The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-28
A PUEBLO RABBIT HUNT.
Curious Preparations for It-How II
Is COnducted-An Accompanying
Legend.

Curious Preparations for It-HOw II
Legend.
From the New York Post.
Albuquerque, N. M..--The Pueblo In
dams Of New Mexico have an annual rab-
bit hunt which is a great event with them.
1t takes place with the appearance of the
new moon in September. A sacred dance
precedes the hunt, for with the Pueblo
Indian dancing is a form OF worship as
well as a form of amusement.
The ceremonies of the annual rabbit
drive are conducted by the shaman (medi-
cine mani of the village. Under his direc-
ton prayer plumes are planted around the
village on the day preceding the hunt.
These prayers" are sticks, notched at
one end, about a foot in length, with a
tuft Of feathers tied on with corn shred.
Only feathers of the brightest plumage
are used, as those Of the woodpecker, blue
bird or red bird, Black feathers are con-
sldered to bring bad luck The feathers
of a blackbird or of a raven are Of i'll omen
and If found in the possession OF any one
he would be taken from the village and
beaten to death as a witch. These pray
ers" are planted at intervals Of about
fifty feet in every direction for about a
mile from the village. The distributors
of them are first sprinkled by the shaman
with sacred cornmeal. The prayers are
first planted to the east. and then to the
north, south and west, and the myriads
Of plumes seen on a plain, give a pictu-
rescue appearance, something like a field
of vari-colored flowers, or a garden in
bloom.
In front of every Pueblo village. facing
e.. Az e-1k
stone structure with two chambers. The
shrine is topped with a smooth stone. Into
these chambers and around the shrine
are thrown the skulls and bones OF rab-
bits killed at the hunt. At the next an
nual drive new bones are placed at the
shrine Each Indian engaging in the hunt
is supposed to take from the shrine q
charm in the shape Of a bone Of one of the
rabbits, but in reality he has carved from
stone a fetch resembling that part Of
the ra bbit which strikes his fancy. This is
supposed to give him luck in the drive.
Bundles of prayer plumes, inclosed In
sacred corn-husks. are placed in the
shrine, and when the ceremonial of each
Indian hunter taking his peculiar charm
has ended, the shrine is closed until the
next annual drive.
Each hunter places his charm around
his neck and then they all repair to the
estufa (church) for their worship dance.
The Indian believes that this fetch gives
him the cunning and swiftness that the
rabbit possesses. After all have squatted
upon the floor, the shaman gives to each
q sacred cigarette, made Of native tobac-
co. and rolled in corn-husk. All smoke
in silence. This is supposed to blind the
red eyes OF the rabbit so that his cap
ture may be assured. When all have fin-
ished, the shaman grunts, and then pitches
a tune in which all join. Strangely, there
oil
the Pueblo Indians, and as every one sings
in nearly the same strain. their music Is
discordant-if IL may be ckssed as mu-
sic.
About SHUTDOWN, while the hunters are en-
gagged In the preliminaries, the alguacil
(high sheriff Of the VILLAGE goes through
the narrow and crooked streets shouting
in a nasal tone that the hunt will take
place the next morning; that the shaman
will lead. that he has selected twenty
braves for the hunt, mentioning their
names. and that the rabbit-hunt dance Will