Hĭkayû´nl-Une´ga, nûnna´(hĭ) kana´tĭ skwatetâ´stani´ga. Unigwalû´ngĭ te´gatûntsi´ga. Nûnâ´(hĭ) kana´tĭ tati´kiyû´ngwita´watise´stĭ. Unigwalû´ngĭ tigû´nwatû´tsanû´hĭ.
Hĭkayû´nl-Une´ga, Kana´tĭ, sk´salatâ´titege´stĭ, sa‘ka´ni ginu´t’tĭ nige´sûnna. Sgĕ!
Translation.
THIS IS FOR HUNTING BIRDS.
Listen! O Ancient White, where you dwell in peace I have come to rest. Now let your spirit arise. Let it (the game brought down) be buried in your stomach, and may your appetite never be satisfied. The red hickories have tied themselves together. The clotted blood is your recompense.
O Ancient White, * * * Accept the clotted blood (?)
O Ancient White, put me in the successful hunting trail. Hang the mangled things upon me. Let me come along the successful trail with them doubled up (under my belt). It (the road) is clothed with the mangled things.
O Ancient White, O Kanati, support me continually, that I may never become blue. Listen!
Explanation.
This formula, from A‘yûninĭ’s manuscript, is recited by the bird-hunter in the morning while standing over the fire at his hunting camp before starting out for the day’s hunt. A‘yûninĭ stated that seven blowgun arrows are first prepared, including a small one only a “hand-length” (awâ´hilû) long. On rising in the morning the hunter, standing over the fire, addresses it as the “Ancient White.” rubbing his hands together while repeating the prayer. He then sets out for the hunting ground, where he expects to spend the day, and on reaching it he shoots away the short arrow at random, without attempting to trace its flight. There is of course some significance attached to this action and perhaps an accompanying prayer, but no further information upon this point was obtainable. Having shot away the magic arrow, the hunter utters a peculiar hissing sound, intended to call up the birds, and then goes to work with his remaining arrows. On all hunting expeditions it is the regular practice, religiously enforced, to abstain from food until sunset.