Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-10-18
A RABBIT DRIVE
AMONG THE PUEBLO INDIANS
OF NEW MEXICO.
An Annual Event Which, Is Preceded
by Curious Preparations,
Including u "Sacrcd
Dance"
YHHE Pueblo Indians of New
Mexico have an annual rab-
z I. I. 4

$500 Aho nPPouiuuCo VI tu6 u6W moon
in September. A sacred dance pre-
cedes the hunt, for with the Pueblo
Indian dancing is form of worship
as we'll rs on amusement.
The ceremonies of the annual rab.
bit drive are conducted by the shaman
lmedioine many of the village. Under
his direction prayer plumes are planted
around tho village on the day pre-
ceding the hunt. These "prayers"
are sticks, notched at one end, about
a foot in length, with tuft of feath
ers tied on with corn shred. Only
feathers OF the brightest plumage are
used, as those of the woodpecker,
blue-bird or red-bira. Black feathers
are considered to bring bad luck. The
feathers of n Dlackbird or of raven
are OF i'll omen, and if found in the
possession of any ono he would be
taken from tho village and beaten to
death as witch. These "prayers"
are planted at intervals of about fifty
feet in every direction for about q
mile from the village. The distribu-
tors of them are first sprinkled by the
shaman with sacred corn meal. The
prayers" are first planted to tho east,
and then to the north, south aud west,
and the myriads of plumes, seen on
plain, give picturesque appearance,
something like field of vari-colored
flowers, or garden in bloom.
In front of every Pueblo village,
facing to the cast, is shrine-a four
or five-foot stone structure with two
chambers. The Shrine is topped with
smooth stone. Into these chambers
and around the shrine are thrown the
skulls and bones OF rabbits killed Mt
the hunt. At tho next annual drive
new bones are placed Mt tho shrine.
Each Indian engaged in tho hunt is
supposed to take from the shrine
charm in the shape of bono of one
of the rabbits, but in reality he has
carved from stone fetch resembling
that part of the rabbit which strikes
his fancy This is supposed to give
hatn luck i'll the drive. Bundles of
prayer plumes, inclosed in tho sacrod
corn husks, are placed in the shrine,
and when the ceremonial of ench In-
dian hunter taking his peculiar charm
has ended, the shrine is closed until
sAAO hOAo hhhNut OilNC.
Each hunter places his charm
around his neck, and then they NIL ro-
pair to the estufa (church) for their
worship dance. The Indian believes
that this fetch gives him the cunning
and swiftness that the rabbit pos
sesses. After all have squatted upon
the floor, the shaman gives to each n
sacred cigarette, made of native to-
bacco, and rolled in corn husk. All
smoke in silence. This is supposed to
blind the red eyes of the rabbit SO that
his capture may be assured. When all
have finished the shaman grunts, and
then pitches tune in which nil join.
Strangely, there are no tenor or 60
prano voices among the Pueblo In
dians, and as every man sings in nearly
the same strain. their music is liscor-
dant-if it cnn be classed as music.
About shutdown, while the hunters
are engaged in the preliminaries, the
alguacil (high sheriff of the village)
goes through the narrow and crooked
streets shouting in nasal tone that
the hunt will take place the next IL orn.
ing that the shaman will lead, that
he has selected twenty braves for the
hunt. mentioning their names, and
that the rabbit hunt dance will now
begin everybody must come. What
ever effect the cigarette smoking and
the sacred singing may have had in
paralyzing the rabbits is certainly dis
pelleJ by the discordant yells OF this
town crier.
About dark the squaws build fire
near the door of the cstufa, and then
return to their huts- women not be {.
ing permitted to enter the sacred es-
tufa, nor witness the ceremonies. The
medicine man furnishes the spark for
the fire by briskly rubbing together
two sticks. This is considered sncred
fire; il furnished otherwise it would
be proclamation, and, besides, they
would not kill any rabbits The Pueb.
los believe that the sacred fire rests
in trees, and that it can be had only
in this manner.
At u signal from the shaman, which
is grunt, all rise and form in line
facing the cast-the shaman Mt the
head. He first splinkles tho floor with
corn meal, and then the men file before
him, each receiving sprinkling The
limo has now formed rs crescent,
opening TO the cast. The dance be-
gins with n song, which is supposed to
have the effect of SO charming the
rabbits that they cannot hear the APP
proaoh of the hunter on the morrow.
The dance is slow. promenade in sin
glesHle, with n hfppity hop step, and
the chanting is equally monotonous.
Two mon i'll front carry concave
gourds in their left hands, over which
they draw notched stick. Those who
, have heard the raspings of Chinese
fiddle can have some idea of this ex-
cruciating noise. The men are bare-
footed and barelcgged, wearing only
patchwork of rabbit skin around the
body. The breast is bare, with the
exception of a coat of red paint, de-
scribing the figures of rabbits. Dur
ing the height of the music ono of the
dancers jumps into the middle OF the
room with II "Ho Ho" He initiates
L