Page 124 - TheHopiIndians

116 MESA POLK OP HOPILAND

renews the fire, and draws with fine meal four short
parallel lines on the walls, floor, and ceiling of the
room, and on the lines on the floor puts a prayer
leather tied to a cotton string, and above that places
a bowl of amole suds. The mother kneels by the
bowl, her long black hair falling in the foam, and the
godmother dips an ear of corn in the suds four times
and touches each time the head of the mother with
the end, then bathes her head. Perhaps others of
the guests who have come early for the ceremony use
the suds in turn with an idea of getting some imag
inary benefit; the practical benefit of cleanliness is
obtained at any rate. The mother's arms and legs
are bathed in the juniper tea ; the heated stones placed
in a cracked bowl and some of the tea thrown over
them, form an impromptu sweat bath, while she stands,
wrapped in a blanket, over the steam. This finishes
the part of the ceremony designed for purification.
The old woman carefully sweeps up the room and
puts all the sweepings in a bowl which she throws
over the mesa, while another woman sprinkles water
on the floor, saying, "clouds and rain," the two
magic words which are often on the lips and in their
thoughts. Now the baby is waked from his blissful
sleep, bathed in soapsuds, and rinsed with a mouthful
of water applied in the manner of a Chinese laundry-
man. This time it is not ashes but white corn meal
with which he is rubbed, and all the company rub
suds on his head with ears of corn dipped in the
wash bowl. The godmother puts meal on the baby's