WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 47

of his relatives, has given them for this purpose. When he
crouches during the chorus they crowd close around, almost
concealing him. Particularly in those dances fraught with
danger to the performer, it is customary for any number of his
friends, either men or women, to dance to “help” him. Any-
one wishing to do so merely stands up and begins, in time to
the music, irrespective of what part of the house he may be in.
It is considered contrary to good manners for a father so to
help his son, or a brother a brother, but a dancer is pleased to
have aid from anyone else. It is said that in Bella Bella
certain kukusiut have definite prerogatives of helping in this
way, but this is not the case in Bella Coola. Throughout
every dance the kukustut women utter their droning cry.
This, then, is the type of dance which the uninitiated in
the lowest house see. They hear the song, too, and gaze with
awe at X, imbued as he is with the supernatural power of sight.
Then the sounding-boards are picked up and taken to the
next house, where the whole ceremonial is repeated. This is
done at each house of the village.!® All the Aukusiut now return
to X’s house, where he once more dances to his song. A box-
drum is always used to help the singers in keeping time, and
when the song has been finished two men continue in turn to
beatitallday. X always arranges to have a relative or friend
superintend the distribution of food, which follows his final
dancing. As the kuvkusiut are eating, the marshals deliver their
usual admonishments, a task that accompanies every meal.
Then they call on the people to erect a raised platform between
the fire and the back-wall of the house. Materials have been
placed in readiness so that it is an easy matter to build a frame-
work a few feet in height, of which the flat top is screened by
a matting wall about three feet high. This is often decorated
with designs of dyed cedar-bark without ritual significance as
far as the Bella Coola of today are aware. X climbs to this
platform, the kukusiut disperse, and only the incessant pounding
of the drum proves that some unusual event is taking place.
¥In Bella Coola, but perhaps not in Kimsquit.