66 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

The last to seat himself is Kwlilias Nuskémpta, an obstreperous
individual, who always wants more presents than anyone else.
When X announces that the beings above have taken their
places, a carpenter brings forward the object covered with
cedar-bark and painted with a design of Xemxem4lotta,* holds
it above X’s head, and then gives it to a herald who casts it
into the fire. At the same time X throws on the flames some
dyed cedar-bark, some undyed cedar-bark, a little eagle down,
and some olachen grease, saying:

“Please Xemxemdlotta,*® accept this offering and be pre-
sent,” and throws his hands up in the air as if casting some
object upwards.

Still dancing, X calls out oip several times.

The painted representation and the cedar-bark are objects
which Xemxemdlotta likes to receive; the olachen grease sup-
plies the flame on which they ascend to him. The same pro-
cedure is repeated for the eight other brothers, with slight
variations in the words addressed to each. To Omgomkihka,
for example, X says:

Asiquwi-atintiuima | dinunusixwuméxtanao oxgoxtemsuais
Woodpecker-coloured*” | is the place where he sits, | the recipient,®
tomqomkilikaais

Omgomkilka.*®

When the time comes to invite the hungry Ttitcéplitan-a, an
offering of food instead of bark is cast upon the flames. X
continues to dance after the final gift, and presently a thud
is heard on the roof while some kusiut, chosen beforehand for
the purpose, compresses a hidden bladder-whistle which the
uninitiated know is the voice of the call. Whether they be-

*In Kimsquit the offerings are made by a kusiut who has this prerogative in
connection with the name Skotikwan-a.

*His other name is Oxgoxem, “The Recipient of Many Gifts.”

87Sqwal-diin is one of the larger woodpeckers, the species could not be identified.

This designation, properly applied only to Xemxemdlotta, is often used for
his brothers as well.

*°These words are virtually sung, each vertical line marking the end of each
subdivision. Arecord was made of the music for the National Museum of Canada;
record VII D 6c; singer, Jim Pollard.