Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-16
Washington. D. c. Sept. 13.-Many !

Washington, D. c. Sept. 13.-Many
years a great drouth visited the
land Of the Hopi Indians, in north
ern Arizona. according to an Indian
legend. The corn and the melons
died and there was no game. By
and by the people themselves began
to die of hunger and thirst. The old
men planted many prayer sticks. The
gods were invoked in every way the
people could devise. But no rain
came. There was great suffering.
Then the children said, eve must
help. How q we make the gods
listen? BY doing something that
we hate" So they went out on the
plain below and gathered snakes, and
played with them, putting them in
their mouths, and singing and dane
Then came great rains n the
old men said, The children have
pleased the gods by playing with that
which the gods love. We have
learned our lesson" So they bound
themselves in the great snake frater-
nifty, made songs and prayers, and
once every year since then they have
appealed to the gods for rain with
their snake brothers," who are the
messengers to the underworld.
Thus was evolved, according to leg
end, the snake dance which falls be-
tween August 20 inc rs. The exact
date depends upon the moon. 1t was
held this year on the latter date and,
as is always the s attracted a
large crowd from all owe the south
west. .-..ls
The dance is carried u now in
much the same manner as 1t was
years ago, it is believed. Two frater-
mites always participate, the Antel-
ope and the Snake, the former as as
sistants in certain rites. For nine
days before the dance the men Of the
latter organization go out on the
plains with notched sticks, buckskin
bags and wallets of sacred meal to
hunt for their snake brothers. AS
kle it with the holy meal and thrust
it in the bag. Toward evening they
bring their captives to the snake
kiva, (church) where the reptiles are
washed, sprinkled again with meal,
submitted to chants and prayers and
! kept in captivity until the great event.
Their number is added to day by day.
And so, for many days, minor cere-
monies are held IL the kiva.
Late in the afternoon Of the day
before the dance, the Antelope priests
appear in full regalia of painted bod
les, dance sasnes and kits of brilliant
such as bowls Of sacred meal, prayer
plumes, sacrificial plants, and feath-
cred wands. For half an hour they
chant and enact a. prayer for rain
and for their brothers, the Snake
priests. ~
A Race With the Sunrise.
tnH1.. - 80
runners have zone far out on the
plain that they may race to the mesa
top hoping, to reach 1t as the sun
rises. They 60 looping in along vari-
GUS paths, all Of which converge in
the trail to the top. Up they run,
seemingly unwinded and unwearied.
Young girls are standing at certain
points with offerings of melon vines
and corn stalks. which the runners
seize as they pass. Did women have
drawn lines Of sacred meal from the
stranger must cross these lines under
penalty of much chattertng and
scolding. The runners dash through
thA lane Of meal and then, In open
court, battle with q bevy of girls for
their green offerings. Indian girls.
like their white sisters, are voluble
ir their play-they shrek and squeal
with laughter. It is evident that the
girl favored of each runner always
wins. y
The court in which the dance oc-
ours az usual except for the kisi
built at one end. The kisi is the
shrine Of cottonwood boughs covered
with canvas wherein the snakes are
put for the ceremony: A shallow
hole is dug in front OF ityover which
q board is laid. This is Shi-pa-pu,
the entrance to the underworld or the
abiding place Of the rods.
At p. M. or q little later. the
Antelope priests enter the court with
1.-The same paraphernalia they en-
ployed the day before. After circling
over Shi-pa-pu q few times they take
their places on either side OF the kisi
and sing Justify, rhythmicaNy and
with q Wild vigorous melody. Two
Tor three times during the song they
hum deep reverberating refrain
that has the effect o. many celios.
Trey employ no drum, though q
Ishril1 rattle and q abuil-roarer" are
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