1991 Smokis are extinct . They only stopped because "respect for us was beginning to wane".. Ironic.
Anglos halt 'Indian' rite
1991, April 26 Arizona Republic
Prescott residents who call
themselves Smoki People no longer will dance with live snakes in their mouths
in an annual rite detested by Indians who have called it sacrilege.
“These are changing times,” said “Chief Ponytail,” 36-year-old construction contractor elected leader of the Smokis in September.
Smoki tradition prohibits members from using their real names when talking about the organization.
“Feelings have been generated against our dance for some time,” Chief Ponytail said.
For this year, at least, all imitation Indian dances by Smoki members have been canceled, he said.”
Religious and secular leaders of the Hopi Tribe, who demonstrated in Prescott against the dance last year, hailed the decision as a breakthrough in cultural understanding.
Hopi Chairman Vernon Massayesva, who led anti-Smoki picketing by about 100 tribal members, said Hopis “plan to go to Prescott again, not to demonstrate, but to show the city our gratitude for hosting us last year and to thank the Smoki for a wise decision.”
Saying that complaints of sacrilege have arisen sporadically for 15 years, although not all Indians objected to the dances, Chief Ponytail said, “Probably what our job will be in the future is promotion.”
“We want to sponsor Indians who dance. We want to lean toward artwork and basket weaving. But anything we do will definitely steer away from imitating any religious tradition.”
The group, whose members bear snakebite tattoos, long had maintained that its version of the Snake Dance gave non-Indians a glimpse of a dying culture. Many prominent Arizonans have been Smoki members through the years, including former Sen Barry Goldwater.
Radford Quamahongnewa, who is snake priest at the Hopi Reservation village of Shungopavi, called the group’s announcement “Very good news.”
Hopis believe that the rattlesnakes their priests dance with take prayers for rain to the spirit world when they are released at the end of the ceremonies.
Smokis danced with non-venomous bullsnakes.
“I appreciate now that they finally understand how sacred this ceremony is to us. We intend to keep this ceremony going for a long, long time.”
The Hopi’s has been closed to non-Indians since 1986.
Chief Ponytail, a member of the Smokis for four years, said his decision came after he met in Flagstaff last month with Masayesva and other Hopi representatives.
Chief Ponytail said he thinks that he was elected Smoki chief because the membership believed that a relative newcomer would find it easier to end a tradition.
“The feeling in our tribe was that respect for us was beginning to wane and that maybe this was the time to make a change,” he said.
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| 1991, April 26 Arizona Republic |
Chief Ponytail said he has asked the Hopi and Yavapai tribes to consider sending dancers and exhibitors to Prescott in August. He said they could appear at the Yavapai County Fairgrounds in conjunction with horse races.
The Smoki Snake Dance and other imitations of Indian activities were staged by the Smoki at the racetrack.
Chief Ponytail said he also will invite the Zunis and the White Mountain Apaches, whose chairmen had joined the Hopis in opposing the Smoki dances.
He said the Hopis asked him in Flagstaff to provide guarantees that the Smokis’ never again will stage the snake dance.
“I’m an elected officer for one year,” he said. “Who will be chief next year and what his decisions will be, I do not know.
“But about our snake dance – I don’t think it will ever happen again.”
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| 1991, April 27 Arizona Daily Star |
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| 1991, April 28 Albuquerque Journal |
