The popular names of Hopi gods, among which are included katcinas or clan tutelary supernaturals, are commonly of exoteric origin and are oftentimes very numerous. Unfortunately the archaic name is often lost, although in a few cases it is the same as the popular.
Fifth Act
As after former acts, we waited a few minutes only for the next, a fifth, which was somewhat similar in character to the first. A call at the hatchway and an invitation from within to enter led to the appearance of a procession of masked men who came down the ladder bearing paraphernalia for their exhibition hidden under their arms or concealed in blankets. The fire tenders shielded the fire once more with blankets, so that the room was darkened, and in the obscure light the actors arranged their stage properties. When the blankets were dropped, the light revealed on the floor before us an imitation field of corn, each hill of which was a clay pedestal with projecting corn leaves, and behind it, as a background, a wooden framework decorated with peripheral turkey feathers[1] and hung with two disks painted with sun emblems. Pine boughs were so arranged in the framework that they filled all the vacant spaces and shielded performers in the rear of the room. Several naked men, called "mudheads," wearing on their heads close-fitting cloth bags with attached knobs, stood before the framework, which was supported by two of their number. The exercises opened with "roars" from behind the disks and vigorous dancing by the mudheads before the screen.
Soon the flaps of the sun disks swung open and from under them emerged the hideous heads of two snake effigies, larger than those of the first performance, but similarly constructed. These serpent heads were thrust forward until their serpentine bodies, extended several feet, came into view. Their heads darted back and forth, swaying first to one side and then to the other, biting viciously now at the audience and then at each other, while deep roars imitating the voice of the serpent emerged from the rear of the room. With one stroke of the head the field of corn was swept over and the serpents twisted their bodies about each other.
One of the naked men, a mudhead, wearing the knobbed cloth bag, stepped forward and grasped one of the serpent effigies by the neck. He pretended to wrestle with the snake, and for a time was successful, but at last the man was overcome and sent sprawling on the floor. Then another advanced to the conflict, and he too was thrown down. A youthful mudhead made a like attempt and mounted the effigy, riding on its neck as if on horseback. The whole act was a realistic representation of the struggle of man with the serpent. Ultimately the serpents contracted their bodies, drew back
- ↑ Sun shields commonly have eagle feathers inserted about their borders.
