el

190 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS

Another usiut derived the prerogative of having Winwina
as patron from a myth previously cited (II, p. 43). After
Raven had seen Nodkxnum and obtained him for Atlitumna-
losaix, he flew down the fiord once more, observed Vinwina,
and made him patron for Omgomkilka.

The ritual of the dance of Winwina does not vary, irre-
spective of its origin; accordingly one account will suffice and
the performer can be referred to as X.

This dance occurs also at Kimsquit where the repository
is actually in the ocean a few yards from shore.

Winwina is supposed to return to Bella Coola when the
January moon is full;*’ accordingly X consults the marshals
and makes his preparations slightly before that date. Four
days before the full moon, the uninitiated are excluded from
the house and a raised enclosure is built between the fire and
the back-room. This rite differs from most kusiut dances in
that the call does not come at this time. Irrespective of whe-
ther or not the Aukusiut happen to be present on the evening
of this day, X mounts to the enclosure and sits there, looking
westward for the return of Winwina. Heralds inform the
uninitiated in the other houses of what is taking place. X
wears a collar of dyed cedar-bark and a head-dress of eagle tail
feathers, but his face is not blackened.

For three nights and three days X remains in the enclosure,
gazing to the west, and meanwhile no uninitiated dare even to
pass outside of his house. As the fourth night is falling, mes-
sengers summon the &wkusiut who enter and sit in silence as if
waiting for something; the heralds inform non-members that
X’s vigil will soon be over. After an interval they are likewise
called in, and eagerly take their places near the door, where
they receive a share of the food being served. Suddenly X
jumps down from the enclosure and cries out loudly:

“The supernatural young man has left his child with
strangers while he has been on a journey. Now he is returning,

siQwing to faulty calendrical observations the exact date is seldom found.