The Katcina altars in Hopi worshipFewkes, Jesse Walter
Religion
The Katcina altars in Hopi worship
Fewkes, Jesse Walter
Hopi Indians -- Religion; Hopi mythology
[12] Journ. Amer. Folk-Lore, Vol. VIII, No. XXXI. The conical
prolongation of the head is also found in many figurines and images
and while the similarity of symbolism would lead to the belief that
the two supernaturals are identical, the presence of two similar
images on an altar indicates that they are distinct.
[13] In other secret rites, not considered in this article, the first
method is employed as in Powamu. Personifications in public dances
are ordinarily masked, and as a rule Katcinas doff their masks when
they dance in kivas. In certain instances, however, the mask is worn
in kiva ceremonials.
[14] I regard them as complicated symbols, not intrinsically objects
of worship.
[15] In the public dance she is represented by a girl, but there
is a beautiful instance in this ceremony where the third method
is substituted for the first in the public dance. For some reason
unknown to me, in the 1891 exhibit at Walpi no girl performed this
part, but her place was taken by a participant in the dance who
bore in her hands a flat board with a picture of the Germ Maid (see
Mamzrauti, Amer. Anthrop., Vol. V, No. 3, 1892, Pl. IV, figs. 9,
10). The picture, not the bearer, represented the Germ Maid. It
is a remarkable confirmation of my theory that Mamzraumana is the
same personation as Calakomana; that this picture is identical in
symbolism with pictures of the latter, and was so called by the
priests. Comparing the picture Mamzraumana on the Mamzrau altar and
of the same on this tablet we see differences in old and new Hopi
art. The picture publicly exhibited conforms to modern conception of
her symbolism, as shown in dolls, etc.; that on the altar, which the
uninitiated can not see, is the older form, before innovations and
modifications.
[16] Amer. Anthrop., Vol. V, No. 3, 1892.
[17] Journ. Amer. Ethnol. and Archæol., Vol. IV.
[18] Journ. Amer. Ethnol. and Archæol., Vol. II; Journ. Amer.
Folk-Lore, Vol. VIII, No. XXXI; Vol. IX, No. XXV.
[19] Journ. Amer. Folk-Lore, Vol. VI, No. XXIII.
[20] As maize is the most important food of the Pueblo Indians there
is a tendency to make this name more specific, “Corn Maid.” This
appears to be the name of the doll Calakomana, “Corn Maid.”
[21] The range of variation of the dolls of the Calakomana may be
seen by consultation of my memoir on Tusayan Dolls (Int. Archiv für
Ethnog., Band VII, pp. 45-74, 1894). One of the strangest of these
represents two Germ Maids, one above the other, surmounted by a male
figurine, Hehea Katcina, which has lightning emblems on the cheeks
and phallic symbols on the body.
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