The Hopi Indians perform the Hopi snake dance sometime between the middle and end of August every year. It is a form of prayer for rain that originated in the northeastern part of Arizona. The snakes are considered to be the emissaries to the rain powers and the Indians consider them very sacred. The purpose of the ceremony is to bring rain to mature the Hopi corn crop and to produce a good harvest which would therefore benefit the Hopi Indians.
Instructions
1. Paint the bodies of 24 men with red body paint in vertical stripes from head to toe.
2. Cover a small hole in the centre of a plaza with a cottonwood plank and place some cornmeal at the bottom, this is the "kisi" or snake shrine. Fill this hole with snakes until no more can be placed inside.
3. Instruct the 24 men to dance around the plaza four times in a circle, crossing over the snake shrine facing towards the centre of the circle. They should stomp with the right foot on top of the snake shrine when passing it.
4. Give one man the role of "Snake Chief," who should then lower himself in front of the snake shrine and pick up a snake with his right hand.
5. Tell the Snake Chief to stroke the body of the snake with a kwawiki in his right hand. Make the dancer go around the circle of men in the plaza and then return to their original position in the circle. Once they complete a circle, another dancer steps up to the snake shrine. Repeat this procedure with all the dancers till all of them have a snake.
6. Dance around the plaza in a circle again and then instruct each man to put the snake on the ground. Distribute the snakes towards the four different directions to carry the message of renewing life.
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