WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 199

plish his design of destroying Mother-Nature in the act of
delivery, and he remains dancing to and fro on the upper side
of the house, not far from Black Cottonwood. The advent of
the South Wind has helped Mother-Nature, so in close suc.
cession there follow masked figures, representing the plants,
trees, and shrubs known to the Bella Coola. Those first to
appear, prior to the coming of the South Wind, have been early
ones in the order of their showing signs of green; afterwards
there is no fixed sequence, except to follow as closely as pos-
sible that of their appearance in the spring. When Black
Hawthorn is being born there is great difficulty; he kicks,
squirms, and cries, Tequiring the assistance of both attendan ts
and the South Wind. As soon as his name is announced the
meaning of the trouble becomes plain; it is because the fruit
is bitter and causes griping in the stomach. The perform-
ance is a lengthy one; the same masks appear repeatedly, but
the painted stick representing the flower or leaves is changed.
Through the long period of their birth, the Willow, Aspen,
North and South Winds continue their dancing, the North
Wind trying at intervals to reach Mother-Nature, but always
repulsed by the watchful South Wind. To the uninitiated it
appears wonderful, perhaps miraculous, that so many beings
can be hidden in so small an enclosure; in reality, no more than
fifteen actors are used, they simply change their masks and
reappear. The last masked figure represents After-birth, a moss
which does not appear until late in the season after all the
other plants have come to life. Instead of going around the
fire, this figure hides quickly by lying down out of sight.

The uninitiated are sometimes sent away at this point, at
other times they are allowed to wait to hear the meaning of
the whole ceremonial. X asks an able kusiut to act as orator.
This man explains that we would have no food if the South
Wind had not been able to drive away the North Wind before
he hurt Mother-Nature as she gave birth to the plants, which
form so important a part of the food supply. If not already
expelled, the uninitiated are sent out at this point and the