Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-08-29

gems was the controlling order of theiI
lfa:In. On his arrival, however he as
certained that the Antelope gems was
the dominating power in the tribe, and
being given the opportunity he chose
to take the secret work of that order
frs, Trusting to future fortune to re-
ceiDe the Snake gems. In this connec-
tLon there is no more fitting place to
remark that these two gems being the
chief orders IN the tribe have a great
deal in common, and though distinct
in their membership certain cere-
monials are performed in conjunction
as in the public snake dance. The two
orders, for ILLUSTRATION, bear a similar
relationship to each other as that ex-
listing between a Blue Lodge and the
Royal Arch Chapter of Masonry.
| The ruling officer of the Antelope
/ gems is an aged chief, very deaf and
/ we'll along toward the day when he
win be gathered to his fathers. He
! bears the euphonious title of Wiki,
/ the letter 81 being pronounced like
1 the letter 'te'' in English, the same as
! in the Spanish language Wiki is by
/ biIth member Of the Snake gems
] Another popularity in the tribal Gus
| TOMS is that no man can marry in the
same gems to which he belongs, and
| the children of the marriage al: belong
/ to the genS of the mother. The secret
orders of the different gems are care
fully guarded so, that The mem
hers of each may know nothing of the
| councils Of the other. They are es-
pecially guarded from the white man.
not so much for the fear Of the white
mans use of the information for their
own purposes as Tor fear the white
men will divulge their informsEiOn to
native nDsmbers of the other gems, thus
disorganfzing tribal relations.
The lodge room in the Moqui tongue
is called ''Kiva-' Each gems has it's
kfva and the Snake chief and Wiki.
who is by birth a Snake. are the only
two of that gems who have access to
the Antelope kiva.
DR.. Miller feels considerably hon
ored by his admission into the Ante
lope order, as he is only the seventh
white man who has been thus Favored,
and some of his predecessors are now
dead. In due time he hopes to be also
admitted to the Snake kiva During
the ceremonials of the AntelOpes he
was christened Ie-Mok-Ko-Hi, which
being interpreted means good fiee"
or 1.-The cheer and comfort of a good
fire" and the title was bestowed on
account Of his many hindnesses to
them in the past. Another restriction
placed On the relationship of the gems
is bhs. member of the Antelope kiva
can never become chief of the Snake
gems, though he may become a priest
of that order.
Though the doctor is bound by SOL
emn oaths not to give away the Sc
crets Of his kiva, he gives some val-
liable and interesting points relative
to 'sheir customs that are not neces-
sarily OF u secret nature. For instance,
their secret work and their religious
theories are founded on astronomical
deductions, OF which more will be said
later. Their lodge room is constructed
IN conformity with the cardinal points
of the compass as Teligiously as is tha
lodge room of the Masons, with this
difference. Owing to the fact that
they take their observations in the
summer time when the sun is farthest
meth, their north is 80 degrees west of !
north are calculated by white man.
Their tradition also is that the race
came from the under world |
and emerged Through a hole in the !
ground. which is believed to be in the !
Grand canyon of the Colorado. Their !
lodge room therefore is north and !
south, and nOI'-h is to them what the |
east is to a Mason.
The northeast of the cardinal points !
is always left open, tne idea hing |
that the path Of life is from the south
west to the northeast and that after /
death the spirit passes cut in tina di-
1action. Baptism, conservation, etc., |
are but miDe-pcsts along the road of |
those who tfollcrw faithfully this royal |
path CT Fife.
Their Story Cf the creation is aim
liar to that of the white man. God !
had a son who is called Esaw-uh. who |
killed a virgin and the body of the |
virgin lay four days in the grave. In
line with this tradition their pottery
and decorative work very frequently is
by four parallel lines sym
boTical CT this eyert. AS to the crea-
ton of material things, while God was
thus engaged His Son told Him to
scatter all to the four winds of heaven,
which suggestion being acted upon, the
seeds, grasses, flowers, etc, were
scattered promiscuously over the
earth and sven the heavenly bodies
were distributed throughout the firma
ment, seemingly with lack Of order or
pian.
The. Snake ceremonies are, c0nCisely
stated, a series of prayers for general
including special requests
for an ample supply OF rain and an m
crease eff population as well as an in
crease of wealth. Though they may
appear to be and in many respects are
an igno. ar'1 race lit is nevertheless
proved beyond peradventure that they
have a considerable knowledge of as
tron0my or astrology. Tbs is the
more remarkable when it is remem-
5ered that they hive no instruments
with which TO aid them in the inter
OF the stories OF the stars.
The Snake ceremoniaIs do not begin on !
the sama day each year, but She date
is fixed annually by en- Astronomical
deduction in which figures the rela-
tionshfp between Orion, Pleiades and
the Milky Way. This is fact that
has not been noted by previous in
x,oc.Ai on tOr- T1Ic,- Uvhaf this reIr9fjnn-