NOTES ON THE EAGLE CULT AMONG THE HOPI 



INDIANS. 



As among other uncivilized people, the eagle plays a very conspicuous 

 part in the conception of the traditions of the Hopi, especially in their 

 religious rites and ceremonies. There are Eagle clans, Eagle Katcinas, 

 special prayer offerings for the eagles, eagle burying grounds (see 

 Plate XLI), etc. 



The territory around the Hopi villages where eagles may be found 

 is, and has been from time immemorial, divided into portions or allot- 

 ments, which are controlled by certain clans and families. These terri- 

 tories extend as far as 50 and 60 miles from the villages. The informa- 

 tion, regarding this apportionment, is somewhat vague, but I am led 

 to believe that originally the Eagle clan, and later also clans related to 

 the Eagle clan, were the only ones that "owned" the eagles, while it 

 appears that at present families of other clans also share that privilege. 1 

 It is said that at present, the Bear, Spider, Reed, Young corn, Burrow- 

 ing Owl, Blue Bird, Bow, Lizard, Badger and Eagle clan of Oraibi 

 control eagle territory. 



Every spring hunting expeditions set out to procure young eagles. 

 These, when captured in their roosts, are usually tied to racks (see 

 Plate XLIX) and canied to the villages where they aic kept on the 

 flat house tops, tied by one leg to some beam, rock or peg to prevent 

 their escape (see Plate XLII). Here they are fed with rabbits, field 

 mice, etc., until about July, when they have grown to full size. The 

 number of birds, thus captured, varies very much in different years. 

 One year there were thirty-five in the village of Oiaibi alone. Among 

 these are usually also various kinds of hawks, especially a certain 

 large kind, which the Hopi call palakwahu "red-eagle," the feathers 

 of which arc used very extensively for prayer offerings, masks, eagle 

 shafts etc. 



In nearly all the principal ceremonies the eagles are remembered 

 by prayer offerings, prepared for them by the priests. These consist 

 usually of small eagle or hawk feathers, tied to a twisted cotton string, 

 about four inches long, and are called nakwakwosis. These nakwakwosis 

 are handed to those priests who arc part owners in an eagle allotment, 



'Compare "Property-Right in Eagles among the Hopi" by Dr. J. Walter Fewkes. American 

 Anthropologist. Vol. II. No. 4. 



IO7 



