The chief assists always in this ceremony, because a doctor can be
made only in a sweat-house. Two chiefs may consult together and agree
with old doctors in this matter, or one chief may do so if it suits
him. If doctors begin, they must consult the chief, because he owns
the sweat-house. The doctors and the chief or chiefs agree upon the
time, and then give out the news that on a certain night they are
going to create doctors. Young persons who wish to be doctors go to
the sweat-house; most of the old people stay at home.
The men heat the sweat-house, shut it up closely, and sit down. Sweat
pours from them like rain. When they have sweated sufficiently, all go
to the river and swim. After that the people, men and women, go into
the sweat-house. One doctor or two will begin to sing. Young unmarried
men or women who are candidates present themselves. The doctors suck
out of these all that is bad in them, all that is impure, unclean.
They suck the forehead, breast, back, arms. At times they suck out
blood; at times something sharp like a fine bone comes out. They suck
out everything that is evil. When they have finished sucking, the
doctor sings again, and puts a yellowhammer's feather into each ear of
the candidate. The feather may go in out of sight, or the doctor puts
it on the person's head, and the feather may sink through his skull.
Now the people dance, and especially the candidates for the dignity of
doctor. The chief goes out, stands on the housetop, and calls to all
the yapaitu in the rocks, in the water, in Olelpanti, in the trees, in
bathing springs, to come. "We are going to make doctors," says the
chief; "you must come and help my people."
After this the chief goes in, and they close every hole, every chink
in the sweat-house; close them all safely. There is no fire, no light,
inside. When they have begun to talk in the sweat-house, one doctor
calls to all the spirits of yapaitu in the east, west, north, south to
come. Pretty soon a spirit may be heard on the housetop; spirits make
a whistling noise when they come. That moment a man or woman falls
down, and all know that the spirit has gone into that person's head.