The Sho´-ḳa, as he goes on this errand, does not neglect the little pipe, his official badge.
Ḳi´-noN—Ceremony of Decorating the Xo´-ḳa
Before sunrise of the following day the Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga of the Puma gens assemble at the house of the member who had been appointed by the father to act as Xo´-ḳa in the ceremony. When all the members had taken their places the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa (master of ceremonies) recites the wi´-gi-e relating to the symbolic articles with which the Xo´-ḳa is to be decorated. The wi´-gi-e is accompanied by certain ceremonial acts performed by an assistant. The first section of the wi´-gi-e relates to the red dawn, the beginning of the life of day. The assistant, who has put red paint on the palms of his hands, spreads them out toward the dawn that is reddening the eastern sky. When the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa reaches the fourth line the assistant paints red the face of the Xo´-ḳa. Then, as the A´-ḳi-hoⁿ Xo´-ḳa goes on to the second section the assistant takes up a white, downy feather (pl. 3, b), taken from the under covert of an eagle’s tail, and holds it poised over the Xo´-ḳa’s head. When the twelfth line of the wi´-gi-e is reached the assistant quickly fastens the feather to the scalplock of the Xo´-ḳa. This feather symbolizes one of the two white shafts of light that may be seen at either side of the sun as it rises through the fading color of the dawn. Each of these two shafts symbolizes a never-ending life. The one at the right belongs to the Hoⁿ´-ga great division and the one at the left to the Ṭsi´-zhu great division. At the beginning of the third section of the wi´-gi-e the assistant rubs in the palms of his hands a bit of buffalo fat, then holds his outspread hands poised over the Xo´-ḳa’s head. When the twentieth line is reached he anoints the Xo´-ḳa’s hair with the oil, an act by which is expressed the wish that the child whom the Xo´-ḳa represents shall always be abundantly supplied with food of all kinds.
At the fourth section of the wi´-gi-e the assistant takes up a necklace of beads, or a narrow woven band, to which is attached a shell gorget (pl. 3, a) and holds it in readiness. When the twenty-sixth line is reached he puts the necklace upon the neck of the Xo´-ḳa so that the gorget hangs upon his breast. This gorget typifies the Sun, whose life endures forever.
Ḳi´-noN Wi´-gi-e
(FREE TRANSLATION)
1
1. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,
2. The people spake to one another, saying: With what shall the little ones decorate their faces, as they travel the path of life?
3. With the symbol of the god who never fails to appear at the beginning of day,
4. The little ones shall decorate their faces, as they travel the path of life.
5. When they decorate their faces with this symbol,
6. They shall be difficult to overcome by death, as they travel the path of life, O, younger brothers.
2
7. Verily, at that time and place, it has been said, in this house,
8. They spake to one another, saying: What shall they use as a plume?
9. There is a god who never fails to appear at the beginning of day (the sun),
10. At whose right side
11. There stands a plume-like shaft,
12. Which the little ones shall use as a plume,
13. And they shall become difficult to overcome by death.
14. When the little ones use this plume,
15. They shall have a plume that will forever stand, as they travel the path of life.