the grand canyon of arizona-第25章

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　or　oval；　with　filleted　border　and　scalloped　edges；　each　plate　weighing　from　two　to　four　ounces。　These　are　punctured　in　the　center；　or　a　small　band　is　soldered　to　the　back；　to　admit　of　their　being　threaded　upon　a　long　and　narrow　belt　of　leather；　the　ends　of　which　are　fastened　with　a　buckle。　Both　men　and　women　wear　these；　and　they　are　highly　prized　as　ornaments　by　both　sexes。　The　necklaces　are　equally　in　vogue；　the　designs　being　principally　hollow　beads；　crosses；　and　ornaments　representing　pomegranate　blossoms。　The　silver　bridle　is　also　an　object　of　great　esteem。　It　is　made　of　curiously　designed；　heavy　clasps　of　silver；　fastened　upon　leather；　with　numberless　buttons　shaped　from　coins。　Many　of　these　weigh　not　less　than　fifteen　ounces；　and　some　as　high　as　forty；　hence　their　value　can　be　readily　estimated。



CHAPTER　XIX。　The　Hopis　And　Their　Snake　Dance

A　Hopi　Religious　Rite。　Interesting　among　Indians；　because　of　their　unique　houses　on　the　summits　of　high　mesas；　reached　only　by　precipitous　trails；　the　Hopi　of　northern　Arizona　always　have　possessed　peculiar　fascination　on　account　of　their　thrilling　religious　rite；　known　as　the　Snake　Dance；　an　account　of　which　follows。*

*　This　Sacred　Dance　and　the　life　of　the　Hopi　Indians　is　more　fully　set　out　in　the　author's　larger　work　〃The　Indians　of　the　Painted　Desert　Region〃。


The　Painted　Desert。　The　region　they　live　in；　named　the　Province　of　Tusayan　by　the　Spanish　conquistadores；　three　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　is　a　region　of　color。　The　rocks　of　which　the　mesas　are　built；　the　sand　of　the　desert；　the　peculiarly　carved　buttes　which　abound　on　every　hand；　are　all　strikingly　colored；　with　such　a　variety　of　hues　and　tints　that　one　does　not　wonder　at　the　namethe　Painted　Desertwhich　is　applied　to　the　country　through　which　we　must　travel　to　reach　Hopiland。

A　Saddle　Trip　from　El　Tovar。　The　traveler　who　wishes　to　visit　this　fascinating　and　unique　region　can　arrange　for　full　equipment　at　El　Tovar。　The　trip　will　be　a　saddle　one　and　all　outfits　will　have　to　be　transported　on　pack　burros。

The　Old　Hopi　Trail。　The　road　followed　is　practically　the　line　of　the　old　Hopi　trail。　On　the　way　out；　the　interested　traveler　may　visit　Grand　View　Point　and　Hotel；　Hance's　Old　Camp　and　Trail；　the　Red　Canyon　Trail；　Moran's；　and　all　the　other　salient　points　at　the　eastern　end　of　the　Grand　Canyon。　Especially　should　he　stand　on　faraway　Navaho　Point；　or　Desert　View。　This　is　the　last　of　the　promontories　before　the　rim　of　the　Canyon　turns　sharply　to　the　north。　Below　it；　a　vast　amphitheatre　is　opened　out　with　more　precipitous　walls　than　at　any　other　part　of　the　Canyon。　The　sweep　of　the　river；　the　mouth　of　Marble　Canyon；　the　superlative　richness　of　coloring　at　this　point；　combined　with　the　unequalled　views　of　the　Painted　Desert；　which　lies　to　the　right；　or　east；　afford　a　place　of　varied　delight；　scarce　found　elsewhere　on　the　whole　Canyon　rim。

