THE SPIRIT WORLD

Kachinas (Katsinum)

Kachinas are benevolent spirits who live among the Hopi for approximately six months of the calendar year. Arriving first during the December Soyal ceremony, they appear in greater numbers during the February Powamuya season. At that time, the Kachina spirits are called upon to invoke substantial growth and maturity for humankind. Their interrelationship with Hopi society is rich and complex. Here, a Bear clan elder tells a story about the origins of the Kachina.

“Kachinas came from here--actually beyond that, but that’s something more difficult to explain. There is one settlement called Kowastima, which is northeast of here, which is now called “Navajo National Monument.” That’s where they lived at one time. There’s a place called Paviovi over there, a little village-like settlement, and that’s where they used to live. Once all the clans had gathered here, Hopi, and after several years probably, they’ve been settled here, then pretty soon the Hopi people couldn’t raise any crops, there was no rain, there was no... People started to lose faith in their own ways of doing things.

“It was a chief of this village here, Shongopavi, which was evidentally the first village ever founded when they first came here--Bear clan founded that. From that village, they found out about these people, people that were living over there in Kowastima. And for some reason in the middle of winter, those people would be eating some fresh stuff, like melon, peaches, or corn, you know, fresh corn. How did they do that? So they must know something that we don’t know. So we want them to come. We were living corrupt world, we disrespected each other, we disrespected elders, and women, and everybody--we just didn’t have respect for one another.

“For that reason, a chief went over there to ask them if they could come. They had a difficult time convincing them, because those people just didn’t trust them, didn’t trust the Hopis that were living here. Because they already know what their capabilities are, what they’re bringing themselves into. They already knew what kind of destiny they were going to face while they were here. But their chief went ahead and said yes anyway, but he said "I don’t trust you, I don’t trust you guys. So what I’ll do, I’ll send my advisors or my support group. So instead of him coming, he sent Parrot, Tobacco, Crow, and Butterfly. He sent them, to try it out, to see if these people were really sincere about them.

“So they came. They were kachinas. They came here, and then they taught us what we should know in order to revive the good things of life for themselves. Powamuya, it was winter time when they came, about February they came, so that’s when they came here, they purified everybody in the village, the whole village was purified, including the environment. They cleaned the people, the place, everything has to be purified. That’s why certain time of the calendar year, the Hopis still refer to that as Powamuya--that’s when the Kachinas came and they purified everywhere. Powatoka, that’s what that means.

“When they came to do that, then from that point on, they said they went back, they disappeared from here. They went back, but then they went around through the Mahisia mesa, it probably wasn’t named Mesa Verde then, but it’s Mesa Verde today, all those archaeological sites. People were still living there, all the way down to Chaco Canyon and on into the New Mexico pueblo types, there were people still living there already. So they migrated up through there and then they disappeared. They disappeared somewhere, but by the sign of the clouds--they said they really know how to be clouds. So when they couldn’t come back, that’s when they started doing that, imitating it. But the place where they see it is in that area where Kowastima is, there’s a spring called Kisiova. And that’s where Hopis think that they went, because there’s always a cloud there. And you see a kachina there. And then another place is San Francisco peaks. There’s always a cloud there, and kachinas always there. So that’s their spiritual home today.

“As the belief goes, you have to be initated into that, it’s a little bit of a strict initiation. Because you have to be solemn, you have to learn how to pray, your heart has to be in balance with the Nature to be a kachina, otherwise you cannot fit in to be that. Because kachinas were special at the time that they came here, they say, they can heal, they can heal the sick by touch. They raise things just by singing, by bringing rain. They do things like, they can lift big rocks, and they can do many many big feats that no human can do. They can disappear, they can reappear. They can travel in space real quick-shhhhhk!--like superman.

“And then there’s not color, there’s just hard work. That’s when we perform our responsibility. Snake, the Flute, The Mamaorsan, the Lalakont, there’s no color involved in that, it’s just plain, simple. And then finally you come back to December, and that’s when the Kachinas come back. In February, that’s when you actually see the purification ceremony given by kachinas.

