March, 1905. Hopi Proper Names — Voth. 73 



The notes by Mindeleff, Hodge, Fewkes, and others on this ques- 

 tion are very valuable as advance information, but a better acquaint- 

 ance with the language, traditions, and myths of the H6pi than we 

 have heretofore possessed will be necessary before we can speak 

 with any degree of authority as to the origin, history, classification, 

 and meaning of the clans and their names. We shall then probably 

 also be able to explain certain H6pi proper names more accurately. 

 Until then it is hoped this first attempt at explaining a number, 

 probably the majority, of H6pi names, may be of some assistance 

 and give clews for further studies in this direction. 



The foregoing notes apply not only to names given to people, 

 but also to names given to kivas, pipes, etc., although the names of 

 kivas do not always seem to refer to some clan. In many cases, 

 however, they do. In Oraibi, for instance, there is one kiva that is 

 said to have been built originally by the Bow clan, and is called 

 Hochichva, referring to a zigzag line on the inside of certain bows. 

 Later, that kiva was repaired by the Hon^ni clan, who named it 

 Honani (Badger) kiva. Another kiva is called Agave kiva, because 

 it is said to have been built by the clan of that name. When attend- 

 ing the Flute ceremony in Oraibi in January, 1903, I accidentally 

 witnessed the name giving of a pipe by the chief priest of the Blue 

 Flute Society. He belongs to the Spider clan. After having 

 solemnly smoked over the pipe, he uttered a little prayer over it, 

 saying: "Shunwoti um machiwkang itamui mongwacnani! (Quick 

 or Sharp Hearer you being named, you will be concerned about us.) 

 He explained that, when it commenced to rain, certain spiders, 

 being hidden in the houses, would hear it at once, emerge from their 

 hiding-places, and run out to drink of the fresh rain-water. And 

 smoking, it should be remembered, is more a religious rite for rain 

 among the H6pi than anything else. Whether the names of the 

 H6pi villages had originally any reference to any clan relationship 

 is more than doubtful. In a few of them such could probably be 

 found, but they also might refer to places close by. For instance, 

 Shong6pavi is said to be named after a certain reed that grows near 

 a spring close by, but might have originated from some one of the 

 Reed clan. Sitchomovi might have had its origin either in the Soil 

 clan or in some vegetable clan, etc. 



