The Hopi Kachina Cult
The land of the American Southwest is known for its searing
desert and towering peaks, but between these extremes are areas suitable
for human habitation. The majority of Southwestern Indian tribes are found in the uplands, on the flanks of the high mountains among piñon
pines and juniper. Here, access is easy to both the game of the highlands
and to the protein-rich seeds of the desert plants.
The Southwestern tribes represent two modes of
adaptation: the sedentary people occupying small villages and raising
crops; and the nomadic groups that depend on hunting and more recently
on the raising of livestock. Often the two occupy the same land, though
using it for different purposes. It is the sedentary Indians of Arizona
and New Mexico; those dwelling in small communities of tightly packed
houses that the Spanish Conquistadors called "pueblos."
Farmers in any part of the world have always been
dependent on the weather for successful crops, and the Pueblo people
have been contending with the vagaries of the Southwest's weather
patterns for more than 2,000 years. In the course of that time they have
accumulated a store of commonsense observations on what may happen if
certain conditions prevail, and with this knowledge has come a
relatively accurate system of weather prediction.
However, this is really not enough to survive the
erratic weather conditions of their semiarid land. And so the Pueblo
peoples evolved an elaborate pattern for securing help from the
supernatural forces that are believed to control nature. All of the
Pueblos have this complex religious pattern, though in some groups it is
more elaborate than in others.
The Hopi Indians are the westernmost of the Pueblo
peoples and live in twelve villages set on the three mesas in
northeastern Arizona. These are called First Mesa, Second Mesa and Third
Mesa in order of their access from the east. To grow crops, particularly
corn in their semiarid land, the Hopis believe it is absolutely
essential to have the supernaturals on their side. The Hopis believe that their
supernaturals have certain powers which they do not have, and that they
in turn possess things which their supernaturals desire. Thus quite
often Hopi rituals are mutual gift-giving ceremonies. The supernaturals
desire prayer feathers, corn pollen and various rituals, and the Hopis
like rain, so this mutual exchange works out very well for both parties.
The Kachina cult has been described as a common
denominator in Hopi religion. Nearly every Hopi takes part in it, and
Kachinas are a popular and much discussed feature of Hopi life. Hopi
Kachinas are supernaturals, embodying the spirits of living things and
also the spirits of ancestors who have died and become a part of nature.
Kachinas are believed to possess powers over nature, especially the
weather, but higher gods limit the extent of their powers. There are
still other supernaturals in the Hopi pantheon that are not Kachinas,
but which affect Kachinas.
To Hopis, it is essential to preserve harmony with the
world around them, not only with man and other animals but with objects
in nature such as rocks, clouds, sky, etc., which the Hopis believe to
be possessed of life. Since the Kachinas embody these spirits they are
the spiritual guardians of the Hopi people and their way of life. And
since they can insure human, animal and plant fertility, they insure
life itself. Hopi men carve likenesses of the Kachinas from cottonwood
root, and these are the well known Kachina dolls that are of special
interest to collectors.
In the yearly cycle of religious ceremonies, Kachina
dances are preeminent. However, the term "dance" does not have
the same meaning as the Western notion of social or interpretive dance.
In Hopi dances, the Kachinas are represented by Hopi men, aged ten to
eighty.
When Kachinas are represented by the men of the villages,
they assume visual form and appear in the streets and plazas of the
town. It is here that the Kachina is his most magnificent, for the Hopis
feel that when they impersonate a Kachina they become the supernatural.
As supernaturals they may cure disease, grow corn, bring clouds and
rain, watch over ceremonies and reinforce discipline and order in the
Hopi world.
Because there are many circumstances that arise
requiring supernatural help, there are many Kachinas. Among the Hopi
there are about 300 Kachinas that may be current, and at least another
200 that may be known but make only sporadic appearances. It is
perfectly consistent that Kachinas may wane and new ones appear as the
needs of the Hopis change. Thus some Kachinas remain only in appearance,
with all thought of their original purpose lost, or some will fade from
memory entirely. At the other extreme will be Kachinas that are not more
than a few years old.
Each Kachina has a particular marking or symbol that
identifies it to the Hopi. Less apparent are details of costume
that are essential to the different types of Kachinas. There are many
Kachinas that represent elements in the world of the Hopi, such as
plants, animals, clouds, abstract forms, stars and sky. Everything that
surrounds the Hopi may have a supernatural associated with it, and it is
thus possible to have an Ashes Kachina or a Jimson Weed Kachina. In
addition there are Kachinas that represent the spirit of the Hopi's
neighbors, the Navajo or the Zuni, the Havasupai or the Apache. These
may be caricatures or earnest representations.
One group of Kachinas, the Chief Kachinas, correspond to
the village leaders and are most important. They have jurisdiction over
other Kachinas and the more important aspects of village life. These
Kachinas, which are rather few in number, are never changed and appear
at every important ceremony with which they are connected.
There is another group of Kachinas that might be
described as warriors or guards. They oversee the handling of
particular events, making sure that the audience does not approach the
wrong area or interfere with the dancers. Some of them serve to enforce
community projects, insuring that Hopi men attend and perform their
duties. Others bear war symbolism which refers back in time to the
period when the Hopis were under attack by hostile neighbors. Although
the Hopis are considered peaceful, the necessity for defense in the past
is commemorated in the spears carried by certain Kachinas, in the
designs symbolizing bravery, and in particular Kachinas such as the
Warrior Maid who saved her village when it was under attack.
The Kachina calendar begins with the appearance of the
important Kachinas in January. At this time Chief Kachinas bless certain
portions of the village and perform rituals designed to open the season
for other Kachina performances. The second major
ceremony--Powamu--occurs in February and is accompanied by the magical
appearance of green growing plants while the land is still locked in
the grip of winter. At Powamu or "Bean Dance" large numbers of
Kachinas appear but usually do not dance.
At times when the young men of the village are initiated
into the tribe (not to be confused with the annual initiation of the
children into the Kachina cult), the Powamu ceremony may be even larger,
and rarer Kachinas make their appearance. In March, the Night Dances are
held in the kivas, for it is still too cold to dance in the plaza.
These dances are generally similar to the Plaza Dances
which are held later in the spring. Plaza Dances are composed of line
dancers, with many performers representing a single Kachina or a mixed
group of similar figures. The greater amount of space in the plaza
provides room for the long lines of regular dancers and for the more
active "side dancers." These highly skilled "side
dancers" encourage the others and emphasize the rhythm of the song
and often accompany the words of the songs with gestures. Summer dances
are always popular and well attended. The final dance of the year is the
"Home Dance" or Niman. It signals the departure of all the
Kachinas for their mountain homes. After the "Home Dance" no
more Kachinas appear until the following year.
The Kachinas, then, occupy much of the ceremonial year.
They distribute food and blessings, accept prayers, provide
entertainment, and reflect many features of Hopi life. In addition,
there are many important family relationships among the Kachinas. The
women (Kachin-mana) are sisters or wives of the male dancers. Kachinas
may have aunts, uncles or grandfathers so that life among the
supernaturals seems to emphasize the order of a Hopi family. In the
Kachina dances, the Kachina women (normally impersonated by men), grind
corn in a ritual enactment by the use of rasps and gourd resonators, and
this is accompanied by the Kachina men's distribution of food. In this
giving, the farmers' produce is shared by the entire community. During
the day, the villagers often feast in various relatives' homes, enjoying
themselves and reinforcing their ties of family and clan kinship.
Thus, entertainment, discipline, teaching, explanations
of nature and reflections of the Hopi past all blend together in the
Kachina cult. In fact, the many different aspects of Kachinas and their
flexibility help explain their importance and popularity.
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