Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-09-15
ARTIST 1UNaRNNs LUCK.


turned from novel experience among |
the Moqul, or, as he terms them the
Ho-pl Indians, which means peaceful
men Moqui is a term of rePcoach ap !
piled to them by the Plutes and the
Navajos, and means dead men, refer
ing to the fact that their enemies
thought them inert and listless in self
defense or revenge,
During his stay among the Ho-pis |
Nj. Lungren witnessed the famous
snake dance, and he gives many quaint
descriptions of the ceremonial Incl
dent to it. He is one OF the four white
men who have been initiated into the
priesthood of the Ahtelopes and he has
therefore been admitted into the kiva,
or underground chamber, correspond
ing to the cstufa Of Spanish speaking
Pueblos.
Ee describes these people as yerita-
BILE pagans, the last remnant in the
United States of pure idol worship.
Not an iota of Christianity has rerme-
ated their theology, They say the
Christian "cachinas" or gods may be
good but they know their own gods TO
be better. So hostile are they to christ
ianity that they have refused to sell
the mystery Of their snake dance to
the Zunis, who Unexpectedly offered
beeves and other riches for it, The
reply this year as every other is, "you
have had your heads washed by the
Spaniards and are not worthy" This
means baptism. The Zunis this year
made strong plea that the white men
had been initiated; but after some de-
liberation over this poser the priests
concluded that the Pananos had not
had their heads washed by the Span
iards and the plea was void. Pahanos
means American and comes from the
Navajo Pelicano.
These people live in northeastern
Arizona. There are three mesas upon
which the seven villages are situated.
On the eastern one is the principal
pueblo, Walpi, where the dances take
place, and Cichumivi, Tegua or Hano,
on the middle mesa is Chimopayi,
Chimolayi ard Chipolayi. On the west
mesa is the pueblo Of Oraibi. There
are about 2O0O Of these ITo-pis all told,
and about 7Co of them inhabit the
town of Walpi.
Mr.. Lungren was adopted into this
tribe 10y AIashiumptawa, former Eigh
priest of the Antelopes, the chief
prlesthood in the pueblo and his
name is IIonanl Mungwce, or badger
chief, after his MOTHER as all descent
among the Indians goes through the
female.
Mr.. Lungren describes the ceremon-
les of these Indian dances as all con
nected With rain making, and he inti-
mates that the Indian priests are
shrewd enough to know when rain is
coming or likely. Preparatory to the
snake dance there is a nine days cere-
mony, the first three of which are
devoted to publication and prayer by
the priests shut up in their kiva. On
the fourth day the rattle snakes are
collected from the north, on the fifth
day from the west and so on. On the
eighth day the Antelope priests dance
and I'm the ninth just rs the sun is
setting and the dance court in shadow
the snake dance takes place.
Some have never believed that these
reptiles used were regular biting rat
tiers, but Mr.. Lungren says this is
really true. AS they are brought in
on the several days they are placed in
the kisi or snake house, from which
they are not taken until the dance
begins.
The Antelope priests begin the cere-
monies by stalking in grandly. They
control all the dances, and the relig-
ious insignia, called Pabos, must be
received from them. After them come
the snake MEN, two and two, one with
his left arm around the neck of the
other They circle the court and in
passing the snake house the led one
seizes snake, which he calls his elder
brother, places it in his mouth and
Immediately IS supposed to become
blind. The other leaning on and lead
ing him attracts the snakes attention
by gently waving a sacred wand Of two
eagle feathers before its face prevent
ing 1t from striking. After the circuit
Of the court the snakes are thrown in
to the court and the snake men return
to the zisi for more. After the pro
cession follows a gatherer who grab
the reptiles as they are thrown aside
and piles them in the center of th'
court. They are then sprinkled will
sacred meal and the snakes grabbed
up and restored to their native vegi
or meadow at the foot of the high rocl
on which Walpi stands. Although
over 90 rattlesnakes we're used tbi
year no one was bitten
Mr. Lungren describes hlmsel
- Y