Hopi　Cornfields。　Crossing　the　Little　Colorado　River　at　the　Tanner　Crossing；　Moenkopi　is　visited；　and　then　a　day's　ride　of　forty　miles　over　the　Painted　Desert　brings　one　to　the　cornfields　of　the　Hopi；　as　properly　they　should　be　called。　For　years；　they　have　been　known　as　the　Moki；　a　term　of　reproach　applied　in　derision　by　the　Navahos。　These　cornfields　are　a　wonderful　monument　to　the　thrift　of　the　Hopi。　White　men　would　have　starved　to　death　in　the　place；　before　they　would　have　dreamed　of　planting　corn　in　such　an　inhospitable…looking　soil。　No　springs　or　streams　sufficient　to　irrigate　with；　unversed　in　digging　wells　and　pumping　water　to　the　surface；　one　would　have　thought　an　ignorant　Indian　would　have　looked　elsewhere　before　planting　his　corn　in　such　a　place。　But　the　Indian　is　not　so　ignorant。　His　life；　from　the　cradle　to　the　grave；　is　one　of　close　observation。　His　very　existence　depends　upon　its　exercise。　He　soon　discovered；　therefore；　that　there　was　a　natural　subsoil　irrigation　in　certain　parts　of　this　desert；　where　his　corn　would　grow。　And　grow　it　does；　most　wonderfully。　Sometimes　water　is　scarce；　then　the　crop　decreases；　but　generally　a　good　crop　may　be　relied　upon。　To　hoe　his　cornfield；　a　Hopi　will　often　run　over　the　desert　forty；　fifty；　sixty；　and　even　eighty　miles　in　a　day。　Sometimes；　when　the　field　is　near　by；　the　Hopi　will　ride　on　his　burro。　These　cunning　creatures　are　almost　a　necessity　of　Indian　life。　The　streets　would　seem　lonely　without　them。　It　will　be　noticed　occasionally　that　one　of　these　animals　has　lost　part　of　his　left　ear。　This　is　proof　that　he　is　possessed　of　kleptomaniac　proclivities。　If　a　burro　is　found　stealing　corn；　he　is　sentenced　to　have　part　of　his　ear　cut　off。

Oraibi。　On　one　of　these　burros　we　ride　up　the　steep　trail　that　brings　us　to　the　westernmost　village　of　the　Hopi；　Oraibi。　It　is　perched　high　on　the　mesa　top；　several　hundred　feet　above　the　valley；　and　the　various　trails　are　steep　and　rugged。　Some　of　them　are　sheer　climbs；　up　which　no　animal　other　than　man　can　go。　There　are　six　other　villages；　three　of　them　ten　miles；　and　the　other　three　about　twenty　miles；　to　the　east　of　Oraibi。　They；　also；　are　perched　upon　high　mesas；　which　thrust　themselves；　like　long　fingers；　into　the　sandy　desert。　On　the　middle　mesa　are　Shungopavi；　Mashongnovi　and　Shipaulovi；　while　on　the　eastern　mesa　are　Walpi；　Sichomovi　and　Hano。

Sandstone　Houses。　All　the　houses　are　built　of　rude　pieces　of　sandstone；　cemented　with　mud。　Steps　are　made　of　larger　slabs　of　stone；　and　often　the　only　means　of　access　is　by　long　ladders；　the　poles　of　which　tower　high　above　the　buildings；　and　give　a　singularly　picturesque　aspect　to　the　village。　In　the　olden　days；　there　were　neither　doors　nor　windows　in　the　first　story　of　the　houses。　They　were　built　so　purposely；　since　they　must　serve　for　fortresses　as　well　as　homes。

Hopi　Wafer。　Bread。　One　is　often　likely　to　find　a　woman　engaged　in　making　piki。　Piki　is　a　wafer　bread；　peculiar　to　the　Hopis。　It　is　finer　than　the　finest　tortilla　of　the　Mexican；　or　oatcake　of　the　Scotch。　No　biscuit　maker　in　America　or　England　can　make　a　cracker　one…half　so　thin。　The　thinnest　cracker　is　thick　compared　with　piki；　and　yet　the　Hopi　make　it　with　marvelous　dexterity。　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　befo