-k[=o]. The boys
now return to their homes, accompanied by the guardian and one other
of their attendants. In the early morning the sister of the godfather
goes for the boy and brings him to her house, where he enjoys a
sumptuous breakfast. The godfather then leads the boy to the east for
some distance from the village, sprinkling a line of sacred meal,
and here he says a prayer, which the boy repeats after him, and the
godfather, making a hole in the ground, plants a plume stick which he
has made for the child.
From this time the child eats no animal food for four days. The plume
which has been placed on the child's head in the kiva during the
initiation is not removed till the fourth morning after the planting
of the feathers, when he again goes over the road with his guardian,
who deposits the plume from the child's head with a prayer, which is
repeated by the child.
Thus ends this remarkable initiation of the Zuni male child into the
order of the K[=o]k-k[=o]. This is really mainly done by sponsors, and
he must personally take the vows as soon as he is old enough.
VOLUNTARY INITIATION INTO THE K[=O]K-K[=O].
After the first initiation of a boy into this order, he is left to
decide for himself when he will assume the vows made for him by his
sponsors, though the father and the godfather do not fail to impress
upon the boy the importance of the second initiation, which occurs at
an annual ceremonial; and when the boy has declared his determination
to enter the order, if the K[=o]k-k[=o] upon seeing him deem him too
young, he is ordered to return to his home and wait awhile till his
heart has become more wise. For this ceremonial the godparents and
the boys assemble in the Kiva of the North. Each boy in turn takes his
position to receive his whipping, which is necessary for initiation.
The godfather, standing, bends his right knee, which the boy clasps,
bowing his head low. The godfather holds the two ends of the
blanket and buckskin tightly around the boy, while each of the four
Sai-[=a]-hli-[=a] in turn give him four strokes across the back with
a bunch of the yucca blades. Two of the K[=o]-y[=e]-m[=e]-shi stand by
and count the strokes; the others are in the plaza outside, indulging
in their primitive games, which excite much merriment among the large
assemblage of people. After each boy has received the chastisement and
all are again seated, the four Sai-[=a]-hli-[=a] pass in turn to each
boy. Each
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