1924: While the BIA continues to prohibit these dances " white folk are organized to perpetuate them so that they may not vanish from the soil of their inception when the last Moki trails beyond the portals of his lost land."

Rites of Ancient Moki People 

Perpetuated in Dances of the "Smokis" 

(view the article is at the end of this post) 

1924, July 18   Honolulu Star Bulletin 

          Prescott, Ariz - Mystic elements dominating the ancient Moki and Hopi Indian religious ceremonials have taken curious hold upon a group of Phoenix businessmen who for four years have reproduced some of these rites.
          The whites call themselves "The Smokis.
          Every summer they give a civic pageant, based on aboriginal tribal custom, and peculiarly appropriate to the tradition and history of this Arizona region. Three hundred people participate. With snakes, paint, fantastic garb and symbolic gesture they enact their version of the animated prayers of desert folk for rain, fertility and plenty.
          This annual celebration began as little more than a unique show. It was initiated lightly, with a spirit of jest perhaps, though not mockery. Handling the snakes, performing the dances, indulging the weird rituals -- these things at first made participants and spectators laugh self-consciously.
           But soon the mood changed, under the subtle reaction of the invocations. There was solemnity in rehearsals; reverence in performance. Some potent spell of an elder worship at work in the souls of the "Smoki" --- fulfillment of the saga of Moki priests that he altars of their gods may not be approached lightly by any people, red or white.
          Miss Sharlot M Hall, celebrated rancher-poet, who, with Kate T Cory, an artist living many years among the Indians, developed the ceremonial to its present stage, iterates what the spectator observes that the most devout decorum actuates the players.
          The original intent of the "Smokis" merely to provide entertainment now embraces a plan to preserve in pageant and museum the legends and lore of the Mokis and Hopis.
          Thus, while the bureau of Indian affairs continues trying to stamp out many tribal practices, driving them to secret places and silent refuge in withered brown breasts, white folk are organized to perpetuate them so that they may not vanish from the soil of their inception when the last Moki trails beyond the portals of his lost land.
          Retaining their original dignity, meaning and solemn mystery, the dances of the "Smoki" are held in the natural amphitheater ringed with the altar peaks and ledges bearing ruined home walls and carved pictographs of the elder  natives, where the snake and the antelope, people once assembled to pay their devotions.
          Thus, in the land of high blue skies and far horizons, by curious circumstance and mystic influence, are the revered rituals of a dying folk handed on into the keeping of their white successors -- the Snake Dance, the Ceremony of the New Fire, the Butterfly Festival, born of thirst and theistic groping.

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1925, March 8 - Star Press - A meeting was held at the Sorosis Club about "Indian Customs," with a speech about the "Smoki Tribe" of Arizona. The article said: "the Smoki Tribe of Indians celebrate their annual ceremonial dances and mystic rites for the season of new growth. The So-Maikoli, or blind priests, invoke the blessings of the new flame from the great and mysterious fire-god. They are led to their places by their clan brothers, the Ya-Ya, who guide them by shaking before them very ancient and sacred rattles by whose sounds they proceed step by step.

          "The ceremony is deeply important to the Smoki, for the terrible god of fire may be angered and deluge them with destroying flames; but if he is pleased, he will grant the sacred flames of new life to burn upon their altars....."

Notice how the Smoki have culturally appropriated everything pertaining to this ceremony? Only took them 4 years. The SMOKIS are INDIANS, with ANCIENT rites, their own gods, and a CEREMONY that is deeply important to THEM. Amazing... 

Stealing from the success built by the Hopi Nation for decades, the fake Prescott "Smoki Tribe" flourishes.

1925, June 13   Arizona Republic 

An ad for the Smoki Snake Dance that shattered attendance records. The not only stole the Snake Dance, but they also "recreated" other indigenous ceremonies, such as the Deer Dance and the Flute Ceremony.

1925, June 2   Arizona Republic 

Then guess what happened?

The Boy Scouts of Westmoreland County, camping at Camp Weco, "will present a Hopi snake dance... Rehearsals for the dance, in which live snakes are carried between the teeth of the dancers.."
       
They're going to copy the Hopi dance, with 40 snakes, staging it at a recreated Indian village, with snake priests, costumes, dances, songs, etc. It'll be a full-on production.

Cultural appropriation inspires more cultural appropriation, from those who are already doing it.

Remember: This ceremony is sacred, like Easter to the Christians. And it's rarely photographed, was formerly secret, and deeply important to the real Hopis.

And yet it's stolen. Again and again.

1935, July 18   The Indiana Gazette 

1924, July 18   Honolulu Star Bulletin 

1925, March 8  The Star