HOPI CEREMONIAL LIFE
The interpretation of Hopi ceremonies has been inadequate except for Titiev's recent monograph, Old Oraibi. Since this plume is readily available, I have condensed my original discussion of the ceremonial system to emphasize the organizational aspects of the ceremonies, and the interrelations of clan, society, and kiva groupings in terms of the ceremony, not only at Oraibi but on all the
Hopi mesas, so far as information is available.
In Hopi theory each ceremony is owned or controlled by a single clan, though on Second Mesa there are important tendencies toward the sharing of ceremonial control by two or more clans. The ceremony was usually "given" to a clan before the emergence from the underworld by one or another of the deities, but some ceremonies, notably the Snake and Flute rituals, were received at a later time in connection with the adventures of certain cult heroes. The controlling clan takes charge of the ritual apparatus, which is normally kept in the clanhouse, and furnishes the chief priest. While control of the ceremony is phrased in terms of the clan, its actual transmission is normally within the important lineage occupying the clanhouse. The chief priest selects a sister's son - or other lineage relative - and trains him as his successor; selected women of the lineage are likewise intrusted with the special knowledge pertaining to the ceremony as well as the care of the paraphernalia. If the lineage should die out, another lineage of the same clan (or a clansman from another village) may take over the responsibility. In theory a ceremony should die out when a clan becomes extinct, but in the case of important ceremonies, at least, associated clans of the same phratry may take over the duties or, in their absence, a "child" of the clan. In extreme instances a ceremony may be offered to any individual who will take over the responsibilities and privileges of leadership In the case of the founding of a new village, the whole ceremonial cycle may be recreated, and responsibility for particular ceremonies assigned to new clans where necessary. For certain ceremonies, at least, there is evidence that subordinate ceremonial positions are likewise associated with particular lineages and clans.
Each ceremony is performed by a society or fraternity whose membership cuts right across the clan-phratry system. Since the "ceremonial father" is selected from an unrelated clan and since he initiates his "ceremonial son" into all the societies to which he belongs, the initiation procedure automatically brings about such a distribution of membership. In the case of certain of the societies there is some tendency to consider the clanspeople of the controlling clan as potential members. Curing and trespass are alternative paths to membership, and any adult may request a member to initiate him if he so desires. Care is taken by the controlling clans to see that potential successors to leadership in the ceremonies are properly sponsored and initiated.
The Katcina cult is the only tribal-wide organization among the Hopi, both boys and girls being initiated, as we have noted, but the ritual and dancing activities are largely carried out by the men. The Katcinas are associated with the cult of the dead and are thought of as generalized ancestors who return with clouds and rain to help the community. They normally come in groups to dance in the plaza, being impersonated by the men; the more important Katcinas (the Chief Katcinas) are thought of as clan ancestors and are impersonated by clansmen in connection with the important ceremonies. The large number of Katcinas representing animal and bird species, nowadays seldom impersonated, suggest a much closer relationship with the world of nature in the recent past.
The Katcina cult on all mesas is associated with the Powamu society and with the Katcina-Parrot phratry group. The Oraibi organization appears to be the most complex. Here the Powamu society is controlled by the Badger clan, whose members have a preferred right to membership and act as "fathers" of the Katcinas during their appearances in the village. The Katcina chief should be a member of the Katcina clan and is in charge of the Katcina initiation during the Powamu ceremony in February and of the Niman ceremony in July. The Badger clan and Powamu chief are in charge of the first half of the Katcina sea son, then control shifts to the Katcina clan and chief, though the two chiefs co-operate throughout. In the other major villages the Katcina (or Parrot) clan controls both Powamu and the katcina cult, and the Powanmu chief acts also as Katcina chief.