Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-08
MOQUl SNAKE DANCE.
The Festivities and Ceremonies AS
Described by distinguished
Visitor.

day, August 81, thus describes the tri
and the Indian festivities on that occ
sion:
I'm company with Mr.. Lorenzo Hui
bell and family 1 reached the mesa G
which the Moqui villages are located G
Wednesday, the 18th, and assembled by a
easy trail to the gap Immediately mort
of the village of Tewa. The three vi
lagos differ but little in architecture
Walpi being the largest, most ancier
and best protected from attack, as it
located on the southern end of the rock
peninsular which at it's broadcast part !
about 300 feet across. Walpi is ar
preached over a narrow pathway littl
over ten feet in width, with a sheer fall O.
each side of several hundred feet.
"After noticing the preparations TO
the snake dance, spent the day in seek
ing accommodations and visiting friends
On Thursday we drove to the secon,
mesa, which also contains three villages
more picturesquely situated and NOR
complete as specimens of pueblo architec
ture. That night little bands of Navaioe
were heard singing as they assembled tn
slope to the mesa to attend the dance
On Friday morning the proceedings be
gan by foot race by the menu ers of tn
Antelope priesthood. At daylight, six O.
eight of the younger of the Antelope,
came at full speed from spring on tn,
east of the mesa and assembled to thei
kiva on top of the hill. There had beer
no notice of this race given out, and tn.
runners passed on and were scarcely
seen.
"Near shutdown took place the Antelope
dance, which in many features is repeated
In the Snake dance. A row of 10 Antelo DC
priests, ranging from Wiki, the high
priest almost tottering to the grave, to
children of about 8 years, are painted
curiously and attired in shoulder and
waist ornaments, decorated with feathers,
leaving an impression of Wilderness; the
Snake priests, 20 in number, are also
strikingy painted and dressed, but leay-
ing an impression of BROWNIES. Dur.
ing this dance the weird singing and the
rattle Of the corn stalk basins, made a
queer music which one would expect
sooner or later to be used as a basis of a
truly American opera.
"At sunrise Saturday morning the foot
race of the Snakes took place. At that
time the Wapli maidens in bright Co.'S
tunes were seen descending the paths to
await the coming of the racers, but it
soon became evident that there was no
certainty as to which trail would be used
by the runners, for at last when the loud
cry, They are coming was heard, and
far away in the valley could be seen the
minute, dusky forms of the men, these
girls rushed to the south end of the mesa
to receive the offerings of cornstalks
with tassles, but without ears, which the
runners had brought from Weepo, the
well of plenty. Six miles up the valley
they had started at the moment the sun
appeared in a notch in the mesa ten
miles to the east. 1t became very exoit-
ing as all went to the point and won
dered when the first breathless oompet
ltor would reach the platform, which
would give him the right to attach his
feathers to the sacred altar. The path
was worn deep by the tread of countless
feet, so that when he finally appeared
his bronzed form, almost entirely nude,
seemed to fill the narrow passage way
10 the astonishment of all, beyond a lit
tie perspiration, this man who had raced
at full speed for six miles and rushed at
almost the same speed up 600 feet to the
Top of the mesa, showed no radical dis
'urbance of breathing or trace of exhaus
ton. The other runners came in one bv
one, most of them very visibly fatipued.
lhere were some scenes in this race which
we're almost pathetic. Little boys, who
ooked forward to the day when they
night join in this great contest of speed,
lad gone to the foot of the mesa to race
Up the hill with the men. Poor, little
elbows! A dozen mothers watched for
hem at the top, and one, who saw her S
'ear old boy todding under the weight
# two stripes of white paint, snatohed
lin to her arms and would let him 90 no
urther, much to his disgust.
about O'Clock in the afternoon we
Vent to the plaza to take places for the |
'reat dance. The first thing done was to |
rect the becky, or kisi, the sacred grove |
which the snakes were to await the |
ceremonial. After the preliminary ar.
angements were completed priest ap-
cared bearing lage sack containing
he snakes, which were plainly to be seen
rithing in their confinement. This sack
as deposited behind the veil of the XVI,
nd the official whose business it was TO
and out the snakes entered; then came
le women bearing bowls of sacred meal
hich is used to sprinkle the snakes aud1
ancers. This procession was followed
Wiki, carrying a bowl and brush with
hlch, from time to time he sprinkled
lose around him. The dress worn was
m'lar to that of the day before, The
'st OF the dancers to arrive in the space
tt for them we're the Antelopes, who,
ter taking their places, were followed
the Snakes. These took up their DO
tion facing the Antelopes, tho two lines
ling just far enough apart to allow of
Q passage of Wiki, who plentifully
'rinkled the dancers as he passed up and
'wn three times.
"Then began the terrifying rite which
mpeils the men to take from the bag a |
AXE, which may mean death, at least
at is the way it seemed, to the onlooker
10 has not the profound belief in the
tidote which ia said to have been adj
Mustered. One by one they approach
kisi. The order of the dance was then
follows:
THE single line breaks up. For Sec
d confusion reigns until it is seen that
new order has been established. The
axe priests are now in pairs. On the
: is the man who will take the reptile
his mouth, on the right the attendant
70, with wand terminating in two
gle feathers, will stroke it and divert
deadly fangs from its bearer. The
Ut pair step to the kisi, the bag is
ened and huge head appears. II is
~ bull snake, but four feet long and
. and halt inches in diameter. Grasp
! it firmly in the mouth, the priest and
attendant pass on. The next one
10 an unmistakable RATHER, then in no y
Ter come out from the bag rattle- a
,kes. horned rattlers. hnll and whi,