INTRODUCTION. 



One of the three Women's Fraternities in the village of Oraibi is 

 the Oaqol Society, which, though the latest or youngest, is the largest 

 of the religious orders in that village. Its leaders, and most of its 

 members, belong to the Sand clan. There seems to be no doubt that 

 this cult was introduced to the present Hopi villages from Aoatovi 

 (Bow-Heights), once a thriving village twelve or fourteen miles south- 

 east from Walpi. When this village was destroyed and most of the 

 male inhabitants killed, nearly two hundred years ago, most of the 

 women and children were distributed among the villages. One 

 woman is said to have carried with her to the village of Mishongnovi 

 the tiponi and the altar of this Fraternity, thus introducing the Oaqol 

 cult in that village.' After the cult had flourished a while in this village 

 — just how long cannot be ascertained — an Oraibi woman by the name 

 of Shakletsnoma, of the Sand clan, married a man from Mishongnovi 

 named Hoka. They lived in the last named village, where the woman 

 joined the Odqol Society, and thus became acquainted with the cult. 

 Later this woman is said to have moved to Oraibi, where she taught 

 the cult to another woman by the name of Kelwuhti, who also belonged 

 to the Sand clan. These two women, tradition has it, made the first 

 altar and introduced this cult in Oraibi. Kelwuhti became the first 

 chief priestess, and when she died Shakletsnoma succeeded her. When 

 the latter died a woman named Qoyayaonoma assumed the position of 

 chief Oaqol priestess, a man named Chochongo being chief, and 

 Lomangowa^ assistant priest. She was succeeded by her grandchild 

 Qoyangosi, the present incumbent, who is now also about sixty or sixty- 

 five years old. Qoydyaonoma was the mother of the present Odqol 

 chief priest, Masatoiniwa (see No. i, PI. II), who is the uncle of Qoydn- 

 gosi. (See No. 2, PI. II.) It should be remembered that every Hopi 

 Women's society has a chief priest and a chief priestess. As will be 

 seen in the following pages, the functions of the two seem to be co- 

 ordinate and mutual rather than otherwise, as far as the ceremony 



' Whether the woman took the altar with her at the time of the catastrophe tradition does not 

 say. But it is reasonable to suppose — and the Indians are of the same opinion — that the village and 

 what it contained was by no means totally destroyed, that for some time after objects were gotten 

 trom the deserted village, and that the priestesses of the Oaqol Society went and saved from destruc- 

 tion the highly treasured paraphernalia of their sacred cult. 



' Lomangowa, who is still living, continued to act under Masatoiniwa until the split between 

 the conservative and lit>eral Oraibis occurred, when he ceased to participate and the present assist- 

 ant, Homikini, was initiated. 



