I smell like corn. I've never smelled like this before, but everything from my skin and hair to my clothing smells like smoked corn. Probably b/c I just came back from 5 hrs of separating corn husks and sewing them into a circular 6 foot diameter platter. I just returned from a Kinaalda, a Navajo puberty ceremony. the first Kinaalda was done for Changing Woman, who was raised by First Man and First Woman I went with a medicine woman and her granddaughters to an isolated place in Navajo country for a 13 yr old's ceremony for her first menses. It was an honor to be a part of these ceremonies and to have people there to walk me through the various stages. I attended day 3 of a four day ceremony for this young girl. It took place in a traditional Hoghan, a ceremonial house that's octagonal shaped, you also can only walk clockwise through the house. It was wonderful to be part of this warm community, if only for a few short hours. The hoghan was filled with women, ages 6 up to past 80 all with one task, to make a cake. Outside campfires had pots of mutton stew and fry bread cooking as well as 4.5 ft wide, 1 foot deep hole filled with burning wood. Once the dirt hardens the ashes would be taken out and we'd place the plate made of corn husks at the bottom. 10 or so women take 4 bags of cornmeal and help the Kinaalda make her cake. It's a great community event, everyone has their role from the Firewatcher to the young girl who hands out the bundles of sticks used for stirring the cornmeal. I had the unfortunate tasks of getting on myhands and knees and sewing this cornhusk plate together...I suck at sewing, particularly when it's cornhusks, oh well, my section held together for the most part. By the time the cornmeal, boiling water, wheat germ, sugar, and raisings were stirred sufficiently it was close to sunset and we had about 8 large buckets of batter. We placed the cornhusks into the pit and slowly poured hte batter in, the kinaalda and the medicine woman began the blessings of the cake, and everyone who participated also blessed the cake by taking dry cornmeal and scattering it clockwise on the cake. we covered the cake with individual cornhusks, followed by newspapers, flattened paper bags, the dirt that was taken out to make the hole, hot ashes, and then firewood. The cake will be cut and finished at 4 am tomorrow after an all night round of traditional singing and chanting. After the cake was put in, the Kinaalda made her 4th and final run of the day towards the east with a large group of ppl following her yelling "OIIYYEEEEE" the whole way. It's been a great day. Later this week I will return to visit this same medicine woman and her family, they're saving me a piece of cake :) ¶ 23:35