Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-20

I Els.
Indians handled them with extreme care
lessness. sometimes as If they had been
mere ribbons.
The opei alton was repeated until the
snakes lay sQuirmirg mass on the altar.
The light reflected On the faces of the In
dans. together with the bunch of snakes
and the whole surroundings made it APP
pear veritabie pit of demons. / occupied
"a position among the priests on the south
east side. There were about ninety snakes
altogether, majority of them being rattle
snakes. 1t was hard to understand how
the priests kept from being bitten. They
were apparently careless with the reptiles,
pul tney knew how to handle them.
This washing occurred at noon of the
iinth day. The Mokis are very careful
Wnen they enter upon these ceremonies to
De periectiy clean. and the snake washing
follows as matter of course, as the rep
tiles are included in it,
IN the meantime cottonwood booth
mad been constructed in the center of the
p.aza. Wnen the washing was finished. the
snakes were placed In a bag and put in this
the remaining time until the last ceremon-
les was spent by the priest and members
or the order In attiring themselves for the
last rite. which began about q o'clock. At
mat time the Indians appeared in the
plaza. the Antelope order marching around
Tour times, finally lining up in a platoon
with the booth in the center. The Apteiope
priests simply formed the chorus of the
proceedings. not handling the snakes They
40 all the singing. After they had lined
themselves up the snake priests came in
l forgot to mention that in front of the
Dooth Is log OF wood set in the ground
Ihis had a hole in 1T, through which a com
munication is supposed to be made with the
under world. AS the Indians pass this they
stamp on the log. ostensibly to let the gods
KNOW that they are going on with the cere-
monies.
The Snake Dance Proper
The snake priests filed in and marched
TOUR times around the booth, stamping on
the log as the Antelcpes had done, finally
forming a parallel platoon with the latter
Inc Antelopes began singing and the snake
priests and members divided into tr.,s One
!. cateu carrier, one 'hugger' and the
other gatherer'
there is n man in the booth who hands
out the snakes. The carrier approaches it
ana is given one. The hueger puts his arm
AROUND MS neck, as the carrier places the
SNAKE IN his mouth, holding it near the
neck, so that it cannot bite him easily IF
the snake gets too obsteperous the hugyer
heats 1t with the snake whip ne carries in
ms hand, around the others neck The
snake that may drop.
AS the singing increased the excitement
grew intense. sometimes the priest having
tnree or four snakes in his mouth at one
ecstasy
religious enthusiasm. My friend the chief
snake priest. had q little snake less than
six inches long, which he had found him
Self. He put the tail end of the snake In
ms mouth and the head part was sticking
out like cigar, as he pranced up and down
In time to the singing.
Conclusion of the Ceremonial.
Zone of the priests took a handful NJ the
sacred meal and made a little circle with If
on the plaza, in which the snakes are all
bundled Another priest addressed a prayer
tc tnem, which is supposed to be an admo-
milton to the snakes to tell the gods to send
rain ahd make the corn crop good The
canoe ended by the priests and members of
the order graSping the snakes and running
with them to the four points of the COM
pass from where they were captured They
are then released, ard the snake dance is
over"
Prof. Fewkes saw the ceremonies also at
the town or Mishoncvi,wnich is about seven
miles from Walpi. These ceremonies were
more contracted than those of the latter
place.
Prof. Fewkes told a Star reporter of the
manner in which he was initiated into the
order OF Antelope. Having signified his in
tention of becoming member and his ap-
plication having been accepted, he chose IAN
Older member as godfather. The next pro-
cccding was TO take q handful of sacred
meal, prepared by certain person of the
tribe, when prayers were said. The next
step is to go down into the kiva, and put
it in the hand of the chosen man. The
meal Is taken from a basket on the altar
and sprnkled over the fetiches on it A
prayer is repeated, the import of which is
that the candidate is pure of heart and will
keep all secrets. The new member remains
in the kiva until Eoon, having gone in in
the morning.
The chief ties little eagle feather from
the breast of the bird on the candidates
head. and gives him an ear of corn, called
nis ''m3,her." Then q little string is
handed him, with a feather attached. hen
the new member, Cncer the direction Of his
godfather, has to run 20 shrine a mile
away from the city. This is rock inclos-
ure, and the feathers placed in it are sup
posed to be prayers. The candidate re-
turns, and is then carried TO the louise of
the oldest woman in the tribe, to which
the godfather belongs. She has prepared a
bowl with water ard suds, made of yucca.
She battles the head of the new person in
this, and when he rises up he is given a
name.
Prof. Fewkes was given the name of
Na-kivi-Pi meaning medicine bowl, on ac-
count of the many questions which lie FRO
pounded regarding the ceremony, in which
the bowl formed a leading feature. He was
next given a handful of meal. when the re-
turn trip was made to the kiva, and he was
told a certain prayer to repeat, during
which he sprinkled handful of meal On
the altar. In this manner he became a
priest of the order, and was admitted into
full membership of that order, and was
permitted to watch the ceremonies or the
snake order.
The Monks are a most peaceful tribe,
Prof Fewkes said, having followed agri-
cultural pursuits for many years, raising
corn when they were first discovered, about
1870 They have never received any ratioIs
from the government, and at the present
time have enough corn IN their store
houses to last them for two years.
ALARMED ABOUT SAGASTA.