Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-01-05
ABORIGINAL CUSTOMS.
How the Arizonan Indians Seek to Propitiate
the Gods.

AoOht1INAI CUSTOMS.
How the ArizOnian Indians Seek to Propitiat,
the Gods.
BY LUE F. VERNON.
Superstitions, savagery and modern
science bend their widest extremes to
meet at the snake dance OF the Moqui
Indians OF Northeastern Arizona
There is curling, twisting dance oil
naked, painted aborigines about hiss.
ing pile OF snakes. Around about
from all points Of vantage, are pointed
cameras of every style. Sometimes
an enthusiastic amateur, in his excite.
ment, breaks away from the ring and
runs in among the crawling rattlers
for closer shot. To the celebrants
his intrusion is as though a layman
foot has desecrated a cathedral sane.
tuary in the holiest moment of the
service of the mass.
It's varied assemblage indeed that
gathers at the snake dance. Whites
OF both sexes from all over the country
army officers and soldiers, scientists,
cowboys, a large number of solemn
and attentive Navajo and Supal In.
dian visitors, and a swarm OF the
Moquis themselves. The housetops
and every point OF vantage are crowd
ed, the upper enclosure has fringe of
sightseers, and even from the sacred
rock suspend the legs OF sacrilegious
spectators.
The villages are easily to be reached
from the Flagstaff, Winslow, or Canon
Diablo, all on the line OF the Santa Fe
Railway. The shortest route is that
from the last named place-103 miles.
The way is mainly over a plain OF
wondrous geological features of rare
colorings of red and gray and white
sandstone that would battle a painter.
The dance is held in August, the time
being announced month before, &C.
cording to the setting OF the sun be-
yond a cleft in the jagged hills to the
westward.
The Moqui tribe numbers about two
thousand. 1t is not concrete, and has
no tribal government, though in each
pueblo are leaders who, to degree,
are obeyed. The villages, seven in
number, were located for purpose of
defense upon the tops of curious de-
tached limestone masses, in several
cases go small that the walls of the
houses form q continuation of the
walls of the encompassing principles.
The tribe is peaceful one, though in
tolerant Of interference with its tribal
customs. They have been taught the
white mans learning, by teachers sent
there for the purpose of husbandry,
but little good has been accomplished
by so doing. A few Moquis speak
English, but would rather not.
A Moqui is an Indian. and you never
can make him white. He is nothing
to brag OF as an Indian, but the far.
ther you take him from his natural
station the worse he is. Naked. he is
picturesque and in keeping with the
country and with his nature; clothed,
he is worthless scarecrow. The
youngsters now look like a pack ol
charity school children. The customs
OF the whites are being forced upon
the Indians little by little, and soon
the tribal pride will be broken and the
tribe will pass away in misery.
Every male Moqui at manhood joins
at least one of the tribal societies.
Each is as secret in its work as is the
Masonic order. The main esoteric 80.
ciety is that OF the Antelopes," and
through it is exercised the greatest
tribal influence. Next in rank, and
to degree affiliated with the first, is
che Snake" priesthood. The Bear
People," is an order particularly select
and is almost extinct.
Then, with differing objects, are the
several orders of the Smoke People"
the Dawn People," or "Song Sing.
ers," the "Thinkers," the "Home
People," and q few societies of lesser
Importance.
\ In almost every town each Of the
main orders has cellar, lodge.room OF
"kiva," which serves as we'll as club
room for the initiates during their
many hours OF leisure. Here are
woven blankets, the work only oi men
and here, when the ground is frozen
and the spirits are gone to the under
world, are told the stories OF mystery
in which the Indian delights.
| Primarily the dance is a rain.mak.
ing ceremony, though the snakes are
presumed to carry to their homes in
the under world" to the deities who
sway the fortunes of mankind, the
prayers OF the people for prosperity
and happiness. The snakes are called
elder brothers," and in them are be.
lieved to exist the spirits OF ancestors
held for while twixt the surface and
neither worlds in purgatorial condi-
tion. Thus it comes that no Moqui
will harm snake, though the rattlers
are feared and no demur is made when
the white man kills them.
When Moqui is bitten he is con.
sidered favored OF the "Snake People" !"
and he is made member OF the snake
clan if he we're not a member before.
Several effectual remedies are known
to the old women doctors of the tribe,
and the bitten one never dies il the
old women can be found.