Page 125 - TheHopiIndians

MESA FOLK OP HOPILAND 117

face and neck, and, waving an ear of corn, prays over
the mother and child. This is the prayer: "May
you live to be old, may you have good corn, may you
keep well, and now I name you Samiwiki, " (" roasting
ears"), or she bestows any name which strikes her
fancy. All the other relatives give the baby a name
and it is a matter of chance which one survives.
The naming of the baby being ended, the dedica
tion of the child to the sun is next in order. As a
preliminary, the baby is introduced to the hard lot
of the cradle. The cradle may be a bent stick inter
laced with twigs, a cushion of frayed juniper bark
placed on it and a bow attached to the upper end to
protect the baby's face. A small blanket or two form
the covering. The mother tucks the little fellow in,
placing his arms straight along his sides and finishes
by lashing him round and round with a sash until he
resembles a miniature mummy. The godmother has
not been idle meanwhile. She has taken meal and
made a white path out the door, and at a signal from
the father, who has been anxiously watching for sun
rise from a neighboring housetop, she quickly takes
up the cradle and carries it low down over the path of
meal, out to where the sun may be seen. The women
have put on their clean manias, the mother has ar
rayed herself in her embroidered cotton wedding
blanket, and they stand in the clear dawn, a pic
turesque group of sun-worshippers. The godmother
draws away the blanket from the baby's face, holds
a handful of meal to her mouth, and says a short