Here Are Pinion Covered Water-Bottles Of Navaho (Tusjeh), Havasupai
(Esuwa), And Apache (Tis-Ii-Lah-Hah).
Note the vast difference in the
native names for practically the same thing.
Hopi Katchinas. The Hopi Ethnologic Collection (on second floor) is the
best in the world, with the exception of the collection in the Field
Columbian Museum, Chicago. In this collection are a large number of
katchina dolls. Of these katchinas much might be written. They are ancient
ancestral representatives of certain Hopi clans who, as spirits of the
dead, are endowed with powers to aid the living members of the clan in
material ways. The clans, therefore, pray to them that these material
blessings may be given. "It is an almost universal idea of primitive man,"
says Fewkes, "that prayers should be addressed to personations of the
beings worshipped. In the carrying out of this conception men personate the
katchinas, wearing masks, and dressing in the costumes characteristic of
these beings. These personations represent to the Hopi mind their idea of
the appearance of these katchinas or clan ancients. The spirit beings
represented in these personations appear at certain times in the pueblo,
dancing before spectators, receiving prayer for needed blessings, as rain
and good crops."
Powamu and Niman: The katchinas are supposed to come to the earth from the
underworld in February and remain until July, when they say farewell. Hence
there are two specific times which dramatically celebrate the arrival and
departure of the katchinas. The former of these times is called by the Hopi
Powamu, and the latter Niman.
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