Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1891-11-21
voupooisM IN nAXri.
niaiss,o-s sss Awf.i Orgies p.sus.r.,.
cd In NJ Womsa

erhiiy IN uaytl but With such secrecy,
especially In the citica that few es.
cop, natives ever witness those rites.
Opinions vary a. 20 human sacrifices
Many say they are not offered. Others
think that they arc always made NJ
tho great festivals but 20 secretly
that u 10 almost impossible 10 ace
thcm. II 10 n matter OF record how.
ever, that u Tow years ago several
worshipcrs were caught near Fort
BIoton dcvourlng the fragments Of a
child, the goat without horns" OF
their altar. and, after trial. thoy woro
found guilty and executed.
During n political celebration IN
Port Prince one Sunday not long
ago says u writer In tho New York
Sun. ] learned that no Sunday voudoo
dances would 10 held Ia the vicinity OF
the city. and 80 on tho following morn.
ing | started out To find ono had
walked out about milo. when I heard
drum In the distance toilcd along
under tho broiling sun and at last To-
Gated tho sound bohind n screen OF
| freshly cut palms nj n littlo distance
from the road. number OF saddlcd
horses wcrc tied 10 tho trees, and
pushed my way through tho gap 70
hhd In front OF me u pavilion about
thirty feet square aud open at Me
sidcs The fiat roof was formed OF
palm branches and was supported NJ
tho center by n big post AT one end
were three men with cylindrical drums
made OF hollC we'd logS ono end closed
with dried goat skins tho other solid
wood They varied In length from
four feet 10 two. Noar tho smallest
was man with long cowbcll.
| took n position outside ~ tho mr..
Dor and little or no attention was paid
70 mo at first ns all hands were watch.
Ing tho entrance TO a hut Presently
tho drums struck up. all tho spectators
joined Ia aguttural chant and tho high
priest or "PnpaloL" camo from tho
hut bearing a china mug carefully
covered with n silk handkerchief
Win him were AN assistant priest and
n master OF ceremonies, with a small
silver boil Then came tho MAN.
malol," or pricstcss with n small
gourd. oSvered with strings OF beads
This che ratified almost constantly In
time with tho drums
All were we'll dressed. Us werc also
the NIFTY or sixty spectators, mostly
women who were seated or crouchcd
on tho ground on three sides OF tho
arbor The papaloi was AN enormous
man, over six feet tall and splendidly
proportional.
Tho littlo procession passed around
the pavilion and paused In irort OF tho
drums. Tho PapAloi made a number
OF gestures. holding his covered mug
high in front OF him. and then he
slowly brought II toward his lips. An
other largo silk handkerchief was
thrown over his head. mug and all.
and he drank. Instantly no throw on
the handkerchief and poured the
mugs contcnts which looked like wa
tor, on tho ground on three spots in
front OF the drums He sprany TO one
side and thcrs was q mad rush OF
women TO tho spots. They grovclcd
on the ground, licking tho wet dirt.
and covering their noses with dabs OF
mud. Then one by one they crawled
10 tho Papalol kissina the ground 10.
fore him. and striking II with their
forchoads He raised thcm 70 their
knees wiped their faces with n silk
handkerchief. and, taking one BY tho
right hand no elevated his arm TO It's
full length and she turned under Il TO
the right then 70 the left. and all re-
sumed their seats
Tho old Mammaloi handed her gourd
70 another took her place In the CEN
ter and grasped tho post Suddenly
her whole body gave n ghastly witch
and her face became contorted. Again
and again tho ahudders were repeated
with shorter intervals, while her large
eyes seemed about 70 start from her
head. II was the most fascinating
thing have ever seen, and felt tho
Precipitation gather and roll down as
stared at her. Suddenly she broke
into u gallop around tho post Round
and round she went stopping oc-
casionally TO witch and glare about
her. Then she spranR " tho Papaloi.
sliced him by the hands dragged him
out and stared into his face She
whispered something In one oar. then
In tho other, Then she kissed
him on both checks and tho
mouth. She rubbed the point
OF her nose against his, hcn both
rubbed faces She broke away 70 ro-
sumo her position at the center pole,
while the Papaloi withdrew for tho
mug. Her eyes met mine she nd
vanced. soizing my hands, and repeat
cd the kissing and nose rubbing. II
was not pleasant but n furtivo glance
AT the solemn faces around me In
formed me that discretion was better
than cleanliness. submitted. While
her toilet was being made which, In
her case included the removal OF her
dress tho master OF ceremonies APP
preached me and. after another hand
shake, invited me 10 drink. declined
With thanks Tho priestess drank.
and the orgy continued.
The three priests went into tho hut
Presently tho Papaloi returned alone,
n glitter like insanity In his eyes and
his mouth feckod with foam. The
master Of ceremonies and his assistant
came from tho hut bearing q white
chicken. They approached the Papaloi.
When the crowd opened the dancing
women had triangular blotches Of
blood on their ioroheads and bloody
mouths Tho chicken had disap-
pcared
Up TO tho time when I left the
dance had been In progress about
thrce hours and there had been no
drunkenness or indecency Of any kind.
except the expOsure of the peraona OF