Here
They Prepare Their Prayer Offerings, Utter Their Prayers, And Practise
Numerous Other Religious Rites.
Of the slabs and sticks in the ridge of the
altar those of a zigzag form represent lightning, which is supposed to
emanate from clouds, which are represented by the terraced parts on top of
the slabs.
The flat slabs symbolize stalks of corn, with ears of corn
carved on them. The thin sticks are supposed to represent the departed
members of the society. In front of the slabs are seen four bahos or prayer
sticks, composed of two short sticks, a turkey feather, two kinds of herbs,
and corn-husk pocket containing sacred meal and honey. The object to the
right, and in front of the ridge, is the tipone or sacred badge of the
society. It usually consists of an ear of corn, wound with cotton twine,
and having on its top feathers of different birds; to its sides are tied
sundry pieces of shell, turquoise, and other objects.
In front of the altar stands a medicine bowl, which is surrounded by six
ears of corn, - a yellow one on the north side, a dark bluish one on the
west side, a red one south, a white one east, a black one on the northeast
(representing above), and sweet corn ear on the southwest (representing
below). From this bowl, sacred water is asperged, and from a meal tray
sacred meal is sprinkled on the altar during ceremonies.
Powamu Altar. In the centre of the Powamu Altar is the framework.
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