the grand canyon of arizona-第31节

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y。　Cornmeal　batter　in　a　crude　earthenware　bowl；　is　the　material；　a　smooth；　flat　stone；　under　which　a　brisk　fire　is　kept　burning；　is　the　instrument；　and　the　woman's　quick　fingers；　spreading　a　thin　layer　of　the　batter　over　the　stone；　perform　the　operation。　It　looks　so　easy。　A　lady　of　one　of　my　parties　tried　it　once；　and　failed。　My　cook；　a　stalwart　Kansas　City　man；　knew　he　would　not　fail。　And　he　didn't。　He　had　four　of　the　best…blistered　fingers　I　have　seen　in　a　long　time。　But　the　Hopi　woman　merely　greases　the　stone；　dips　her　fingers　into　the　batter；　carries　them　lightly　and　carelessly　over　the　heated　surfaces；　and；　in　a　moment；　strips　the　already　baked　sheet　from　the　stone。　When　several　are　baked；　she　folds　them　over　and　over　until　they　are　about　the　size　of　an　elongated　shredded　wheat　biscuit。

Hopi　Women　as　Builders。　It　is　a　reversal　of　our　conception　of　things　to　see　the　〃gentler　sex　〃　engaged　in　building　a　house；　as　is　often　the　case　in　Hopiland。　Yet　to　the　Hopi　there　is　nothing　strange　in　this　scene；　for　the　woman；　and　not　the　man；　is　the　owner　of　the　house。　Hence；　the　Hopi　reasons；　why　should　she　not　build　it？　It　is　hers；　so　let　her　make　it；　and　she　does。　She　uses　no　spirit…level；　no　plumb　line；　no　square；　no　saw；　and　yet　she　makes　a　creditable　house；　fairly　square　and　plumb；　warm　and　cosy　in　winter；　and　cool　and　comfortable　in　summer。　The　mud　of　the　winter's　watercourses　is　used　as　mortar；　and　the　pieces　of　disintegrated　sandstone；　that　abound　on　the　mesa　tops；　form　the　building　material。

Men　Who　Weave　and　Knit。　In　accordance　with　Hopi　logic；　the　antithesis　of　the　woman　house…builders　is　to　be　seen　daily　in　the　men　who　are　engaged　in　weaving　the　women's　garments；　men；　also；　knit　the　stockings；　and　follow　other　so…called　feminine　occupations。　There　is　nothing　incongruous　in　these　things　to　them。　They　are　part　of　〃the　way　of　the　old；〃　handed　down　to　them　by　their　forefathers。

Hopi　Method　of　Weaving。　To　watch　a　weaver　at　work　is　to　acquire　a　new　respect　for　Indians。　As　one　sees　the　crude；　home…made　appliances；　and　then　watches　the　yarn　climb　up；　thread　by　thread；　battened　down　by　hand　so　that　the　garment　will　hold　water；　until　the　article　is　finished；　artistically　designed；　and　perfectly　fitted　for　its　required　purpose；　he　comes　to　the　conclusion　that　the　Hopi　weaver；　at　least；　is　a　skilled　artificer。

Hopi　Rituals。　The　Hopi　are　a　remarkably　religious　people。　I　question　whether　there　is　to　be　found　elsewhere　in　the　world　so　ritualistic　a　people　as　they　are。　They　have　ceremoniesall　of　religious　character　for　every　month　of　the　year；　and　some　of　them　require　from　eight　to　sixteen　days　for　their　observance。　Their　dances　are　propitiations　of　the　gods　they　worship；　and　whose　aid　they　implore。　One　of　the　most　noted　and　world…renowned　of　their　ceremonies　is　the　Snake　Dance；　and　I　wish　to　conclude　this　chapter　with　a　brief　description　of　this　wonderful　act；　which　I　have　now　witnessed　thirteen　separate　times。　It　has　been　woefully　misrepresented　by　careless　writers。

