Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-12-17

societies for women alone, and for meT
and wo1nen jointly. Even in this Ell
lightened day it must be confessed that
the best informed persons do not yet
know the anne of all the various So
cieties of the Pueblos, much less all rEe
rites and ceremonies held under their
direction.
THE DANCES.
1t is to two of these secret societies
or fraternities-the Snake and the An
telope-that we wv hat marvellous re-
ligious rite. the snake dance. Anoth,r
ceremony is the "Lelentu,' or flute
dance, performed by the same fraterni.
ties. But a beautiful ceremony seen y
few white men Is the public perfortn-
ance of a basket dance by a woman 5
organization known as the "Lalakonti."
The seven villages of the Hopi, as is
well known, are in northern Arizona
These people are often called the Mokii,
owing to a misrepresentation. In five Of
the seven pueblos, or towns, this La
akonti' ceremony nay be observed. 1t
is the open air public conclusion of nine
days of secret observances, all of which,
have taken place before the altar in the
underground secret "kiva."
THE BASKET DANCE.
From this altar it is comparatively
easy to read what this ceremony is for.
The altar contains little besides rain
cloud symbols and things connecta 1
Herewith. The three birds seen around
the head of the large figure are III !
mythical thunder birds, who make the
thunder which is always connected
with the rain. On either side of the top
most bird and above the lower ones tho
zigzag of the lightning is seen, AMI
these lightning symbols are attached tn
the upper rain-cloud symbols. Under
the armpits of the figure rain clouds
and descending rain are both symbol
lied, while on the ground are fetichcs
and pipes fof producing the great
smoke, which is the visible symbol IF
the rain cloud.
PRAYERS FOR RAIN.
The ceremonies that take place befola
this altar may be said to be prayers .or
rain. On the ninth day the dance IL
performed several times, beginning
early in the morning and being repeat
ed at intervals throughout the day. LA1
by the chief priestesses, the women
march in line from their sacred under.
ground chamber or "kiva.' From their
headdresses, or the manner of doing UP
their hair, is shown that there are mar.
ried women, maidens and young girls.
All alike are clothed in ceremonial
blankets, much coveted by collector,
made of white cotton, with beautiful
red borders. 1t is apparent that the
dancers all feel they must make the
best possible appearance on this occa-
sion, for they veal all the earrings of
turquois mosaic, bracelets and finger
rings of silver, and necklaces of wan.
pun, turquois or silver they are the
possessors of or can borrow from ac.
c~ommodating friends.
IN HOLIDAY DRESS.
As they approach the dancing place a
circle is formed, and then very softly
and sweetly a peculiar song is sung
sometimes so gently that the listener
a scarcely hear it, and again swelling
out into a fair volume. 1t should ha II
been noted that as the women marched
into the dance plaza each carried 2
beautiful basket, a large flat plaque
made Of willow, the skeins of which are
brilliantly colored in many different
hues, and then woven into geometricll
and symbolic designs that are both nov.
ell and striking.
A PRETTY SIGHT.
Now, as they begin to sing, they ra.sa
these baskets, rythmicaHy but not sim
ultaneously, first to the left breast, then
to the other, then to the level Of the
hips, at the same time bowling easily
and gracefully in time with the so ".
1t is a pretty sight. The beautiful I'd
bordered white blankets, the glistening
of the silver ornaments, the brill .nntly
colored baskets, the rhythmic, st4r,.y
movement, all combine to MAKE y
charming scene. While this is going on
another scene is presented in an'the!
portion of the dance plaza. An impc.
tant part Of the ceremony to the 'arGe
groups of spectators who crowd the
housetops and every point of vantage
in the plaza is the distributing OF the
,1,o.o~<c c',oco ~anavollxy - nc I,1 el-t lie
which nave been made for the purpose,
the possession Of which is greatly ~
eft; d. For not only does the possessor
OF the basket gain the object it srif, but
he is supposed to be the recipient of all
the blessings prayed for from those
above by its devout maker.
A STRANGE RITUAL.
Before the presents are distributed,
however, the maids who perform this
service must be enthusiastically prepared
for their work by the 'lakone TAXA" or
| priest, or leader, the only man allowed
to take part in the ceremony. Followed
by the "lakone MANA" or maids, the
| priest advances into the dance plaza,
| He wears a bundle of feathers on his
head and carries a basket of ''hodden-
tim or sacred meal in his hands. Draw
ing certain figures on the ground with
this meal, the maids line up at a little
distance and throw corncobs, to which
prayer feathers ''babos" have been at
tached, upon these meal figures, The
priest picks them up. places them in a
row on the figures, and then the girls
advance toward him. He hands back
to them the cobs they threw, and then