If  there  be  no  child  born,  then  one  of  the  persons  who  helped  prepare
the  grave  box  for  the  deceased  is  given  his  name  and  abandons  his  own
for  that  i)urpose.
When  the  festival  to  the  dead  is  given  in  which  the  relatives  of  the
dead  person  wish  to  make  offerings  to  the  shade,  the  latter  is  invited  to
attend  by  means  of  songs  of  invitation  and  by  putting  up  sticks  with
the  totem  marks  of  the  deceased  upon  them.  The  shade  becomes  noti-
fied in  this  manner  and  returns  to  its  grave  box  at  the  time  appointed.
Songs  of  invitation  and  greeting  call  the  shade  from  the  grave  box  to
the  fire  pit  under  the  floor  of  the  kashim,  where,  in  company  with  others,


NELSON]  SHADES    OF    THE    DEAD  425

it  receives  the  offerings  of  food,  water,  and  clothing  that  are  cast  on
the  floor.  Then  is  rendered  the  song  that  announces  the  presence  of
the  namesake,  at  which  the  shade  enters  the  form  of  that  person.
The  feast  giver  then  removes  the  new  suit  of  clothing  he  wears  for  the
purpose  and  places  it  ujion  the  namesake,  and  in  doing  this  the  shade
becomes  newly  clothed;  the  food  offerings  given  to  the  namesake  dur-
ing this  festival  are  in  the  same  way  believed  to  be  really  given  to  the
dead.  When  this  ceremony  is  flnished  the  shade  is  dismissed  back  to
the  land  of  the  dead.  During  these  festivals  the  shades  present,  below
the  floor  of  the  kashim,  are  supposed  to  enjoy  the  songs  and  dances
equally  with  the  living.  Songs  and  dances  praising  the  exploits  of  the
dead  are  supposed  to  be  especially  pleasing  to  them.
