St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-01-03
SNAKE DANCE OF THE MOKIS.
Ceremonial by Which These Indians
Seek to PrcDitiatc the Diyi-
mites They Worship.

Few people are aware from hearsay
and still fewer from observation tina:
there is annually performed within
the limits OF the United States a
weird religious ceremony as barbaric
in its features as those of the darkest
sayagery. In faithful observance OF
the traditions of their ancient race
the Moki Indians during each return
ing August seek to propitiate the di'
whites they worship by the per-
Torrance of their weird and thrilling
snake dance. The date for the per-
Torrance of this ceremony is fixed
by the head snake priest on some one
Of Augustus parched days after some
rule of signs and symbols known only
to him. This year it fell upon the goth
and was performed at the largest vii
lage in Moki land, Oraibi, located
about IS miles north Of Canyon Dla
in northeastern Arizona, says the Chi
cago Chronicle. 1t was attended by
q number of white spectators who had
crossed the painted desert lying be-
tween the Moki reservation and the
Santa Fe railroad.
The snake dance is the eliminating
event in a ceremcny extendlnE over
many days. which is in substance a
continuous prayer for rain. Six days
before the date of he dance the snake
priests descend from the lofty mesa
upon which their village is located to
the plain beneath and begin their
search for the sacred snakes. They
are trailed in the sand, hunted to their
lairs and thrust into bags by these
expert snake handlers until suf-
cient number, most of them rattle
snakes, for the proper performance
are secured. as
The snake dance day opens with the
snake race. Then follows the dance.
The low housetops on every side are
covered with intent Mokis. Stoical
Navajos stand about the plaza or sit
stolidly on their ponies in the dis
tance. The white spectators/are more
animated. Here they come!" some
one shouts, and from out Of their dark
house of worship the - antelope
priests come. in gorgeous trappings
and march with solemn stride straight
TO the kisi. There is another shout
and from out Of the snake kiva stride
the - painted priests Of the serpent.
Four times circuit of the plaza is
made. The circuit completed, the
priests line up before their brothers
of the antelope elan and, with arms
interlocked and hands bearing rhyth-
mical gourd rattles they begin their
weird chant, which continues through
out the performance.
To the dcep-voiced chant and the
movement of the rattles the lines of
priests sway and undulate back and
forth like long serpents. The head
priest stalks between the lines and
scatters the charm liquid to the four
points of the compass. Finally the
dramatic moment arrives. The lines
part. The song becomes more spirit
ed and the dancers more animated,
when from out of the kisi the head
priest hands his first snake. The first
carrier" seizes him and, placing the
squirming snake in his mouth, begins
his fierce dance about the circle. This
performance is repeated by each
group until all the snakes have been
danced with. The sight is one never
to be forgotten.
When the dance ceremony has been
completed, with all Of the snakes held
in bondage, the ''gatherers," who have
collected them from the ground, drop
their squirming handfuls into heap
in the center of the plaza, where all
are sprinkled with sacred meal. Each
priest then seizes a handful of the
snakes and rushes out of the plaza far
out to the foot of the mesa, where the
snakes are set free to bear this solemn
prayer of the Mokis to the gods and
intercede in their behalf for the rain
which alone can save their sparse
crops.