The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-06
INDIAN PRIESTS
PREPARE FOR
SNAKE RITUAL
Annual Hopi Celebration to
Be Held on Plains
of Arizona.
BY VINCENT MAHONEY
United Press stan Correspondent

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., Aug. 6.-An
hours automobile ride from paved
streets, underground chambers
hummed today with preparations
for a ceremonial that would appear
wild and strange if witnessed in
deepest Africa.
It is the annual snake dance of
the Hopi Indians.
At sunrise on the first day of the
nine-day ceremony a priest posts
the nacti-two eagle feathers tied to
a stick-on the door of the main
kiva, or underground chamber.
The head priest then mixes the
sacred medicine by which venomous
snakes are to be rendered harmless,
according to the Indian belief.
Snakes Placed in Jars
Another priest constructs the sand
painting, a landscape whose pig
ments are colored SANDS. Since the
entire ceremonial is prayer for
rain, bright sands depict the orange
lightning and purple rain clouds.
The snakes have been gathered
from the six directors of the Indian
astronomy and placed in jars under
ground On the final day they are
purified"
The final ritual begins with
brightly CARRIED priests and war
riors dancing on the plain.
The snake priests arrange them
selves in groups of three-carriers
huggers and gatherers.
Puts Snake in Mouth
Each carrier kneels before a jar
of snakes and draws out one
He places the writhing reptile in
his mouth, holding the body near
the middle and allowing the two
ends to swing free great con-
tempt is felt by seasoned carriers
for some tribes, whose priests carry
the snakes by the necks or hold
the loose ends with their hands,
The gatherers start the cremo-
NAL circuit of the plaza, each
carrier with hugger at his back.
The hugger has his left arm about
the carriers neck, and in his right
hand he carries a feathered wand
which he constantly brushes across
the reptiles face, presumably to
distract his angered attention from
the carrier.
Hurl Them in Ring
When the circuit of the plaza has
been completed, the high priests
make a ring of corn meal with
radial lines extending in the six
directions.
At signal, the carriers dash to-
ward the ring and hurl the snakes
into it,
Acolyltes beat back with their
feathered whips any snakes that
stray toward the outer edge of the
circle.
Suddenly, all rush toward the
writhing rafting mass. Each priest
grasps as many snakes as he can
hold. They dash off in the six di-
rections and throw the snakes out
into the plain.
Two extraordinary things about
the snake dance battle the unini-
tiated. The fact that the priests
are not bitten fatally and the GU
rious circumstances that it usually
rains before the ceremonial day Is
over.
Offer Several Theories
EthnologistS have several theories
The most widely accepted is that
the priests are excellent amateur
meteorologists and time the cere-
monial to coincide with rain.
They set q different date each
year, waiting until few days be-
forehand to make it known.
AS to the absence of fatalities
there are several explanations. One
is that snake will not strike while
uncoiled.
Another is that the Indians have
developed an immunity to the
venom through countless billings. A
third is that the RATHER is a cow
ard and will not strike when han
died as aggresSively and confident
ly as in the ceremonial.
The Indians do not seem to con-
Germ themselves with the danger at
al They believe the sacred liquid
renders the snakes quite harmless,
and they handle them as though
they were pet kittens.
Sediment so discnlors the Anna