ghly esteemed for their
curative properties; and in his songs the shaman describes hikuli
as standing on top of a gigantic seed of the _Coix Lachryma-Jobi_,
as big as a mountain.

The night is passed in dancing hikuli and yumari. The pile of fresh
plants, perhaps two bushels or more, is placed under the cross, and
sprinkled with tesvino, for hikuli wants to drink beer, and if the
people should not give it, it would go back to its own country. Food
is also offered to the plants, and even money is placed before them,
perhaps three silver dollars, which the owner, after the feast,
takes back again.

During the year, feasts may be held especially in honour of hikuli,
but generally the hikuli dance is performed simultaneously with,
though apart from, the rutuburi or other dances. On such occasions
some shamans devote themselves exclusively to the hikuli cult, in
order that the health of the dancers may be preserved, and that they
may have vigour for their work.

The hikuli feast consists mainly in dancing, which, of course, is
followed by eating and drinking, after the customary offerings of
food and tesvino have been made to the gods. It is not held on the
general dancing-place, in front of the Tarahumare dwelling, but on a
special patio. For the occasion a level piece of ground may be cleared
of all stones and rubbish, and carefully swept with the Indian broom,
which is made of a sheaf of straw tied in the middle.

Meanwhile some people go into the woods to gather fuel for the
large fire which will be needed. The fire is an important feature
of the hikuli-feast, a fact indicated by the name, which is napitshi
nawliruga, literally, "moving (_i.e_. dancing) around (nawliruga) the
fire (napitshi)." There seems to be a preference for fallen trees,
pines or oaks, but this may be because they are found in plenty
everywhere, are drier and burn better, and finally save the men the
labour and time of cutting them down. Quite a number of such trunks
are brought together, and placed parallel to each other in an easterly
and westerly direction; but not until after sunset is the fire lighted.

The master of the house in which the feast is to be held gives some
plants to two or three women appointed to the office of shaman's
assistants. At an ordinary gathering, a dozen or two of the plants
suffice. The women are called rokoro, which means the stamen of the
flower, while the shaman is the pistil The women grind the plants
with wa