Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-05-27
EXPLORING WITH
MAJOR POWELL
Elaborate Thanksgiv-
ing Of Moki Indians.
Ceremonies Lasting For Days at
a Time-Indian Traditions
Handed Down.
NO. V.

give yearly thanks to God for the
blessings they receive. The Mokis no
doubt gave thanks and had their
Thanksgiving prayers and ceremonies,
long before Columbus started ON his
voyage of discovery. Only those viii
lagos that we're through gathering
their harvest, we're having their
Thanksgiving ceremonies and prayers
Major Powell and l would take turn
about in sitting up at night and
watching them, and would exchange
notes. We were the only ones of the
party who went into the kivas. Those
who enter the kiva, during any of
their ceremonies, are naked with the
exception of their breech clout, al
though they allowed the major and
myself to go down, with our clothes
on. They no doubt thought they
we're doing us great favor. We we're
always seated in the left hand corner,
nearest to the ladder.
One night l was little late. They
we're waiting for me to come before
beginning their ceremonies as there
is no going out or coming in after it
is once begun. This night there were
four married women sitting on the
same side where l sat. This was the
first and only time that l saw women
in the kiva. They too were stripped
like the men, with nothing but a cloth
around their loins. On the floor in
the center of the room was a small
fire. Squtted around this fire was the
head man of the village and his coun-
sellers. In front of the head man was
a bowl of water, holding about half a
gallon. Beside this lay pipe, an ear
of corn, some -fiiDts, and images of
birds, sheep, deer, etc. All of them
we're on the end of little stricks or
handles, about eight inches in length.
The head man did all of the praying.
and all of the talking This first was
prayer of thanksgiyiuG. have for,
gotten just how this ran. but he
thanked the Great Spirit for having
sent plenty of rain, during the past
summer. so that they raised a large
crop, and his people, which be knew
we're good, would have plenty to eat.
The thanks to the Great Spirit and
other parts was repeated several times.
This prayer alone lasted fully an
hour. After this he took the pipe
and lit it and drew a few puffs of
smoke, then he passed it to the one
sitting on his left, vino also drew a
few puffs of smoke, and passed it to
the next until it again reached the
head man, when it was passed to me.
After a few draws at the pipe, l pass
ed it back. when the head man filled
mis- mouth as full of smoke as he could
hold, then leaned over the bowl of wa
ter until his lips almost touched it.
He then opened his mouth and let
the smoke escape. The smoke hung
over the water for a second or two,
then slowly rose in a wavy motion
like cloud. When near the rim of
the bowl, he prayed that the Great
Spirit should let the cloud rise like
he sees the smoke rise from this bowl
of water. Then he took some white
sand and let it fall into the water,
and again prayed for tine Great Spirit
to let the SHOWS fall this winter as he
sees the white sand fall in the water
Then he took black sand and again
prayed to the Great Spirit as before.
With this sand he illustrated the light
shower, the steady rain, and the
heavy rain. Then he took the stick
with the bird on the end and dipped
its bill into the water, and prayed
that if the Great Spirit would let the
clouds rise the snow and rain fall the
birds would have plenty of water to
drink. In like manner he illustrated |
his prayers, with the sheep, antelope |
and the other animals.
Then he picked up the ear of corn
and the fiints and prayed, if the
clouds, snow and rain would come. !
as the Great Spirit was shown, they |
would have plenty of corn like that
which the Great Spirit saw il his
hand, and it would be as hard as the |
1ints, which he saw in his hand. 1t |
loes not take long to describe this,
Dut it was we'll along toward midnight
before the prayer was ended.
When we left the last village Major
Powell asked an old man to go back
With him. He told him that he would,
or us to go on and he would come.
While at TT. Defiance it was ration
lay. The Navajos were drawing their
ations. There were hundreds of In
lians there that day. The major and
were walking across the open space
n front of the buildings, towards the
tore room to see them issue the
ations when the Indian rode up to me
nd said momohy meaning Mormon).
Immediately drew my gun but Ma
or Powell struck up my arm as l
red. Other Indians who knew that
re belonged to a government party
him and rushed him off
he ground.
Major Powell and party had left
anita Fe by stage for the end of the
abroad. Stone and | were going to
art next morning for Texas when the
Id Indian came in, he had nothing 9
it'll him but blanket and water bot
e. l telegraphed to the major. {
hen he arrived at the railroad he |
ired back to send the old Indian |
D by the next stage. Had | ever met 5
ajor Powell again [ had planned :
DIV | would greet him, when near I
lough was going to hail him with L
all, Pwrats, \ bacari Ply Kiah, mo d
m where going
Among the traditions of the Indians i.
e the following: The crow was pure T.
bite; a Moki woman was dying wool: C
e crow fell into the dye pot and be- fl
me black 1t cried out to the Great il
,irit, see what | have done; what b
all do? The Great Spirit answered fc
d said you will always be black. 81
III will always cry about it, but you n
all always have the first of every e;
np. il
The white man made the horse; the
diam triad ~ aud mazda tba p,uIa.