Our knowledge of Katcina altars of the Rio Grande in the other
pueblos is very scanty, owing largely to the exclusion of
ethnologists from the kivas. Katcina dances in the open plazas are
repeatedly figured but the secret rites and accompanying altars, if
any, are not known.
In the following pages the author presents a morphological study of
the four known Katcina altars of Hopi. The illustrations of the most
complex, that of Oraibi, have been taken from the excellent memoir
of Voth on the Powamu of that pueblo; the others are from personal
studies made in 1890-1895.
The structure of the Oraibi Katcina altar is as follows: The reredos
consists of two upright wooden slats united above by a crosspiece
which in the illustration (pl. 2) is surmounted by a row of four
segments of circles with rain cloud pictures representing the four
directions, and colored with appropriate pigments, beginning with
yellow or north at the right. The decoration of the crosspiece is
obscure, but on the uprights there are figures recalling sprouting
vegetation, and circles with differently colored quadrants.
Two idols, probably of wood, stand between the vertical slats of the
altar, filling nearly the whole space. That on the left evidently
represents the Sky God (Cotokinungwu) for it has a conical apex to
the head, a painted chin, and near its left hand stands a wooden slat
of zigzag form, a prescribed symbol of lightning.[3] This image has
several short parallel marks of different colors on the body, and
wears horsehair, stained red, about the loins.
The other figurine wears a coronet with triangular-shaped rain cloud
symbols, which remind one of the headdress of the Lakonemana,
a tutelary goddess of the woman’s society, the Lalakontu, whose
ceremonials in September have been described elsewhere.[4]
The two vertical wooden slats, one on each side of the uprights, bear
pictures of the same personage, probably Tunwupkatcina, on whose head
is a fan-shaped crest of feathers. On each side the head has a horn,
at the extremity of which hangs a symbolic feather.
The human figures have characteristic markings on their foreheads,
and their bodies are black, dotted with white spots.
There is no mistaking the symbolism of the remaining idol standing at
the right of the altar, as an image of Puukonhoya, the “Little War
God,” whose characteristic features are the parallel marks on the
body, and the weapons of war in his hands.
Several sticks, cut in zigzag shapes with curved appendages and short
crossbars at one end, stand between the uprights of the reredos. From
their forms, these objects may readily be identified as lightning
symbols so common in all Tusayan altars. One of these, which has a
complicated tip or head, is placed close to the outstretched arm of
Cotokinungwu, with whom it is naturally associated. The straight rod
leaning on the same arm is possibly a cornstalk symbol. The rounded
stick, tapering at one end, which stands under the extended left hand
of the image on the left, is probably a symbol of maize. A somewhat
larger pointed object, painted at its base with zones of yellow,
green, red and white, and surmounted by a feather, is called “the
mound” and suggests the kaetukwi or Corn Mound of the Lalakontu,
being similarly situated to an image on the left of this altar. The
surface of the latter object, however, instead of being painted, is
encrusted[5] with clay covered with different kinds of seeds.
The crook at the extreme left of the altar has attached to it an
object which resembles the paddle carried by a participant in the
Heheakatcina, or public ceremonial of the Niman at Walpi.
Four pahos, or prayer-sticks, are placed at intervals in hillocks of
sand before the images on the altar. The Katcina tiponi,[6] or badge
of the chief, stands on the floor before the altar.
Just in advance of the left-hand idol—the image with a coronet—there
is a small oblong basket in which are laid a number of sticks with
feathers, seeds, and pinches of meal. This is called the “Mother,”
and recalls similar objects which have been observed on the Lalakontu
altar, whose contents have been described elsewhere.[7]
I need not dwell on the other accessories of the Powamu altar at
Oraibi save to note that they are common to other altars, and in no
respect characteristic. I refer to the basket tray of sacred meal,
the rattles, a medicine bowl, aspergill, and six ears of corn used in
special rites.
The strange object at the extreme right, surrounded by a tablet,
symbolic of a rain cloud, bears the picture of the head of
Ho’katcina. It is supported on a pedestal, and appears to be peculiar
to Oraibi.[8]