. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. 522 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. Then the ye'wix-ila asks four other people to act as his messengers. Again he gives each a button blanket, a head ring and neck ring of red cedar bark, and eagle down for the head. They go to all the houses and invite the people to come at once. They go to each house and say, "Walk ;' As soon as the people begin to enter the house, the ye'wix-ila beats time on a board, in quick measures, c
. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. 522 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. Then the ye'wix-ila asks four other people to act as his messengers. Again he gives each a button blanket, a head ring and neck ring of red cedar bark, and eagle down for the head. They go to all the houses and invite the people to come at once. They go to each house and say, "Walk ;' As soon as the people begin to enter the house, the ye'wix-ila beats time on a board, in quick measures, concluding with a sharp rap and the call, "hai, ; The Koskimo are the first to enter. Each man carries as many hemlock wreaths as he has killed enemies during war expedi- tions. They also carry bows and arrows. Then they step up to the middle of the house and throw one wreath after the other into the fire, calling the name of the enemy whom it represents. As soon as a wreath is thrown into the fire they call "ye," and all repeat this cry. At the same time they shoot arrows into the fire. This ceremony is called yi'lxoa, which means placing the head of an enemy on a pole. The fire is called XusE'la, which means fighting place. The whole ceremony is called al'Xts';iliL wa'lastEin (carrying blood into the house and giving away much property) or k-'a'- g''euLaxsta/la (sharp edge of knife). At present the wreaths represent the number of coppers which a man has given away. They have taken the place of heads, be- cause, according to the usages of the Kwakiutl, a man who has given away a copper by doing so becomes a victor over his rival. They also throw paddles into the fire, the meaning of which is that they send a caooe to call their rivals to a festival, in which they are going to show their greatness. After the Koskimo have entered, the niaa'mx'enox come in. Pieces of board representing dorsal fins are attached to their backs. They carry wreaths of hemlock
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