The Unwritten Literature of the Hopi by Hattie Greene Lockett
page 54 of 114 (47%)
page 54 of 114 (47%)
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Flute fraternity claims to be even more successful rain-makers than the
world-famous Snake fraternity.[26] [Footnote 26: Fewkes, J. Walter, The Walpi Flute Observance: Journal American Folklore, vol. 7, 1894.] Dr. Monsen tells of seeing the Flute ceremony at Mishongnovi, a good many years ago, and of the deeply religious feeling that pervaded the whole scene. His words are descriptive of a dramatic moment at the close of the day, when the procession had at last reached the public plaza on top of the mesa.[27] [Footnote 27: Monsen, Frederick, Religious Dances of the Hopi: The Craftsman, vol. 12, 1907, pp. 284-285.] [Illustration: Figure 7.--Hopi Girl in Butterfly Costume. --Photo by Lockett.] "By this time it was nearly dark, but the ceremony went on in the center of the plaza where other mysterious symbols were outlined on the rocky floor with the strewn corn meal, and numbers of supplementary chants were sung until night closed down entirely and the moon appeared.... Then came something so extraordinary that I am aware that it will sound as if I were drawing on the rich stores of my imagination, for the coincidence which closed the festival. "But all I can say is that to my unutterable astonishment, it happened exactly as I tell it. At a certain stage in this part of the ceremony there was a pause. No one left the plaza, but every one stood as still |
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