“But there’s one certain month before the purification ceremony comes in, in the Month of January, that’s when--because we have lived a corrupt life, a very very dirty life at one time, and the significance of that is to reinact that, in January--we dance Buffalo, and everybody yells, and Oh! You take all that corruption out of your system, you almost get drunk by all that dancing and things like that, it’s a form of turning people into that sort of a mode, so you get rid of all that. And following that, as soon as it’s done, the very next day that Kachina appears. So now you’re solemn, you’re ready to pray, and then your supposed to live like a monk, you go to kiva. So your heart is pure, and that’s when the Powamuya, the Kachinas are coming to further purify you because of what you did.

That’s what that all means, it’s a cycle, so it’s forever reminder that you’re not here alone, you’re here for a purpose. And you cannot achieve that purpose with bad heart--you have to have good heart. You have to have good initiatives, you have to work harder, your mind has to be clear, you have to be physically fit, because everything is done outside, especially by men, all the prayers and everything--with no clothes, in the middle of winter. No shoes, just trunks. And it’s cold, and if you’re not physically fit, mentally strong, or even spritually, you cannot make it. So that’s what that all means, that’s what kachina is.”

CONNECTIONS

“We are now divided into four societies. After the migration, we came back to the supreme power we call Masau. He gave us four doctrines to live by so that we could protect this earth, protect the land, take care of this land, with this ritual. And these four societies, we refer to them as Kwanitaka, that’s One-Horn. The One-horn people are underworld figures. Their role is to guide spirits of the dead to the spirit underworld. The One-horn is a representative of the owner of this land here, of the world.

“And Alataka, that’s Two-Horn. Wuuchima, that’s life as it is, and that’s called Corn clan, the life, the corn. And the forth one is Taataukia. Taataukia is a single group composed of nothing but Bear clan, Badger clan. They’re a special group. During the ritual, they are the only ones that have a place down in the corner, or down below the kiva. Nobody else goes down, everybody stays up on top, because there are special songs, all night long, that they sing, for the survival of the universe.

“The women have two groups, with initiations held in September, during the warm weather (for the men it is during the cold weather). The first initiation is a must, the other is by choice.

“No Hopi knows everything, because we only know our things. Like our clan religion, that’s what we know. Kachina, you only know a little part of it. But the more spiritual things, the more sacred things, maybe we don't know. Same way with the religious societies: only the high priest knows that, but they all put together to make it whole.”

The Kiva

"Kiva is a name for a spiritual place. It’s a three level place, and it represents the emergence, it represents the womb. The first is where the spirit comes out, it’s like a womb of a lady, there’s a whole down there where the baby is born. And there's a second level, where they sit. Where they sit (crouched, in foetal position), this is when they are about to hatch, about to be born. And then it’s open. So it’s kind of like a big womb, but its a very sacred place." From within the kiva, a ladder emerges through a square hole to the world above, symbolic of the Fourth World. You come down and go counter-clockwise onto the next level, inside the kiva.

“Everything is square on hopi. We did have round kivas, where we danced. But Hopis found out, when we first came over here, that it was strictly enforced by superiors that they would not have round kivas, because evil travels around in circular form. The Hopi is the only one who can harness the forces of good, and the force is supposed to come straight down. And if you have a square kiva, there is no other but the good force that will come through, because the evil cannot go through the square hole.

“And they also say that this is a resemblance of, the center of the universe, and it also represents the great kivas or great spiritual homes of somewhere else. And when they say that, I always think of Mexico, Central America, all this places where the temples are square on top.

“The village has three kivas: one for the Corn society, one for the Two-horn society, and one for the One-horn society. The latter two will be near each other; Two-horn can enter the Corn kiva, but the One-horn cannot. So the One-horn can be near the Two-horn kiva, but not near the Corn kiva.”

RITUAL CALENDAR

Kelmuya (in November) Fourth World Creation

Hopi religious calendar is formalized and decreed. The society members prepare for the ceremony by purifying their minds and spirit to achieve humility and peace of mind. Rituals are performed by and for Hopi priests who have completed their religious instruction. The ceremony is completed with a public dance in which people can offer silent prayers to supernatural beings. The fire of life is lit, the emergence from the underworld commemorated, germination of life is supplicated, and the path for humanity set.

