Evening star., 1901-09-21

the light. At the given signal, when the
blankets were dropped, the fire shown upon
another imitation HeornI field, similar to
that seen in the FIRST aact. In the back
ground screen were now but two round
flaps decorated with sun emblems. Tur-
ated from them like rays Of the rising sun.
This screen was held in place by two naked
men wearing upon their heads closely fit
ting cloth bags having two bulging knobs
with a hole in each-fSr eyes and a sim
iar knob for a snoutxi Other nude men.
similarly masked stood abefore the scenery.
All of these naked creatures were known
as 'mudheads' Those in front Of the screen
soon commenced a vigorous dance accom-
panied by roars from IIbehind Soon the
flaps of the circular Openings lifted to adj
nit two hideous snake figures larger than
those seen in the first act but similarly
constructed They thrust their heads for
ward, exposing several feet of their bodies:
darted back and forth. rswayed from side
to side, bit viciously now at the audience,
then at each other. All this while deep
roars, supposed to be their voices, resound-
ed from behind the screen They again de-
molished the imitation field of corn. A
naked 'mudhead' stepped forward, grasped
one serpent by the. head and wreStled
with the monster, which ultimately 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 it's neck. Finally
the serpents contracted their bodies and
withdrew their heads through the flaps
and the scenery. The act they ended amid
prolonged road behind the screen The
fire was again darkened, while the para
phernalia of the actors were 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 third miniature field of
corn. The mudheads commenced to sing,
and suddenly four semicircular flaps cover
ing the orifice Of each vase were seen to
turn back automatically. Out of the two
vases slowly emerged two additional ser
pent figures, moved by hidden strings,
brought over the rafters of the chamber
Thus were the effigies made to move back
ward and forward rise and fall, or ap-
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 performed
various gyrations Their performance was
very realistic. In the dim light of the oham-
Der the strings were invisible. The serpents
appeared to voluntarily rise from their
vases. The men who manipulated the
strings ski1fully concealed their motions.
suspect that some of the strings were
fastened to rattles used by the surround
ing '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 ana carried 10 dnOtneT or 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.
hidden until the tine Allotted for the next
annual performance. NH:
'''The heads of the serpent ef1gies are
made of gourds andepatnted. Their google
eyes are small buckskilas 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 q red stripe at the
dividing line. Through The hoops runs a
central stick, by which the figure Is ma
nipulated from behind the screen.
Prestidisitation.
'.Some years there are hine acts. In one
a man is seen struggling with huge ser
pent eff1gy, which entwines itself about his
body and neck, really has one Of his arms
inside the serpent. II He deceives the spec
tators by wearingaa false arm attached to
his shoulder In some years the actors
substitute skilfuily made marionettes,
worked by strings, for the masked corn
maids who grind in the fourth act. The
kneeling marionettes, surrounded by a
wooden framework bend their bodies back
ward and forward while grinding their
meal upon miniature stones placed before
them. Occasionally one of the figures
raises a hand to her face. While the
marionettes grind two bird efigies walk
back and forth along the top bar of the
framework.
1.-The great servant Is associated with the
Hopi version of the flood. They say that in
ancient times it emerged from beneath
the plaza Of their ancestors pueblo and
rose to the sky. drawing after him great
flood which submerged the entire land and
which obliged the Hopis to seek refuge in
by the sacrifice Of a boy and girl, chill
dren Of their Chiefs whom the serpent
monster carried back into the earth. The
performance OF the Serpents in the vases
partially represents this legend. The
knocking over Of the growing corn SYM
bolizes the destruction of the crops, which
the serpent caused. The 'mudheads' repre-
the corn to grow and who struggled with
this giant serpent. The play, as a whole
represents the contest of the early agr-
cultural Hopis with supernatural powers
which set their 1abors at naught. While
entertaining these primitive people 1t also
instructs them in the mysteries Of their
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