WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 87

planking around the walls, much to the terror of the unini-
tiated who cower in their blankets, afraid to peer out lest they
be bitten. If X should step upon a loose board on any of these
rounds of the village, either before or after the expulsion of his
cannibalistic incubus, he is partially deprived of the power of
movement. He can only tread up and down, marking time on
the teetering plank, until repeated cries of hoip have finally
soothed him so that he can proceed. Sometimes the stomach
of a seal must be shown him before he can leave the spot.
Although no one knows why this should so affect Cannibals,
at sight of it he rushes forth immediately.

That evening the herald summons the kukusiut and the
strangers to X’s house. His songs are sung, whereupon X
becomes excited and must be cured by the beating of sticks
and the four times repeated hoip before he can be induced
tositdown. Food is then distributed, while a marshal speaks,
and presents are given to the bitten strangers, provided by X
or one of his relatives. Such gifts are often of trifling value
but the recipients must never show that they think so.

For the remainder of the ceremonial season X goes to all
dances under the guardianship of a number of Aukusiut. His
apparent wildness and ferocity overawes the uninitiated and
helps to convince them of the force of the rites. Sometimes in
sheer bravado and with an overweening desire to terrorize,
X’s guardians will cry out that he has become excited; the
uninitiated hastily hide and the Cannibal rushes from house
to house, ripping off boards and acting as if demented. If
friction should arise at some ceremony when only members
are present, X often plays a prominent part. For example,
in one dance the kukusiut rush around the fire, guided by a
Tope; sometimes a mischievous man will double it so that the
Participants are thrown violently against each other. Every-
one is excited by the noise of the beating sticks, and the growl-
ing of the Cannibals, so that loss of temper is not uncommon.
But if X rushes out of the door, the necessity of maintaining his
prestige with the uninitiated overrules every other considera-