Nov., 1903. Oraibi Summer Snake Ceremony — Voth. 343 



did not give their consent, but simply dropped the matter and let the 

 man remain, though under protest.' At no time have the Oraibi Snake 

 priests compromised themselves by accepting any of the many offers 

 made to them (either directly, or through the author) of money, shells, 

 calico, etc., for the privilege of witnessing the performance in the 

 kiva. All such overtures have consistently met with positive refusals 

 by the Snakes.^ The Antelopes are somewhat less conservative, and 

 have on several occasions permitted parties to come in, even to do 

 some photographing. In the other villages, especially those of the 

 Second Mesa, it is less difficult to get into the klvas while ceremonies 

 are going on, although it is by no means an easy matter, and to be 

 had for the mere asking. Everywhere, however, it has been found 

 that the Snake priests especially objected when the question of per- 

 mitting a woman to witness their klva rites was raised.' They say 

 women are especially obnoxious to the snakes. 



The snake washing in the OrAibi ceremony varies from that in the 

 other villages in several respects. In the latter, the washing itself is 

 done, so far as I have observed, by older members of the Fraternity, 

 in Oraibi by the younger men, one of them in one case being a novice. 

 There the men, especially the one who washes the snakes, put on 

 parts of their costume that are typically war paraphernalia — such as 

 the bandoleer, hurunkwa (a'peculiar head-dress, consisting of bunches 

 of feathers of different birds tied to two hollow sticks), etc , which 

 is not the case in Ordibi, where, in fact, these two objects are wanting 

 in the Snake costume, although the members of the Snake Fraternity 

 are all called kal^htakas (warriors). Furthermore, in Ordibi, the 

 utmost silence and solemnity prevails during the washing of the snakes, 

 while in all the other villages loud singing and rattling accompanies 

 the act. These facts, in connection with others, for instance that the 

 older Snake costumes are said to be made of material taken from slain 

 enemies, especially the buckskin wokokwawa (big belt), that the spots 

 on the bodies, as has already been explained, are the same as were 



' In the case of Professor Ehrenreich I obtained the permission of the priests, but also only 

 alter considerable arguing, and after throwing into the balance a message from the Indian Agent, 

 to the Chief Snake priest, that he would consider it a personal favor if they would permit Professor 

 Ehrenreich to enter the kiva, as he had come from such a long distance. 



' On a few occasions I have succeeded in taking parties into the kiva when nothing special was 

 taking place, and only one man was present, whose permission I obtained. But he generally 

 allowed them to stay in the kiva only a few minutes. On a few occasions single persons have also 

 gone into the kiva themselves when the men were away, about which the priests complained bitterly 

 when they found it out later. 



^ As far as known no white woman has ever been permitted to witness any rites in any Snake 

 kiva with one exception: In igoi the Snake chief of Mishongnovi permitted the author's daughter, a 

 girl of sixteen years of age, to witness the snake washing. He excused the exception on the ground 

 that she had been with the Hopi a long time, had seen many of their secret ceremonies, and could 

 talk their Janguage. 



