The Holbrook news., 1922-09-08
HOpi Snake Dance a Thing
 of Picturesque Beauty
Oldest Barbarc Ceremonial Preserved in United States


 Times change and customs with them, but the cele brated Snake Dance of the Hop Indians on their isolated mesas north of Holbrook is example of the weirdly savage ceremonas of the ancient days which has been preserved to us in all it's pristine pageantry, very breath of the old pagan days in this modern work day world.
 The dance was held this year at Hoayia, of the newest in point of settlement having been in existence only slightly twenty years, but in point of custom one of the oldest it settled by c00nists from Oraibi who left their ancestral walls for the town because of their recorcilabe hatred of modern nnova tions They wished the old order to remain unchanged and finding Oraib inclined to the accepatOn of modern things they withdrew from the village and founded Hotaville
 The following article by Mr. Mel Baker describes their ceremonials with great exactitude.
 Most authorities agree that the Hop Indians the most primitive people, and their almost inaccessible homes the most primitive dwellings, to be found in the United States Certainly their Snake Dance in suppli- cation to the gods below for ran more barbaric than one could find in the heart of darkest Africa.
 The ceremony, which is timed ih accordance with a certain position of the occupies period of nine days. The first eight days spent in gathering and washing the snakes usually about 200 in number and of all varites including the deadly and vicious sidewinders and rattle snakes.
 No attempt however is made to extract the posiont
  red clenched between the teeth of the dancers their deadly prowess is in nOwise impaired.
 By the side of each dancer or Snake Priest is anI Antelope Priest who endeavors by the deXterous mani upatiOns of eagle feather to divert the snakes at tention from the dancer He also directs the Snake Priests steps as they prance short leaps round and round the central area, the Snake Priest necessarily closing his eyes prevent them becoming shining tar get for the venOmous fangs
 The rythm of the dance is never broken even tho i ratter ghtngke sidewinder succeeds in fastening his fangs the dancers face shoulder The Antelope Priest merely jerks the snakes head away, and round and round they go, without missing beat of the rhy thmc chant.
 On the fourth time around the snake is tossed into central by violent jerk of the dancers head and another secured they pass the Ks or snake bower where the snakes and their keeper concealed.
 At the conclusion of the dance the snakes are gath cred into writhing, vibrating mass, sprinkled with sacred meal and carried to the edge of the mesa by the Priests where they then released and instructed to carry the Hops need and gratitude for rain to the god below.
 Following this the priests undergo the purication ceremony, which consists or drinking a powerful eme tic which apparently renders almost harmless the poison of the snakes.
 Many people travel clear the continent to wit the Snake dance and well repaid by the sight this strange celebration of ancient religion which has survived the ages If you did nor 1t this year. do not make the same mistake again. Nowhere else in the whole country can you such vivid cooring and costumes, against such turquoise sky with the setting of primitive pueblo houses to enchance it's wierd charm and in the midst of them such a strange and uni1ue ceremony.