The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-08-04
A PUEBLO SNAKE DANCE.
A CURIOUS ANNUAL CUSTOM OF
NEW MEXICO INDIANS.

ClssSmes of the Dancers-DetaiIso of
the Rite-Its Probable Meaning
TO the Worshippcrs.
Writing about the annual snake dance
of the isolated Pueblo Indians, of New
Mexico, a writer in Science says The
leader of the dance, OF high priest, car
ried buzzing- stitch, which failed to
work properly, however, and was soon
discarded. The antelope men, some ten
Ia number, came in first. They entered
in single file and marched around four
times in an irregular circle, approaching
the hut from the north. Then they took
up their positions on either side of the
hut, facing out The snake men, about
fifteen in number, then entered the court
marching in the same direction as the
Others bad. As they passed the hut,
they scattered some sacred meal and
stamped on a concealed board in front of
the door. This board is buried in the
ground Immediately in front of the door
of the hut, and a hollow scooped out
under the middle of it, Each performer,
as he passes, scatters some sacred meal
(Which is form of prayer, and stamps
on this board, producing a loud, hollow
sound. The object is to call the atten-
ton of the gods to the zeal of the per-
former, that he may be properly re-
warded. BY another version, if the
dancer succeeds in breaking this board,
which is nearly two inches thick, any
wish that he may make for two succeed
ing years will be granted. As the same
board is used continuously until it wears
out, it must be occasionally broken 1t
is possible, however, that the man who
gave me this version invented it.
After this stamping had been repeated
four times, the snake men formed line,
facing the antelopes, and about six feet
distant from them. The antelopes then
commenced low chant, in which the
snake men joined. Occasionally the
measure was changed for few moments,
and they made gesture with the feather
wands which each man carried in his
right hand The chant was kept up
without intermission during the entire
dance. and was accompanied by q pc
culiar rhythmical, swaying motion of the
body. When the Misunderstanding had
been repeated four times, the snake men
broke their line, and grouped them
selves In front of the door of the hut.
A moment later the group parted,
and one of the performers APP
peared, holding in his mouth
snake. A companion (also a snake
mani joined him, passing his left arm
over the first mans shoulder; and the
pair passed around on the line previously
pursued, with the peculiar step, which,
for want of better name, is called a
dance. The companion carried in his
N rn rNf he IL, I.
fore referred to, consisting of two large
feathers (said to be those of the wild
turkey, mounted in short wooden
handle, with small red feather dangling
from the end. This wand was constantly
and very skillfully used by the compan-
ion to distract the attention of the snake
held in the mouth of the other, and to
keep its head forward. The man who
carried the snake carried nothing in his
hands. have been told that the men
who took this part kept their eyes
tightly closed during the whole per-
formance. This, however, did not notice
myself, though these dancers were always
led back to the hut V'h it was desired
to procure more sna, Is The snake is held
in the mouth between the lips, not be-
tween the teeth; and the mouth is filled
with some substance resembling meal in
appearance, to avoid biting the snake when
the dancer becomes excited. When
snake becomes unmanageable, the dancer
simply opens his mouth, letting it fall
TO the ground.
Each of the couples described was fol-
lowed by a single man or boy, whose duty
it was to pick up the snakes as they were
dropped. These also carried feather
wands. shall hereafter refer to these
as collectors. As the snakes were dropped
haphazard, at any place, and at any time
and as they manifested a lively disposi-
tlon to get out of the way as soon as pos
sible, the position was hardly a sinecure.
This second figure of the dance occu-
pied about twenty minutes; though, after
the first round, the order became some
what broken, the collectors being
grouped in the centre, and dartIng here
and there after snakes, while the dancers
pranced around in an irregular circle.
Each performer, as he dropped his snake,
was led back to the hut by the COMPANION
for new one; and this continued until
the supply was exhausted. The low
chant OF the antelopes, the dismal though
Thythmical clank Of the tortoise-shell
rattles. the peculiar motion of the dan
GERS, the breathless attention of the spec
tators, all gave this part of the perform
anee weird character.
The latter part of the figure, when the
snakes had accumulated in the hands of
the collectors, and the dancers became
excited, was very interesting One of
the collectors had dozen or more snakes
in his hands and arms. When the num-
Der became too great for proper manage
ment, part of them were turned over to
the antelope men, who remained in line
on either side of the hut, and were held
in their hands until the final figure.
The final figure was the most exciting.
One Of the performers going a little to
one side, drew in sacred meal circle
about thirteen feet in circumference.
I,un diannn nto.ra of rinht nnnlo. -.