File:Indians of the Southwest (1903) (14785067703).jpg

Identifier: indiansofsouthwe00dors (find matches)
Title: Indians of the Southwest
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Dorsey, George A. (George Amos), 1868-1931 Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Company
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: (Chicago) Passenger department, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway system
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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Text Appearing Before Image:
right slabs stands a large wooden effigyrepresenting Cotuknangwu, the Heart of all the Sky God,an important personage in Hopi religion. By his side are manyzigzag shaped sticks emblematic of lightning. In front of thealtar is a medicine bowl upon which are terraced rain-cloudsymbols. At the side of the medicine bowl is an aspergil withwhich the priest sprinkles holy water. Arranged around itare six ears of corn, there being on the north side a yellow ear,on the west a blue ear, on the south a red ear, and on the easta white ear. On the northeast is an ear of sweet corn emblem-atic of the above or zenith, and on the southwest a black orspeckled ear, the emblem of the below or nadir. These colorsare always used by the Hopi in connection with the six direc-tions, and the medicine bowl, with the six colored ears, is oftenspoken of as the six directions altar. At one side stands a small netted gourd, the so-called priestsjug, used as a receptacle in bringing water from a certain spring 124
Text Appearing After Image:
Oraibi Blue Flute Altar which is used in the holy water. Then there is a basket traycontaining sacred corn meal, typical of the sacrifice, which issprinkled from time to time by certain priests. There is presentalso the bull roarer, or whizzer, the twirling of which producesa rumbling noise typical of thunder. Four little cup-shapedobjects painted in the colors of the four directions are near by.Such cup-shaped affairs are survivals of the time when the willof the gods was determined by the guessing of the priests asto the location of a small wooden ball hidden under one of thecups. The whole altar forms a mute and eloquent appeal forcopious rains. Sand Mosaics When candidates are admitted by initiatory rites, a drysand painting or mosaic is generally laid on the floor of thekiva, in front of the altar. The mosaics of no two ceremoniesare alike. We may take, as typical of this interesting phaseof Hopi religion, the mosaic spread on the kiva floor during thegreat Powamu ceremony, held

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