During this time of reverence and respect for the spirit beings, wise elders tell stories of the past, emphasizing the past as a moral guide and the maintenance of the high standards of Hopi life. Sunrise and lunar observations around the Winter solstice set the time for the Soyal ceremony, which accepts, confirms and implements the life plan fo the year. The first Kachinas appear to promote the procreation of human life. Rituals in the kiva include reverent silence, fasting, and eating of sacred foods. Upon completion, winter social dances are being laid out.

Paamuya (in January) Winter Social Dances

Social dances are held at night in the kiva or homes, or in the plaza by day. It is a festive period, with dances depicting animals that roam in the wooded mountains, now covered in snow. These dances represent prayers for snow on Hopi fields, or for successful hunting. Versions of the Buffalo dance are most common.

Powamuya (in February) Purification

This most complex of Hopi ceremonies implores the kachinas to appear among the people to assure growth and maturity for all human life. It begins with the appearance at sunrise of a kachina priest who blesses all the houses and “opens” the kiva for visitation by the divine kachinas. Whipper kachinas travel the villages at night, evaluating whether the residents have maintained adequate standards of conduct. In the kivas, men perform rituals in preparation for the dance day. On that day, other kachinas appear at sunrise with beautiful gifts for the people of the village, including a small bundle of bean sprouts whose miraculous appearance suggests the promise of crops in the coming season. Children are given many traditional gifts that affirm they have behaved in accordance with the standards set by the kachinas.

The purification period continues with the coming of the mean Ogre kachina spirits. Foods that are difficult or time-consuming to prepare are demanded in great quantities by these spirits. If these foods are not brought in sufficient quantity, the Ogres say they will come and eat the children. The peacefulness of the village is shattered and the night is filled with eerie and terrifying hoots and snarls. Everyone looks into themselves to see what they may have done wrong during the year to bring this terrible disruption.

At each house and kiva, everyone is loudly and publicly ridiculed for not living up to the high standards of life. Once these ridicules and punishments are over, a special blessing is given to everyone, and a social dance is held to heal the disruption. The Ogre family is forcibly removed from the village.

Ösömuya (in March) Kachina Night Dances

During this season, kachina night dances take place in the villages with the goal of creating a pleasant atmosphere for all life forms--to encourage their growth and to bring rain for fruitfulness. The ever-watchful kachinas listen for humble prayers and meditations during the Night Dance season (into July).

The Angk'wa is a series of Kachina Night Dances performed during this period. On a certain designated night when the people have entered the kiva and are waiting, the kachinas appear suddenly on the roofs of the kiva and announce their arrival with pleasant sounds. The kiva chiefs invites them in, and they descend the ladders and distribute gifts of food that represent the abundant crops of the summer. They burst into singing and dancing in a prayer for all life forms, then abruptly cease and depart the kiva, on their way to the next kiva, and a new group arrives. The dance series may go on until just before dawn. The next day is for feasting and visiting among extended families, though kachinas may appear in the plaza. The completion of this cycle serves to support life-growth.

Someone, often a woman, may then decide to sponsor a Kachina day dance at a later date to continue the entertainment and spiritual blessings. Such dances are usually scheduled in accordance with the stages of plant life and planting crops. Kachina day dances are held from March through June.

Kwiyamuya (around April) Early Spring

At this time, fruit trees are beginning to bud or blossom, and weeds are starting to grow in the corn fields. This is the time to prepare the fields and plant certain crops, including early corn, and to build wind breaks to protect them. Women shell the seed corn to be planted by the men. It is a busy period, and racer kachinas appear to challenge the males to footraces, a test of the villagers’ strength. Two female fertility beings participate in symbolically promoting the procreation of life. These races bless the people and encourage them to train for the tough races that are an important part of the activities upcoming in the ritual cycle.

Hakitonmuya (in May) Early Planting (Pöma’uyis)

This is the season for planting beans and other vine crops including pumpkin (paatnga), watermelon (kawayo), and gourd (tawiya). It is a time to wait (“haki”) for the warmer corn-planting weather. Ritual activities and the appearance of kachinas focus on planting and sprouting of crops.

