Mesa free press., 1898-01-07
THE SAY-LA-NA OF THE
MOO JUS. r

| :. Isf -
DR.. Fewkes of khe Smithsonian
Institute at Washington has just re-
turned from the Moqui villages, where
he bas attended the winter dances Of
the Moqui Indians. This dance or
ceremony Is called the Say-la ma, and
is the most complicated of all the re-
liglous ceremonies among the Moquis.
It continues for nine days including
preliminary preparations which are
quite interesting in themselves. But
space forbids as to go into details
and we will confne ourselves to the
/ main features of the principal cere-
mony. This one is Of great interest
to the student of the religious phe-
nomena amongst men as it is one OF
the few ceremonies still in existence
among the uncivilized tribes in which
the sun is directly the object OF wor-
ship. This dance takes place during
the winter solestice when the verticle
rays of the sun beat down upon che
Tropic Of Capricorn and the sun has
receded to it's farthesS limit in the
southern skies, it's object is primarily
to induce the sun to recede FROM its
southern march and retrace its steps
towards the north, to bring joy, and
warmth and returning harvests to the
Moquis, while the secondary object is
to extend peace offering to the Great
Plumed Snake, deity hostile to the
sun, in order that his wrath may be
appeased and cease to chase the sun
away from the Moquis, allowing it to
return to them from its flight to the
south.
The main dance took place at Wal
PAL on Dec. 20th, and on the 22nd at
Oriaba, It was held between ten and
twelve o'clock in the evening in one
secret rooms of the Khiva. A rude
altar had been constructed in one end
of the room, back of which was par
tition of wreaths and flowers through
which the head of an efigy vf the
plumed serpent protruded. This head
was about eighteen inches long and
about twelve inches in diameter, and
made from large gourd. The upper
| part of the head was stained black,
the lower part white, while the mouth
with a hideous exhibition of teeth,
was stained red, presented a repulsive
appearance in the extreme. Behind
the rude screen was an Indian whose
Office it was to impart to the head of
the reptile swaYing motion as IT the
reptile was imbued with life, and at
the same time a number of Indians
blew into hollow gourds, which emit
ted strange rushing sound to initiate
the noise made by the swift move
ments of a monster snake. In front
of the altar and the effigy of the snake
appeared warrior with shield on
which was represented embems OF the
sun. On each side of the room was a
row of warriors arrayed 10 represent
the minor deities antagonistic to the
! sun. These minor deities and the
plumed snake attacked the warrior
representing the sun, and battle
ensued in which the lone warrior
triumphed, beating back his enemies,
and thus enabling him to return to
return to the northto cheer the land
of the Moquis. The ceremony, oc-
curing in the dead of night and in
one of the underground rooms dimly
lighted by Pickering mesquite fire,
coupled with the weird performance
ans the hideous drama enacted, made
the ceremony impressive beyond de-
scription.
The next morning after the per-
formance, as the sun rises above the
eastern horizon and tips the western
hills with gold, the Indians offer up
their prayers and sprinkle holy meal
in its face, and by these simple acts
of devotion welcome it's return from
the southern skies, and with it, also,
the return OF Kachenos, the good