When Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ is called by a member of the Ṭsi´-zhu Wa-shta-ge gens to act as Xo´-ḳa (instructor) in the ceremonial naming of his child he goes to the house of the father without any formality. Usually the call is made when the sun is traveling downward (afternoon); when he receives the message he promptly responds to the call. On his arrival at the house the father, in a formal speech, informs him that his summons was for the purpose of asking him to conduct the ceremonies to be performed at the naming of his child. When Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ gives his consent to officiate at the ceremony the fees for the men who are to take part are placed before him. These he examines to make sure that there are enough articles to go around, and to see if the man had also provided a pipe for the Sho´-ḳa or Official Messenger.
CERTAIN GENTES CALLED TO TAKE PART IN THE CEREMONY
Being satisfied that the man had supplied all the necessary articles, he places in the hands of the father the ceremonial pipe and bids him go after the Sho´-ḳa of the gens. The father returns with the messenger who was already invested with the little pipe, the badge of his authority. When the two men had taken their seats Shoⁿ´-ge-moⁿ-iⁿ directs the Sho´-ḳa to go and call the heads of the following gentes, with their Noⁿ´-hoⁿ-zhiⁿ-ga members, to come to the house of the father, at sunrise the next morning, to take part in the ceremonies of naming his child:
1. Wa´-ṭse-ṭsi, of the Wa-zha´-zhe subdivision, to recite their wi´-gi-e relating to their life symbol, the red cedar. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 95, lines 1 to 34.)
2. Noⁿ´-poⁿ-da, Deer gens, of the Wa-zha´-zhe subdivision, to recite their wi´-gi-e relating to one of their life symbols, the water. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 98, lines 1 to 25.)
3. I´-ba-ṭse Ṭa-dse, Wind People, of the Hoⁿ´-ga subdivision, to recite their wi´-gi-e relating to one of their life symbols, the maize.
4. Tho´-xe, Buffalo-bull gens of the Ṭsi-zhu great division, to recite their wi´-gi-e relating to the maize. Tho´-xe is the gens that gave to the people the maize and the squashes. (36th Ann. Rept. Bur. Amer. Ethn., p. 279, lines 54 to 110.) The Tho´-xe authorized the I´-ba-ṭse and certain other gentes to use the Maize ritual in their child-naming ceremonies.