The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-17
SOAP, NOT PIETY.
Crying Need of the Mokis, Acc
cOrding to J. P. ROwIey.
Says Government Should Give
Them Better Water Supply.
SAW THE SNAKE DANCE
Topeka Druggist Tells of the
Fascinating Orgy.
SAW THE SNAKEDANCE
The Indians Don't Need Kansas
Remedy for Snake Bites.

James P. Rowley. who returned this
week from southern California. New
Mexico and Arizona, where he has been
since the first of August, attended the
Hopi snake dance at the MoA1 Indian
reservation in Arizona, which took
place this year September 5. Mrs.
Rowley accompanied him. The Moki
country is sixty-fve miles from the
nearest railway, the Santa Fe, and they
made the trip by wagon. On account
of the inaccessibility of the place COM
paratively few tourists have seen It.
Nevertheless it attracts annually a
considerable number of visitors. stu
dents of archaeology and others. There
were about one hundred and twenty
We white people among the spectators
this year. Mr.. Rowley's description
which follows of the Moli country and
the dance Is unusually interesting:
1.-THE annual snake ceremony occur
red this year after several postpone
ments, at Oraibi, on September ., and
was witnessed by the villagers, about
one hundred Navajos on horseback,
with whom the Hopis are not very
friendly and perhaps 125 whites.
There are two kivas and one kisi used
in the preparation and contamination
of this ceremony. A k1va is small
der through a hole in the top. A klsl
is a round bower or shock Of cotton
wood boughs, with the green leaves
left on, standing on end, about ten feet
high by three feet in diameter.
AT o'clock p. m, on the day ap-
pointed for the dance, snake dancer
emerged from the kiva on the south
side of the small plaza and deposlteo
in the kisi a large sack filed with llVe
sna kes. Shortly afterward ten ante
lope priests came out Of the north kiva,
naked to the waist, but deliberately
painted, each priest having a yellow
fox skin with long bushy tail pendant
fastened to the lower half OF the back
These priests took a position in line I'M
mediately in front of the kisi, and fac
ing east. Then from the south kiVa ad-
vanced II snake dancers, all painted
and nearly naked, also taking their
places in line, but facing the antelope
priests Close to the kisi is placed a
piece of sacred wood, q cottonwood SLAP,
about three feet long by one wide. Two
of the dancers act as snake Wh1ppers,
their duty being to tickle such snakes
as are dropped and coil (rattlesnakes
always coil before striking) with two
feathers attached to the forked end OF
a short stick or whip. Each participant
carries a sort of large rattlebox with
which he keeps time to the singing or
I chanting, and to the dancing. Each
| dancer IS. provided with cornmeal which
! they sprinkle ia several lines on the
EARTH and between the two rows of
/ dancers described above. A circle Of all
/ the dancers is now formed, and with
most weird and Fascinating song OF
| chant they severaIly dance past the kisi,
each with the right foot stamping the
sacred wood to attract the attention OF
the spirits of the underworld. After
making several circles the first dancer
! reaches into the kfsi as he is passing,
/ grasps a snake which he puts into his
mouth, and dances on. The next dancer
1 takes no snake but puts his arms par
TALLY across the shoulders of his pre-
decessor The third dancer takes a
snake in his mouth, and so on alter
nately until all are supplied. After a
few more circles the dancers GRASP
more snakes in their hands, and so on
until the supply seems to be exhausted
or they have more than they can carry
Now and then a snake is dropped and
| either crawls or coils instantly; If the
latter the whipper ticlx1es it with the
feathers, and it Immediately tries tc
escape. but a dancer is always ready
and snatches it from the ground with
one hand. Every song has a meaning
There was not the slightest sign OF
levity, every dancer and priest was the
incarnation of solemnity. and every
spectator stood spellbound. Various
kinds of snakes are used in this cere-