WINTER CEREMONIAL DANCES 217

the gottm of another dancer. Next night the call comes to him
in the ordinary manner, and the heralds go through the village
announcing what has taken place. The uninitiated are ex.
pelled at once from X’s house and the Aukusiut presently as-
semble to listen to the song being composed by the singers.
The theme is of Sximsximdt; how she came down from above
and travelled all over the world shamelessly luring men and
animals; how various supernatural beings tried to restrain her
without success; how she went to the house of Qeit and was
trying to seduce several young men living there when Winwin-
iumak appeared and endeavoured to make her behave herself,
but without avail. The song then describes Winwintunak who
seems to be a warm wind, engaged in a never-ending duel with
the cold winds.** No detailed description is required for the
ritual of xusiutdlsap, when a second song with the same theme
is composed, or of goftum, since these follow the typical kusiut
pattern.

During the afternoon of nebusam, the kukusiut gather in X’s
house to try on the completed masks and make the final
arrangements. Whistles sound so continuously that the unin-
itiated remain either within their own homes or near them,
ready to hide in the bedrooms if necessary. Within X’s house
the carpenters are supervising the choice of masks; a fluent
man able to speak like a woman is, as usual, chosen to represent
Anolikwoisaix; another with similar qualifications is selected
for Sximsximdt, while the other masks can be worn by almost
anyone. Presently a strange procession leaves X’s home and
enters the lowest house of the village where the uninitiated
hasten into the inner rooms, but watch proceedings through
cracks between the boards. First comes X himself, his face
blackened and wearing the usual collar. He remains standing
near the door and watches as Sximsximutt enters and slowly
proceeds around the central fire; she wears a mask representing
a young and beautiful woman. Behind her come her lovers,

“Definite information concerning the identification of Winwintumak could not
be obtained.