The Washington herald., 1909-07-25

alert and energetic. and in disposinr Of
thelr Dasketry and pottery made by
themselves. they are much the better bar-
gamers.
The men are slow Of speech and inclined
to be silent The women are taIkative.
and a house-building stunt is accomoa-
MED by more conversation than half 4.
dozen sewing circles among the paIefaces.
The harder tasks are cheerfuuy shouI-
dered by the capable women, AID while
they are busy at them the men are con-
demned 70 weave the clothing Of their
wives and knit the stockings for the
whole household Only In the preparation
q food IS the dohaesticity OF tire woman
displayed
Every house has a corn-grinding trough,
and corn meal Is one Of the great staples
Of the Hopi household Every house has
shelf upon which is kept a constant sup
ply of thin corn bread. sometimes gray.
sometimes RED n cclor.
Baking this corn bread. or plki, Is a
trick. The batter Is made out Of dried
corn meal. water. and some coloring mat
ter Of ashes. The stove Is a pile Of stones.
The TOP stone is fat and rests over hot
fire.
When It is Of the proper Temperatures
the cook greases II with mutton taIlow,
scoops out some batter with her fingers.
and almost as soon as she sweeps her
hand over the stone the piki Is cooked.
Then il IS folded Up and served hot or laid
away 10 await hunger's approach.
When girl reaches marriageable age
the youth Of Hopi villages get ample
warning. Upon her usually pretty head
appear the two whorls which denote that
she IS bent on matrimony. These whoris
are made OF her hair. resembling two 81
gantic ears surmounting the real ears.
In shape they are supposed 10 be akin 10
The squash vines blossoms. symbolic Of
yirginity.
When she makes her choice. that ends
T. Sometimes It Is necessary 10 resort 10
force. but usually the man gives I'm at the
start. as he knows he must al the last
lie is at once set TO work making the
cloth for the brides trousseau. while she
goes 10 his home and puts in a few weeks
grinding corn for his mother.
On the wedding day down comes the
mass Of hair. Thereafter Il hangs IA two
rolls down the side OF her head, regular
indian fashion. These rolls are made in
Imitation Of the squash. denoting fruit
fulness. their greatest wish.
The little there is Of government is IN
the hands OF the men, who also form the
priesthood. The HOpi is q very religious
gentleman. About half Of each month is
taken Up in religious moRiais OF ohs
kind or another. Most famed of these
ceremonials is the snake dance.
The Indian Department has not been
very successful In inducing the Hcpis to
assume the dress OF the white man The
men wear their hair long. with a band
about the forehead. Their shirts are OF
! calico. their trousers Of white muslin slit
on the side from the knee down. They
wear rawhide moccasins and soleless
! socks. The more fastidious assume loud
velvet shirts. necklaces and finger rings
OF silver
The women wear a dress made Ike a
/ blanket This is thrown over the shoul-
DER and the two sides are sewed UP. An
opening Is left for the right arm. while
the left shoulder remains bare. Around
the waist Is worn a fancy woven sash.
underneath which sometimes Is a calico
un6erves1
The skirt reaches Just below the knee
/ When footwear is dOnned the moccasin
/ is used with stockings of buckskin.
/ thongs OF the latter being used as gar
/ ters above the knee.
The full subsection Of the Hopi husband
/ Is found IN the fact that ne IS required 20
/ do all the outside work, the field labor.
! stock tending. and the like This is n
marked contrast 10 the Indian custom
/ everywhere else.
/ There are about 200 Hopis. men. wom-
\ en-. and children. The mesas upon which
! they live rise direct from the desert 500
I TO 1000 feet in height. They are ap-
/ preached only by narrow and winding
paths.