One of the most instructive food bowls found at Oldtown, now owned by
Mr. Osborn, has on it a picture of two hunters, one on each side of
an animal (fig. 15). One of these hunters carries in his hand a stick
crooked at the end, its form suggesting a throwing stick.[29] Both
hunters have laid aside their quivers, bows, and arrows, which are
shown behind them. The picture of an animal between them has been so
mutilated by “killing” or breaking the bowl that it is impossible
to identify it. From the end of this crook to the body of the animal
there extend two parallel lines of dots indicating the pathway of a
discharged weapon. Near the body of the animal these rows of dots take
a new direction, as if the weapon had bounded away or changed its
course. The rows of dots are supposed to represent lines of meal by
which Pueblos are accustomed to symbolically indicate trails or “roads.”
[Illustration: FIG. 14.—Priest smoking. Osborn Ruin.]
[Illustration: FIG. 15.—Man with curved stick. Oldtown Ruin. (Osborn
collection.) Diam. 5½″.]
There is, of course, some doubt as to the correct identification of
the crooked staff as a throwing stick, for as yet no throwing stick
has been found in the Mimbres ruins. The resemblance of the crooked
stick to those on certain Hopi altars and its resemblance to emblems
of weapons carried by warrior societies is noteworthy. Crooked sticks
of this character have been found in caves in the region north of the
Mimbres.[30]
We find a survival of a similar crook used as sacred paraphernalia in
several of the Hopi ceremonies, where they play an important rôle.
As the author has pointed out, crooked sticks or gnelas (fig. 16)
identified as ancient weapons surround the sand picture of the Antelope
altar in the Snake Dance at Walpi, and in Snake altars of other Hopi
pueblos, but it is in the Winter Solstice Ceremony, or the Soyaluña,
at the East Mesa of the Hopi, that we find special prominence given to
this warrior emblem. During this elaborate festival every Walpi and
Sitcomovi kiva regards one of these gnelas as especially efficacious
for the warriors, and it is installed in a prominent place on the kiva
floor, as indicated in the author’s account of that ceremony.[31]
The following explanation of these crooks was given him by the priests:
These crooks or gnelas have been called warrior prayer sticks, and
are symbols of ancient weapons. In many folk tales it is stated
that warriors overcame their foes by the use of gnelas which would
indicate that they had something to do with ancient war implements.
Their association with arrows on the Antelope altars adds weight to
this conclusion.
The picture from Oldtown ruin of the hunter who has laid aside the
quiver, bow, and arrow, and is using a similar gnela,[32] corroborates
this interpretation.
Not all crooked sticks used by the Hopi are prayer sticks, or weapons,
for sometimes in Hopi ceremonials a number of small shells are tied to
the extremity of a crooked stick forming a kind of rattle. In the Flute
Ceremony a crooked stick is said to be used to draw down the clouds
when the rain they contain is much desired.
Figure 16 is a representation of one of the crooks which was specially
made for use in the Soyaluña at Walpi, in 1900. Similar crooks were
set upright in a low mound of sand on the floors of all the kivas.
Extending from the base of the crook to the ladder there was sprinkled
a line of meal called the road (of blessings), over which was stretched
a feathered string attached to the end of the crook. Midway in the
length of the crook was attached a packet of prayer meal wrapped in
cornhusk and a feather of the hawk, a bird dear to warriors, and other
objects, which indicated a prayer offering. At the termination of
ceremonies in which these crooks are made and blessed as prayer emblems
by the Hopi they are deposited in shrines as recorded.
[Illustration: FIG. 16.—Hopi curved stick. Length 8″.]
The crook (gnela) is used as a prayer emblem of warriors because it has
the form of an ancient weapon, and while it assumes modifications in
different Hopi ceremonies it apparently has one and the same intent,
as in Soyaluña. This crook is sometimes interpreted as symbolically
representing an old man with head bent over by age, but this
interpretation is probably secondary to that suggested above, as so
often happens in the interpretations given by primitive priests.
The true interpretation of the crooked prayer stick was pointed out by
the author in his article on “Minor Hopi Festivals,”[33] as follows:
This crook is believed by the author to be a diminutive
representation of an implement akin to a throwing stick, the object
of which is to increase the velocity of a shaft thrown in the air.
Its prototype is repeatedly used in Hopi rites, and it occurs among
Hopi paraphernalia always apparently with the same or nearly the
same meaning.
[Illustration: FIG. 17.—Human figure running. Oldtown Ruin. (Osborn
collection.) Diam. 7½″.]
In figure 17 is represented a person running with outstretched banded
arms, holding in the left hand a bow, and in the other a straight
stick. The head is circular with cross lines, a round, dotted eye, and
two triangular ears. Another representation shows a human figure with
a bow and arrow before the hands, accompanied by three animals, the
middle one being a bird and the two lateral, quadrupeds.
By far the most unusual group of human forms consists of two figures,
one male, the other female, depicted on another bowl. The action in
which these two are engaged is evident. The female figure has dependent
breasts and wears a girdle. One hand is raised and brought to the face
and the other carries a triangular object. The female figure has three
parallel marks on the cheek, like the Hopi war-god. Behind the woman
are several curved lines depicting unidentified objects.
The figure shown on one bowl (fig. 18) has several marked features, but
the author is unable to suggest any theory of identification. It seems
to be a seated figure with a human head, arms, and legs, the toes and
fingers being like hands and feet. The forearm is drawn on the shoulder
in the same way as in the one of the hunters (fig. 13). The eye, nose,
and mouth are also human, but the body is more like that of an animal.
The appendages back of the head are similar to those interpreted as
feathers on the heads of certain animal designs.
[Illustration: FIG. 18.—Unidentified animal and bowl of unusual form.
Oldtown Ruin. (Osborn collection.)]
On the theory that this is a seated human figure it is interesting
to speculate on the meaning of the curved object represented on the
surface of the bowl, extending from one hand to the foot. This object
has the general form of a rabbit stick or boomerang, still used by the
Hopi in rabbit hunting.[34]
The well-drawn figure painted on a bowl (pl. 1, fig. 2) from Oldtown
ruin represents a man with knees extended and arms raised as if
dancing. This picture has characteristic markings on the face, but
otherwise is not distinctive.