Carl Lumholtz in his recent book was, so far as I am aware, the first to call attention to the Vigita.[1] That the ceremony has remained little known is probably due to a combination of circumstances. The naturally more or less bare culture of the Papago, both from a material and a spiritual point of view, has presented an unattractive field to the ethnologist, as has his desert habitat to the white homesteader. And this is particularly true of Santa Rosa, the little village where the festival is always held, being, until very recently, the most conservative Papago village.
The following account of the Vigita[2] or Harvest Festival was secured in January, 1919, at Santa Rosa where the writer was engaged in pursuing linguistic studies on Papago for the Southwest Society of New York and the University of California. It is with their permission that the data are here presented. Practically the entire series of notes and songs was secured from Jose Juan, one of the singers at the festival.
The festival is held the last of November, supposedly every four years. But it depends largely upon the success of the harvest of the crops and it has now (1919) been six years since it was held. It may be held this year or may never be celebrated again, as the establishment of a government school, public power pump, and trader's store at Santa Rosa will naturally result in a speedy loss of conservatism.
The celebration of the Vigita is vested in the five principal villages of the Santa Rosa valley, though celebrants attend from all the villages north of Indian Oasis and ally themselves with one or other of the five. These five arekoa'tci (Achi), ko'kema't ke''k, kai'tcima'k (Santa Rosa), aktci'n (Akchin) and a'nekam (Anekam).[3] The festival is always held at Achi which is considered the foremost Papago village ; it is now considered as a part of Santa Rosa, being only about a mile to the northeast. Anekam is several miles to the north and Akchin several to the south. Kokematkek is in
- ↑ Carl Lumholtz, New Trails in Mexico, New York, 1912, p. 92-98.
- ↑ "The name is derived from the word viiki, by which is designated the finest and smallest plumes of the vulture." Carl Lumholtz, p. 92.
- ↑ Lumholtz states that four groups take part in the festival: Santa Rosa, together with Sikulhimat, Aloitak and Kvitatk; Kvivo and San Xavier; Anekam; Aktjin. Cf. p. 96.
