Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-19
SNAKES In THE DANCE
A Horrible Exhibition by the Moqui
Indians in Arizona.
AT LEAST $50 SERPENTS USED.
Some We're So Large That They Disabled
the Half-Crazed Dancers.
DETAILS OF A STRANGE CEREMONY

FORT MCKEoGH, July 1S-Scout George
Wallace has just returned from the Moqul
country in the Northeastern part OF Arl-
zona, where he has been to see to what ex-
tent the reports of trouble among the
Indians of that tribe are true. Wallace
says that the whole story is the result OF
two things-indisposition of the Indians to
have their children sent away from the
reservation and the annual snake dance.
He was witness of the rites of the dance,
and gives most graphic description OF the
orgies. This annual festival of the Most An
clent Order of Snakes dates back to period
in remote antiquity. 1t is not religious
ceremony, but is simply public demonstra-
tion of mysterious secret society, similar
to the Masonic Order in some respects.
Wallace says that the participants were
composed of two bodies of men, sc of whom
danced with the snakes, and smaller num-
ber who formed a chorus of singing men.
These latter were the first to come upon the
scene and were dressed in bright colored
embroidered kits, sashes anklets, and with
beautifully tanned yellow fox skins hang
ing down behind the body. They bore
small rattles in one hand while in the other
was held stick to which was fastened
couple of turkey feathers. This stick, they
claim, carries the necessary protection
of ones life, and lets the snakes tutelary
god know that none of his progeny will
be inj ured or carried to remote lands.
Took the Snakes in Their Teeth.
These men made four or five circuits of
the small plaza and then took up position
to the west side of it. In the center of the
plaza was cottonwood shed. After they
had arranged themselves properly, in a
state of extraordinary exultation, the snake
men came marching with tremendous
energy, as though inspired to bound across
the mese with single stride. This motion
adds greatly to the impressiveness of the
serious scene and thrills the spectators to
an excited state of mind for the ensuing
act.
These dancing men, like their predeces-
sors made four circuits around a large rock
which stands in the center of the place.
They then faced the chorus and song was
gone through with. After this ceremony the
snake men were divided into groups of
three, and one man from each three went
into the cottonwood shed and extracted a
snake from one Of the logs, and after putting
it into his mouth and il firmly fixing
it there with his teeth he started
on his round. His companion, with
his arms around his neck, kept the
tail of the snake in position with his left
hand while with his right, in which he car
ried stick with two long feathers attached,
he kept the serpent from becoming en-
tangled in the hair of the dancer The
snake, after being carried around the circle,
was thrown from the mouth, when the third
member of the group gathered it up and
carried it for the rest of the dance, occa-
sionally, however, giving it to one of the
spectators to hold, which he did in very
modest manner
At Least 15O Serpents Used.
At times the serpents would try to make
their escape and would make dash for
liberty through the crowds which sur
rounded the dancers. and the spectators
would scatter in all directions until the
snakes were recaptured by the dancers and
carried back into the circle, and more Sc
curely held. The visits to the shed were
continued until at least $50 snakes had been
brought from the inclosure and all appeared
to be in excellent condition, Judging from
the manner in which they resisted capture
after they had been dropped from the
mouth. Two or three instances were
noticed of large bull snakes being held by
the neck, and twining their bodies around
the legs of the dancers In one instance the
snake had so entwined himself around the
Indian that he was unable to move for fear
of falling The predicament caused a great
outburst of laughter, but it looked anything
but funny to the dancer
Those who danced with the snakes not un- |
frequently had three or four in the mouth |
at the same time, which, of all the perform
ance, was the most repulsive To see these
naked human beings going around with the
face completely hidden behind mask of |
twisting and squirming snakes was enough |
to make the stoutest-hearted man shudder |
with disgust, yet the other members of the |
tribe greeted these manifestations with ap- |
plause.
Bit the Wriggling Reptiles in Two.
The applause of the spectators urged the |
dancers to greater feats, and as the dance |
proceeded the performance became most hor-
rible to behold. Some of the dancers would |
take two large rattlers in the mouth at the |
same time, and as they slowly swung around |
he circle, would chew on the living snakes
until in many instances the serpents would |
fall to the ground completely bitten in two.
One dancer, who appeared to be a
leader, had six snakes in his mouth at
1ne time, and the wriggling ends of the
reptiles made a gorgon appearance of his
head as he whirled around the outer edge of
he circle.
This ceremony lasted two hours, and
when the dance was over the participants
we're thoroughly exhausted. While during
he dance they had been upheld by the
,cstatic condition, the reaction was terrible,
md, while there was no permanent injury
o the dancers, it took several days for them
o recuperate This time was spent in
leeping and drinking a weak sort of broth
made from the dead snakes which had per-
shed in the ceremony. 1t was supposed
" some that the rattlesnakes had been rem
Tered harmless by the extraction of their
angs, but to show that such was not the
ase dog was brought into the circle and
vas bitten by snake. In very short
ime the unfortunate animal was dead from