The　whole　ceremony　is　conducted　with　a　dignity　and　solemnity　that　is　not　surpassed　by　any　Christian　observance。

Hopi　Mythology　Regarding　Snake　Dance。　It　is　not　a　dance；　in　our　sense　of　the　word。　It　is　a　prayer　for　rain；　and　of　thanksgiving　for　the　blessings　of　harvest。　Neither　is　it　an　act　of　snake　worship。　According　to　Hopi　mythology；　the　snake　and　antelope　clans；　or　families；　are　descended　from　the　union　of　Tiyo　and　his　brother　with　two　sisters；　daughters　of　the　snake　mother；Tiyo　being　the　paternal　Ancestor　of　the　Snake　Clan；　and　his　brother　of　the　Antelope　Clan。　The　story　of　Tiyo's　visit；　using　a　sealed…up　hollow　pinion　log　as　a　boat；　and　sailing　down　the　Colorado　river　through　〃　shipapu〃　to　the　underworld；　is　one　of　the　most　interesting　pieces　of　aboriginal　folk…lore。　It　appears　elsewhere；*　and　forms　the　burden　of　the　sixteen　dramatic　songs　sung　in　the　secrecy　of　the　underground　ceremonial　kivas　of　the　snake　and　antelope　clans；　in　the　nine　days　of　preliminary　ceremonial；　which　culminate　in　the　open…air　public　dance。

*　See　Indians　of　the　Pointed　Desert　Region。


Antelope　Race　and　Corn　Scramble。　There　are　two　other　ceremonies　connected　with　the　Snake　Dance　that　may　be　witnessed　by　all　who　like。　These　are　the　antelope　race　and　the　corn　scramble。　The　former　takes　place　on　the　morning　of　the　eighth　day　before　sunrise。　Though　apparently　a　mere　test　of　athletic　ability；　it　is　in　reality　a　religious　ceremonial。　For　centuries；　the　Hopi　lived　surrounded　by　warlike　people　who　preyed　upon　them。　Being　few　in　number；　living　in　a　desert　land；　and　beset　by　murderous　marauders；　fleetness　of　foot　and　great　〃staying〃　powers　while　running　over　the　long　trails　of　the　sandy　deserts　became　an　essential　condition　of　national　preservation。　Hence　the　priests　made　the　cultivation　of　the　bodily　powers　a　matter　of　religion。　Every　youth　was　compelled　to　exercise　to　the　utmost。　The　result　is　a　fine　athletic　development。　Each　year　many　great　races　are　run；　and　two　of　the　chief　of　these　are　at　the　Snake　Dance；　there　being　a　race　on　both　the　eighth　and　ninth　mornings。

At　the　end　of　that　fierce　race　across　the　hot　sands　and　up　the　steep　mesa；　the　winner　exultantly　stands　before　the　chief　priests。　The　lightning　bearer　then　throws　the　zigzag　symbols　over　him；　and　rain　clouds　are　pictured　at　his　feet。　Then　he　is　hurried　on　to　the　antelope　kiva；　where　another　priest　gives　to　him　the　sacred　gourd　full　of　water　and　a　sack　full　of　sacred　meal；　with　certain　ceremonial　prayer　sticks；　which；　placed　and　used　in　his　cornfield；　ensure　to　him　an　extra　fine　crop　at　the　next　harvest。

In　the　meantime；　a　number　of　young　men　and　boys　have　followed　the　rest　of　the　racers；　bearing　in　their　hands　cornstalks；　melon　vines　and　fruit。　As　soon　as　they　reach　the　level　mesa　top；　the　women　and　girls　dart　upon　them；　and　a　most　good…natured　but　exciting　scuffle　takes　place。　For　five　to　ten　minutes　this　scramble　lasts；　and　when　every　corn　or　vine　carrier　is　rid　of　his　gifts；　the　play　is　at　an　end；　and　all　retire　to　await　the　great　event　of　the　whole　ceremony；the　open…air　dance；　when　the　deadly　reptiles　are　carried　in　the　mouths　of　the　priests。

