Our exact knowledge of the character of the Hopi Katcinas dates back to
Schoolcraft’s valuable compilation. While the existence of these dances
was known previously to that time, and several references to similar
dances among the other Pueblos might be quoted from the writings of
Spanish visitors, our information of the Katcina celebrations in
Tusayan previously to 1852 is so fragmentary that it is hardly of
value in comparative studies. In the year named Dr P. S. G. Ten Broeck
visited Tusayan and published a description of what was probably a
Katcina dance at Sitcomovi. Although his account is so imperfect that
we can not definitely say what Katcina was personated, his description
was the first important contribution to our knowledge of the character
of these dances among the Hopi Indians. It will be noticed in a general
way that the personation differed but slightly from those of the
present day. Ten Broeck noted that the male dancers, Katcinas, wore
on their heads “large pasteboard towers” (náktci?), and “visors[30]
made of small willows, with the bark peeled off and dyed a deep
brown.” He recognized that the female dancers (Katcinamanas) were men
dressed as women and that they wore yellow “visors” and dressed their
hair in whorls as at the present time. He described the musical (?)
accompaniment of the dance with the scapula of an animal rubbed over a
“ground piece of wood.” He likewise noticed the priests who sprinkled
the dancers with sacred meal, and speaks of two small boys painted
black with white rings who accompanied the dance. The latter may have
been personifications of the Little Fire Gods.
The Hopi clowns, Tcukúwympkiyas, were likewise seen by Ten Broeck, who
described their comical actions. From his description of the byplay of
their “assistants,” I find very little change has taken place since his
time. In the Katcina which he observed food was distributed during the
dance, as I have elsewhere described is the case today. Although much
might be added to Ten Broeck’s description, his observations were the
most important which had been made known up to his time, and continued
for forty years the most valuable record of this group[31] of dances
among the Tusayan Indians.
CLASSIFICATION OF KATCINAS
Before considering the various ceremonials in which the Katcinas
appear, it may be well to say something of the nature of these
supernatural beings which figure in them as made known by the testimony
of some of the best-informed men of the tribe. The various legends
which are told about them are numerous and can not be repeated here,
but a few notions gathered from them may render it possible for the
reader to better understand the character of the ceremonials in which
they appear.
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