Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-23
IN "HoPI" CLUBDoM.
Second White Woman to Be Initiated
Into Secret Indian Society.

From the New York Tribune
Mrs G. L. Gates of Pasadena. Cal, who
| has been spending the GUNNER in camp on
the cliffs in front of the Hopi Indian viii
lage Oraibi, in Arizona, has been invited to
join one Of the secret societies Of the wo-
men, and will be initiated this month. Mrs
Gates is the second white woman to be ad-
mitted to any Of the secret societies Of the
Hopis, and the first to join this special
lodge. which Is named In honor OF one OF
the desert plants.
The ceremony of initiation will take pla ce
at dawn on the edge Of the cliff looking
toward the east. Just as the sun rises the
women will give her the hand Of fellow
ship. will sprinkle her with the sacred meal
made from the blue corn and then bestow
upon her an Indian name. After this the
members Of the lodge have been INVITED by
Mrs, Gates to breakfast with her In the
pretty camp. whose appointments never
cease to be the object of much admiration
Oh the part of the Indian women.
Mrs. Gates is trying to devise some plan
wasted. even in the infrequent rainfall.
may be stored for use on their little corn
fields. and at the same time Tighten the la
Dor of the women, who are now forced to
pack every drop Of water used in their
cliff-perched village up a long. steep trail
of nearly a mile and a half
The division of labor among the Hopis is
unusual. The women build the houses,
plastering them with the palms Of their
hands. repair the trail when necessary.
carry the water. grind the corn, cook and
make baskets. The men weave. spin. knit.
make their own and the women's clothes.
take care of the sheep, cultivate the fields.
collect the wood on burros or their backs
and act as nursemaids when at home.
While the woman does not talk much
about suffrage or rights she seems to
have them, just the same. Not only are
there several women's clubs. having their
own kivas, or club houses, but there are
ole obi nfS yvhn Off rf
elective, partly hereditary. The office Of
chief is carried as rule through the fe-
male line-the Oldest son of the chiefs old
est sister becoming his successor.
In all the games and ceremonies the wo-
men bear honored part. 1t is an old
and eminently respectable woman who con-
cocts and administers the famous brew
that causes the snake priests to turn IN
side out after their annual snake dance
ceremony
1t is a woman who chews the yeast to
Torment the batter of the pigame, green
corn pudding, that adorns the August feast.
It Is n woman who lenGs her presence to
the katcina ceremony, when children are
Initiated into one OF the kivas by good
sound flogging with Spanish needles. and
girls and women that add picturesqueness
to the finals of the snake race in their sun
rise scramble for the wandS of corn that
the fleet runners bring from the fields be-
low.
1t is the women, too. that have every
thing to say about the naming of the baby.
When baby comes every friend OF the fam
lily is at liberty to suggest name-putting
ear of corn in it's hand. sprinkling 1t
with sacred meal-saying meanwhile,
white wings I baptiZe thee" or Butter
fly. baptize thee''-or whatever name may
be chosen. The mother meanwhile listens,
but makes no comment. When the real
day of naming the baby arrives she car
ries it in her arms to the eastern edge of
the cliff. where all ceremonies of that kind
have been held for centuries, and, lifting
baby toward the rising sun, calls aloud the
name which she has chosen from all those
that have been given.