siiʾbiiʾteeʾaangsevered scalp"The scalp dance (kantai si buL yitac, dead-man head for dance), was the emotional climax of Kato warfare. Since the scalp had to be cut and prepared according to rigid regulations, the entire head was removed on the field of battle, or in the camp of the enemy. After the head had been brought home and partly dried, a man was appointed to take charge of the head and remove the scalp in some isolated spot where no one would bother him. This man was called swa bitceas (hair scalper). His office made him rigorously taboo, in the strict Polynesian sense of the word. 118 Kroeber, A Kato War, 397. 17 The Yuki-Kato guerrilla warfare is well described in Handbook, 157 ff. 1932] The scalper, when engaged in his occupation, built a fire some distance from the dance house, and camped in the locality for some time. The scalp had to, be removed while partly fresh. It was cut down to the neek, and all the fat was scraped off. It was this grease (sis 'ka) which rendered the operator unclean (ce'e). Until the scalper was properly purified, it was believed that he had the grease all over himself and was ghost contaminated. The scalp itself was t.aboo as long as it was fresh and had, a particle of grease adhering to: it. While in this "green" condition it could not be taken into. the dance house, but as soon as it was properly dried it was brought in and handled, nay man-handled, by the men and women. After the scalp was dry it was fastened to a stick by the skin of the neck. Bead earrings were attached to it and a string of beads placed around the forehead. The scalper arose early in t,he morning and performed rites for the purpose of wringing the hearts of the relatives of the deceased. The scalp was turned facing its home country and the scalper shouted "lil lil lil lil, " at the top of his voice. No matter how many miles away the wife and near relatives of the deceased were, they were certain to hear this sound and grunt in grief, " hu hu. " Next the scalper poured pinole on the ground and got down on his hands and knees to lick it upi. But even this pleasure was denied to him, for in the course of his meal another Indian rushed in and covered the food with dirt. It was felt that the scalper was so contaminated by his office that he deserved ritual abuse. While the scalp, however, wa,s outside of the dance house it was neither conciliated in any way, such as by being fed, nor was it molested. When the time arrived for the scalp dance, the scalper took the trophy into the dance house. A woman who had lost a relative in the war first took the object in her teeth, bit it, and danced with it dangling from her mouth. After this all the relatives who had suffered bereavement danced with the scalp, t.ossing it from one to another while they danced. They sang a taunting song: ha no a, no hi ya, ha no hi ya, ho hanen. nafi cifleone, your mother is well, ta cifncone, your father is well, nonufn ciflcone, your brother is well, tece ciflcone, your sister is well. nahitac tele hi anintele, you-are-going-back soon you will-be-all-right. After the dance. the scalp was hung up in the dance house. Sometimes two scalps were kept hung up. Scalps with long hair were especially appreciated. Scalps were neither sold nor given away; when worn out they probably were discarded. When a new dance house was built the scalps from the old building were transferred into the new one. After a war the neighboring allies were invited to join in the scalp dance.. The actual killer of the scalped enemy suffered but little inconvenience. He purified himself as soon after the event as possible. Then he was able to rejoin his group and engage in the usual occupations of hunting and fishing. As a precautionary measure, however, he continued to sing purifying songs each morning in the dance house for a winter's time. It was upon the cleaner of the scalp that the full burden of the taboo rested. He was forced to remain isolated in the sudatory the entire winter. Other people fed his family while he atoned by means of purification songs. During this period he abstained from eating fish and meat. He made use of the scratching stick. He ate from the ground at all times, avoiding the use of his hands. Naturally, it was impossible to eat. acorn soup in this manner, so a stick spoon (sak) was provided for the purpose. Every morning the scalper rubbed himself with pep,perwood leaves, and he kept a pepiperwood switch bound around his head. During this period he was not allowed to approach his wife, and if he were unmarried he was distinctly persona non grata to mothers of eligible daughters. At the end of the winter the scalper came out of the dance house and bathed with pepperwood and angelica. He was very careful to clean his nails, ears, and nose in a thorough manner. After these rites he was permitted to return to his family.'8" (Loeb, pp.17-20)ptsitsʾkʾaahscalp-greaseev.Kaaʾindai Siiʾ-bilh GhidaashScalp DanceSiiʾbilh NidaashScalp Dancerel.huu, huumournful gruntliil liil liil liilcelebratory callSiiʾ-NaayaiScalp Preparer4.8.3War2.1.1Headder. of*siiʾhead=biiʾin it in Pti-(s)..ʾaash/ʾaantake solid O alongSource forms: sĭbiteañ
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