Preparation　for　Snake　Dance。　At　noon　a　secret　ceremony　takes　place　in　the　dark　recesses　of　the　kiva；　viz。：　the　washing　of　the　elder　brothers　（as　the　snakes　are　called）；　which　I　have　fully　described　in　〃The　Indians　of　the　Painted　Desert　Region。〃　When　the　afternoon　shadows　lengthen；　every　available　place　in　the　dance　plaza　is　speedily　occupied　by　the　villagers　and　visitors；　who　wait　the　march　of　the　antelope　priests。　The　photographers　present　must　keep　within　a　certain　line。

Arrival　of　Snake　Priests。　After　circling　in　front　of　the　kisi　（a　cottonwood　bower　in　which　the　snakes　are　kept）　the　antelope　priests　line　up　with　their　faces　fronting　from　the　kisi。　There　they　sing　and　dance　awhile；　waiting　for　the　snake　priests。　These　come　from　their　kiva　to　the　south　of　the　dance　plaza；　and；　as　they　arrive；　all　sounds　are　hushed　and　all　attention　concentrated　upon　them。　They　circle　before　the　kisi；　and　then　line　up　facing　the　antelope　priests。

Appearance　of　Priests。　Some　people　say　they　are　hideous；　others　have　said；　with　me；　that　the　sight　is　sublime。　If　one　looks　merely　at　the　half…nude　bodies；　made　repulsive　by　a　coating　of　reddish　black　paint；　with　dabs　of　whitewash　in　several　places；　at　their　faces　painted　with　the　reddish　black　stuff；　at　the　strings　of　white　beads　around　their　necks；　and　the　snake　whips　in　their　hands；　then　indeed　it　is　easy　to　say　that　they　are　hideous。　But　if　one　looks　at　their　faces；　he　will　see　intense　earnestness；　deep　solemnity；　profound　dignity；　and　unflinching　belief　in　the　necessity　for　and　power　of　the　prayer　about　to　be　offered。　Then；　too；　with　what　simple；　trustful　bravery　they　handle　the　snakes；　when　that　part　of　the　ceremony　comes！　They　know　the　danger；　no　one　more　so。　Indeed；　if　a　priest　is　afraid；　he　is　not　allowed　to　participate。　Not　only　would　his　fear　prevent　his　own　proper　worship；　but　it　would　interfere　with　that　of　his　comrades。

Variety　of　Snakes。　There　were　few　snakes　at　Oraibi；　the　year　I　last　saw　the　dance　there；　but　those　they　had　were　active　and　vicious。　There　were　several　rattlers；　some　red　racers；　and　a　few　bull　snakes。　The　light　was　good；　and　several　first…class　photographs　were　made　which　actually　show　the　snakes　in　the　mouths　of　the　priests。　At　the　Snake　Dance　in　the　other　villages；　the　priest　swings　the　snake　out　of　his　mouth；　and　allows　it　to　fall。　Here；　I　noticed　that　every　snake　was　gently　placed　upon　the　ground　by　the　priest　who　had　been　carrying　it　in　his　mouth。　The　antelope　men　never　leave　their　line；　during　the　handling　of　the　snakes。　They　continue　to　sing　during　the　whole　performance。

Purification　of　Priests。　While　waiting　for　the　priests　to　return；　after　taking　the　snakes　into　the　valley；　I　learned　of　several　slight　changes；　owing　to　changed　circumstances。　The　rain　had　made　numerous　small　pools　at　the　top　of　the　mesa。　The　priests；　in　returning；　divested　themselves　of　all　their　ceremonial　paraphernalia；　and　washed　the　paint　from　their　bodies；　before　returning　to　the　kiva　and　drinking　the　emetic。　Generally；　they　have　gone　to　their　homes　at　Oraibi　or　at　Walpi；　have　had　the　women　bring　water　to　the　west　side　of　the　mesa