depart, and
the mother busies herself with getting ready the return
presents, adding, perhaps, with a generous hand, more
than was given, while the object of all this prepara
tion is sleeping oblivious, hidden beneath his blanket.
At the first glint of dawn the godmother arises,