Men of different clans go to collect eaglets and young hawks, which are adopted into their clan families. It is beleived that young creatures, being innocent and pure of heart, possess great spiritual powers. The young birds are treated the same as Hopi children, and they live with and observe the people of the village.

Wuko’uyis (in June) Planting Season

This is the time of the planting of the sacred corn, and the coming of the rain to support its growth. At night, the villagers hear the kachina songs emanating from the kivas, and kachinas will appear in all the Hopi villages. Initiated men visit the kivas to smoke ceremonially, meditate, and pray for a plentiful harvest. Preparations are taking place for the first day of the tiikive dance, on which the kachinas physically appear and file into the plaza. Their arrival signals good fortune, virtue, and moisture for all plant life. They dance and are served sacred foods, and bestow gifts of food--samples of the coming harvest--to the villagers. Clown kachinas appear and emphasize good behavior by performing negative acts. At sunset, the dance concludes, though it may continue again the next day. At the conclusion, the kachinas are reluctantly sent home to their spirit world.

Talangva (in July) Summer Solstice Season

Through the devote practices and efforts of the people and the blessings of the kachinas, plantlife has blossomed. The climax of the summer is the sacred Niman ceremony, performed precisely at midsummer. This is the time of the most intense prayer and meditation, and kiva chiefs and priesthood leaders conduct rituals for the benefit of humankind. There is a dance day at which certain kachinas appear with stalks of corn and melos representing their bounty and the peoples’ virtues. During the last dance of the day, the year’s brides in their wedding robes are presented to the kachinas, symbolic that she will some day join them in her wedding robe. Afterwards the kachinas will depart the earth, carrying the peoples’ prayers to the six directions. The next day is the final ritual of the ceremonial cycle in which life is purified. The kachinas return to the world of the spirits, and the eagles now accompany them, carrying prayers and observations of what has taken place during their stay in the village. The kachina season has ended.

Tala’paamuya (in August) Summer Social Dances

Flute and Snake-Antelope ceremonies are held on alternate years to bring the last summer rains that insure the maturity of the corn and other crops, as well as to prepare the fields for the next season. Young men and women gather in the plazas for many social dances, including the colorful butterfly dance. Also held are dances that honor other neighbor peoples--Navajo, Havasupai, Supai, Zuni, and Commanche. These are non-kachina ceremonies, though they are public axpressions of gratitude for plentiful food and good life.

Nasanmuya (in September) Harvest Season

At this time the Marawwimi consecrates the harvest season. This is a women’s ceremony held by the the Maraw, one of three women’s societies. Other ceremonial activites are performed by men initiated into the Maraw society.

Toho’osmuya (in October) Winter Solstice Season

The cycle of women’s ceremonies continues with the Lakon, commonly refered to as a Basket Dance. Together with the O'waqölt, another important series of women's ceremonies during this season, these reinforce maternal ideals and express desire for healthy impregnation. Other ceremonial activites are performed by men initiated into the Lakon society.

With the completion of the ceremonial rituals and dances performed by the three women’s societies, the ritual calendar comes to an end. The next year’s ceremonial calendar will soon be decreed and formalized.

OUR PLACE

“If you look at Hopi from the outside, just to say “Hopi” means that we are called “peaceful ones,” because we are supposed to be doing nothing but positive things. We always think positively. We always humble ourselves, we never rise above anybody, because we’re supposed to be so humble that we get the strength, the spiritual strength, the physical strength, to save this world. That’s what Hopi is about. It looks very complicated, because there’s clans, and societies, but all of that’s put together for self respect and for respect for the others. And that’s what Hopi is about. He’s a hard working person, he’s a praying person, he’s a religious person, he’s a humble person. And always looking out for the best interest, the well being, of his people and of the people of the entire world.”

LANGUAGE

SOURCES AND LINKS

The Ritual Cycle section is drawn directly from Following the Sun and The Moon: Hopi Kachina Tradition by Alph Secakuku (1995: Northland Publishing/The Heard Museum).