On arriving at the age of puberty a girl had formerly to undergo certain rites. A hole was dug in the ground several feet deep. In this stones were placed and a fire built to heat them. The stones were afterwards covered with coarse grass or brush, on top of which the girl was placed and covered over. She was kept here for three days and nights, only being taken out a short time each night to be fed, during which interval the stones were also reheated. During the time she was in the pit, dancing and singing was kept up around it. Several girls might be placed in the pit at the same time. It was only necessary that one of them should be of the correct age, the others might be younger. But it was imperative that all should belong to the same clan or family. The feast-chief of the clan to which the girl or girls belonged never performed the rites himself, but employed another who understood them to do so. As in the case of the boys’ ceremony this was usually the feast-chief of another clan, though
The following is a translation of the lecture or counsel given to girls at the puberty ceremonial, yuninish, literally "sprinkling. "
See, these are alive, these will think well of you if you believe; and if you do not believe, they are going to kill you, if you are heedless, a dissembler, or stingy. You must not look sideways, must not receive a person in your house with anger, it is not proper. You will drink hot water when you menstruate, and when you are pregnant you will drink bitter medicine.
This will cause you to have your child quickly, as your inside will be clean. And you will roast yourself at the fire (after childbirth), and then your son or daughter will grow up quickly, and sickness will not approach you. But if you are heedless you will not bear your child quickly, and people will speak of your heedlessness.
225:11 This may have been partly true, but in the main no doubt, if the Luiseños were like other uncivilized people, genuine religious beliefs were the principal motive.
