504 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1021. 



There are three women's dances in which also a form of ancestor 

 worship is exemplified by a cultus ancestor and ancestress; two of 

 these are called basket dances, from the fact that the women partici- 

 pants carry in their hands flat basket trays characteristic of the 

 Hopi ; in the third, wooden tablets decorated with symbolic pictures 

 are borne in the hands in the public dance. The ancestral features 

 are shown in the character of the idols representing the cult hero and 

 heroine of the priesthood that are erected at the time of these dances 

 in the sacred rooms or kivas. The heroine at least is personated like- 

 wise in the public dance, but the image of the same is seen only on 

 the secret altars of the priesthood. These three dances are known 

 as the Owakiilti, 12 the Lala7conti, 13 and the Mamzrauti,™ the last 

 mentioned, celebrated with great eclat 25 years ago, having now 

 become extinct at Walpi. The three dances above mentioned always 



Fig. 8. — Indian picture of Turkey 

 Cock Katcina. 



Fig. 9. — Indian picture 

 of Buffalo Katcina. 



occur in the autumn, generally just before the close of the Hopi year, 

 and are closely followed by the New Fire Ceremony in November, 

 when a new year begins. Each has its own altar and paraphernalia 

 and lasts nine days, the first eight of which are devoted to secret 

 rites and ceremonials. The significant feature in their relation to 

 ancestor worship is that each has its own cultus hero and heroine, 

 and, most important of all, there is an idol on the altar representing 

 the goddess of Germs, practically a symbolic representation of a 

 gigantic ear of corn. 



In the preceding pages we have indicated different types of the 

 worship of " others " of the clan which, for want of a better name, 

 has been called ancestor worship. We may classify the types into 

 three groups: (1) Katcinas or personations of the clans that people 



12 The Owakiilti altar at Sitcomovl pueblo. Am. Anthrop., n. s. vol. iii, No. 3. 1901. 



13 . The Lalakonti : A Tusayan Dance. Am. Anthrop., vol. v, No. 2. 1892. 



14 The Mamzrauti : A Tusayan Ceremony. Am. Anthrop., vol. v, No. 3. 1892. 



