The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-29

the spectators.
1.-The fourth act. after a quarter-hour's
intermission, was preceded by strange cries
from the hatchway. Dow the ladder came
a nan in a shabby mask covered with
vertical zigzag lines and bearing a heavy
bundle on his back. He pretended to slip
at each rung on the ladder, but ultimately
reached the floor without accident From
his bundle he produced a meal-grinding
stone. which he arranged upon the floor
before the fireplace. He took his seat at
the side while another man descended in
the same manner and placed a second
stone beside the first. Two masked girls
in white blankets followed. Facing the
fire they knelt at the stones in the posture
of grinding. After them entered a chorus
of masked men. who took places at the
rear and sang as they moved in a solemn
dance. The girls rubbed their mealing-
stones back and forth, in cadence with
the song. Then some of the masked men,
kneeling, held an animated conversation
with the fire tenders concerning the skill
of the girls, and from to time time crossed
the room tc put pinches of the meal in the
mouths of the fire tenders and audience.
The girls rose, danced, p~ostured their
bodies and extended first one and then the
OlitI " luth hdllu0, III wiz my N
corn ears.
NUDE ACTORS.
THE fifth act began with the descent
into the chamber of a procession of masked
men. As they entered with their stage
properties, the firetenders again shielded
the light. At the given signal, when the
blankets were dropped, the fire shown upon
upon another imitation corn field. similar
to that seen in the first act. In the back
ground screen were now but two round
flaps decorated with sun emblems. Turkey
feathers lined these openings and radiated
from them like rays of the rising sun.
This screen was held in place by two
naked men wearing upon their heads close
ly-fitting cloth bags. having two bullying
k~nobS-with a hole in each-for eyes and a
similar knob for a snout. Other nude men,
similarly masked, stood before the scenery.
All of these naked creatures were known
as 'mudheads. Those in front of the
screen soon commenced a vigorous dance,
accompanied by roars from behind. Soon
the flaps of the circular openings lifted to
admit two hideous snake figures, larger
than those seen in the first act. but SINH
larly constructed. They thrust their heads
forward, exposing several feet OF their
bodies; darted back and forth, swayed
from side to side, bit v%iciously now at the
audience, then at each other. All this
while deep roars, supposed to be their
voices, resounded from behind the screen.
They again demolished the imitation field
of corn. A naked 'mudhead' stepped for
ward, grasped one serpent by the head
and wresteld with the monster, which ul-
timately sent him sprawling upon the
floor. A second 'mudhead' came forward
to conquer the serpent, but was similarly
thrown. A youthful 'mudhead' then
mounted the great snake and rode astride
its neck. Finally the serpents contracted
their bodies and withdraw their heads
from the flaps and the scenery. The act
then ended amid a prolonged roar behind
the screen. The fire was again darkened,
while the paraphernalia of the actors was
packed up and removed.
When the light was uncovered at the be-
ginning of the sixth and last act it re-
vealed two vases surrounded by a semi
circle of squatting 'mudheads.' In the fore
ground stood a third miniature field Of
corn. The 'mudheads' commenced to sing,
and suddenly four semi-circular flaps cover
ing the Orifice of each vase were seen to
turn back automatically. Out of the two
vases slowly emerged two additional SER
ptHI HSuTeS, moved by nlQden strings,
brought over the rafters of the chamber
Thus were the efigies made to move back
ward and forward, rise and fall, or APP
proach each other. Their heads were
drawn to the floor and made to overturn
the corn hills as in the first and fifth acts.
They struggled with each other and per-
formed various gyrations. Their perform
ance was very realistic. In the dim light
1 of the Rho mhnr tho ofrinno 49, -.:-.Lr
The serpents appeared to voluntarily rise
from their vases. The men who manipu-
lated the strings skillfully concealed their
motions. 1 suspect that some of the strings
were fastened to rattles used by the sur
rounding 'mudheads.' At the conclusion of
the act the big snakes sank into their vases
and the song of the grotesque chorus
ceased. The paraphernalia were hidden in
blankets and carried to another of the
nine subterranean chambers in the mesa.
THE HIDING OF THE PROPERTIES.
Thus, while we were witnessing these
exhibitions in the one chamber, the six sets
of actors passed in turn from one chamber
TO another, repeating their performance
nine times in the course Of the night. The
show could thus be witnessed by all Of the
five hundred Hopis comprising the popula-
ton of the three adjoining pueblos. 1t Is
safe to say that all of the people on the
mesa saw the show at one place or an
other.
"At midnight, when those in authority
closed the primitive theaters. the serpent
figures were disjointed, carried to hidden
crypts in the houses Of the actors. placed
in jars and therein sealed tight with clay.
Thus concealed from sight. they must lie
hidden until the time allotted for the next
annual performance.
The heads of the serpent efigies are
made Of gourds and painted. Their google
eyes are small buckskin bags. Their teeth
are cut in and are painted red. The tongues
are red leather straps. Their bodies are
series Of hoops, over which is stretched
cotton cloth. painted black on top and
white underneath, with a red stripe at the
dividing line. Through the hoops runs a
central stick. by which the figure is ma
nipulated from behind the screen.
PRESTIDIGITATION.
Some years there are nine acts. In one
a man seen struggling with a huge SER
pent effigy, which entwines itself about
his body and neck, really has one OF his
arms inside the serpent. He deceives the
spectators by wearing a false arm attached
TO his shoulder. In some years the actors