WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 175

that the whistle of Snitsmdn-a is heard. The uninitiated, hear-
ing the sound from the other houses, realize that the kindly
being is approaching and are not surprised when a herald
presently comes around to announce that X has recovered. In
Kimsquit, X’s frenzy slowly leaves him, and from this point
onwards there are no differences in ritual between the two
localities. The singers beat out a new song, prepared in readi-
ness, of which the theme is Snitsman-a, “The Restorer.” X
dances to it, and afterwards to any four of the numerous songs
previously composed for him. Then he sits down, the first time
he has done so, in public at any rate, since the beginning of the
rite. Food is next distributed, the marshals make their usual
remarks and the kukusiut finally go to bed. From this point
on, the ceremony follows the regular kusiut pattern; this occa-
sion, when the riddles are solved, corresponds to ésuxtamem.
The successful guesser is dealt with as an initiate in the manner
already described. Some of the uninitiated sitting near the
youth often realize that he has been prompted by his father,
but they regard this as a mere sign of solicitude, assuming that
the parent’s supernatural power enabled him to solve the
problem. It seems clear to them that he could not have known
the answer for any length of time because, like others, he had
many times guessed and failed.

The next day is nustutalsap. In the morning all the kuku-
siut assemble in X’s house to learn another new song; this cor-
tesponds to the second of a dance which lacks the long pre-
liminaries of this one. A number of kukusiut accompany X
to the forest to get the necessary wood for the masks. Mystery
dancers have the right to exhibit any, and as many, super-
natural beings as they please, hence a large amount of wood
must be brought back. In the evening comes the allotment
of work. X may do it himself, but usually he asks his father,
or some other elderly relative to act on his behalf. Since all
his relatives contribute, the actual distribution of labour is
not a task in which X alone is concerned. 4noljkwotsaix must
be portrayed, and the three best Carpenters are entrusted with