New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
THE MOGI SNAKE DANCE.
A WEIRD AND HORRIBLE CEREMONY
CARRIED ON BY ARIZONA INDIANS.
vENoMoUs RATTLEsNAKEs HELD IN THE MOUTHS
OF PRIESTS WHILE THE HORRIBLE CERE-

Are report has been received the Bureau of Eth
winch incluGrd the TWO towns OF the Mokl Indians
ag ana he seG4on wnee IN the latter part OF
me Werdest' most erewsome and altogether horri-
14 3 c6S e Of any people OF country
Those who have Witnessed the dance say that the
m9nies In which the reptiles were included came
months SheT mGs ysion for weeks aye
themselves about the figures of the partly naked
Tight and lief! like the mustaches Of lends or the
n mnatsn own rn imps hissine and rafting vainy in
WIN a Gtescendo TO the highest pitch Of frenzy,
NJ INC nIaa Eet loatnsome gliding and swayng
~ es's taxing part present spectacle which
r The ordinary spectator at the wapl snake dance
a anS as 0d did "f SGgn did not have he
nine days ceremonial Only two days are in any
Way Pubic The rest Is as sacred the proceed
Mokos has been initiated Yf nto ths Nts S
with GhT 5e I mensers IN
ne ne h Was thus admitted into all the business
priest, as well an Antelope" Professor Fewkes
asked the snake chief whom he called brother and
IN ne NV wn1es who have been acknowledged brethren
ko-PeLi the priest. hesi,ated, and hung his head
for for an moment He then looked Professo7 Fewkes
tes Ns-kivi,PlI he answered addressing the pro-
cr. ny MS indian name. you are white The
Being white there are e" some HeF b hGnr is inc Sc
i,nnatSn into the snake brotherhood you would not
| learn more" O'
A RELIGIOUS CEREMONY.
The snake dance" Professor Fewkes said TO
mony intended to propitiate the gods so that the
growth OF the corn will be fastened. and the main
pens abou, the middle of August, Mokios claim
hfS the the snakes are elder 6T9hcT and treat them
diton that In olden times there was a snake woman
her home to his people and 10 m 5aPe
them reconciled TO her Everything went well
Of nd Bit Wf hs Ghe h mao un n9i
the whole family was forced 10 migrate from the
rest of the tribe. They founded the two towns
which the Mokios now inhabit. The subsequent
children OF the pair were human and were tho
| claim relationship with the snakes. When they
trGgEn wh 5sS r IN Wn Se the
prayer repeated TO- them 10 make the gods give
Sr0 Ga Ss' before WHAT IS as the snake
washing takes place. the snakes are hunted-the
s GH from IRON ns ouh and on the ' ohoT days
from the east and west all the snakes found IN IN
these directions being captured. These are placed
This snake washing is the weirdest part Of
| the ceremony. II takes part in what IS known as
! the kiva chamber underneath the plaza OF the
i've feet in extent, The snakes, they arc gath
! cred and put in the Jars are placed In this kiva
2n ndns 29 from by hS Tay Is o y Re Plaza S
| kiva contains fireplace In tho middle OF the
| Jars are placed in the east end. Near them stand
| the priests at side Of the room stand others
bers Of the snake order and Antelope order who
simply watch the proceedings ABOUT ni' Xy.V,'
snake washing These were dG b baG wo 6e 1t
red wit with iron oxide Each wore little feather
his hair Each q me . ;n9 6go men h Sh , TP
eagle feathers tied 10 H. This was used TO beat
| back the snakes and distract their attention
II saw a boy not more than ten years old run
| pIrc IN he "A
mouth the snake being so large that ~ eragge1 on
had Just been initiated in the snake order oii'e N
by one Of tho reptiles Iie was getting .seu "a, -
III him in tho forennger This litie fellow T TSs
not more than hye years Oh d nre was no, one OF
| the poisonous kind. The ch!ld whimpcred IttIeI
his as .pG ssr EG no 10 SoWed fo be
spoken during the proceedings in the k'Va-
BEGINNING THE CEREMONY.
"rhe ceremonies were begun with 10" chant:
All The sqIattgd men held TU 9p their Whips Nth
The eagle feathers ana kept time, ~ cdPynfing
| gently upon the tops Of the jars, and suddenly
dashed their hands down in them a. the sna Yo
| ulne The men passed the snakes TO the otheII
near ne Eddis G Inc TG som. !" ddcoc ion
! These priests took snakes. holding them IN thSiI
ISIS Win the hea@T Vim PG nm shakes "neanwhe
| the chant Was sung. II raised hshcr anu I'sHvTl
until it resembled a. ver,able war-cry AZ ms ~
| txater then threw them across the room on Inc
al ar was covered with sand. II the snakes fch
as they thrown on the al'ar as wouIu rpr ,,,
| times happen they would dart over 20 the group
| Of squattcd men but were beaten back Win ,he
vvhins and their attention disrac ed by having NC
srie fcaibers dangling before them. II ono would
| coil H.. would be beaten out or IL by the WhlP u- =
he would Fet ck oS tbc necE The indians handled
| them with extreme carelessness sohe'lh'' % !"
,sbe oDeration was repeated until the snakes lay
IN squrmng mass on ne altat ,ogetSer With
| hunch Of snakes and the whole SURROUNDINGS, mace
It appear ve:ahie PIT OF demons dn the s9utH side
There were about ninety snakes a.togetner y ma
Ury :, how the priests kept from being bitten
| They were apparently careless WIN III" ieP''''''
oGl r Ms WANING occurred at noon OF the ninth day
The MOkios very careful wren thcy emu W. ~
these ceremonies to be perfectly clean ma 'i,S ne
snake washing follows as matter Of course as
the reptiles are included IN IL, t,o,b has been
constriicted in the centre Of The plaza WhGn wy
washing finished the snah@s were plaGga t me
bag and put in this The remaining tint u',ut .te
iast OF the ceremonies was spent by ne PI.rsc
s ana tbe nSt rltc which began about O'Clock ~
!9e mSaP hing P around four n !Hi m Ps@a
lining up in a platoon with the booth N m cfhu
An1e9pe ges not i hnmPdnf Re make they
do all the singing After tncg mao ma ,aren "a
mention that IN front OF The booth IS IQg 81
wood in the ground tbs had noe ~ hc
through which communication II suPp99tvu 10 oe
made with the under world AS me muia"s psbS s
this they stamp the log, ostenslbly 10 lei me
gods know that they going on with tho cefe-
monies.
THE SNAKE PRIESTS FILE IN.
THE snake priests fled in and marched -four
times around The booth stamping on the log as
tho Anteopes had. finally forming "A parallel
mia toon with the other. The Anteopes began sing
Ing and the snake priests and members divided In Q
trios one is called carrier. one a hugeer. and
ono a Ratherer - -, . A.,
There Is a man In the booth that hands out the
Tho hugger puts his arm around his neck as the
ca rrier places the snake In his mouth, holding IT
| ,rar The neck 80 that Il cannot bite him easily
II The snake gets obstrcperouS the hugger bea
n with the snake whip he carries in his hand
! round the others neck. The gatherer follows be-
| lind 10 pick UP any snake that may drop.