Native American Hopi Tribe
The Native American Hopi tribe perform numerous rituals to positively impact their lives and bless their tribe. The Hopi believe that there is a spiritual essence and a presence of life in everything in the universe, and that it is necessary to interact with these spiritual life forces in order to survive (Wright, 2008). Thus, the Hopi personify these impersonal spirits in the form of kachina dancers and carved, handmade kachina dolls so that they can better interact with and please these powerful spirits in their daily lives. Hopi members impersonate the some of the over four hundred different Kachinas in their religious rituals by dressing up in their costumes and masks. The Hopi tribe holds kachina spirits in such high regard because
…show more content…
Thus, the kachina dancers play a significant role in the daily lives of Hopi children and also serve as an important rite of passage for children in the Hopi community. The kachina dancers often visit the children, leave them gifts and warnings, reward or punish them for their behavior, and provide a sense of security for the children (Gill, 2004). Hopi families ensure that their children never see the kachina dancers without their masks so that the children continue to believe in the Kachina until they are ready to impersonate the kachinas themselves. Starting when male Hopi children are about seven to ten years old, they go through an important rites of passage ceremony in which they learn the truth about the identities of the kachina dancers. During their initiation to the kachina cult in February, children are invited to a dance in which the kachina dancers remove their masks (Capps, 1976; Gill, 2004). The children become disillusioned as they learn that the kachina dancers they thought were real spirits are actually their male relatives honoring and impersonating the kachina. Then, the kachina dancer cult is explained to the child by their father, uncles, and older brothers, and the child learns that they will also have the privilege to participate in the kachina cult just as their older male relatives do so that they can honor the kachina spirits (Gill, 2004). The child is finally reintegrated into the community as a Kachina dancer themselves, and the child has a new identity and adult status due to their initiation into the kachina cult (Capps, 1976). After their initiation and reintegration back into the community, the Hopi child learns to distinguish between spiritual and physical realities
Thus, the kachina dancers play a significant role in the daily lives of Hopi children and also serve as an important rite of passage for children in the Hopi community. The kachina dancers often visit the children, leave them gifts and warnings, reward or punish them for their behavior, and provide a sense of security for the children (Gill, 2004). Hopi families ensure that their children never see the kachina dancers without their masks so that the children continue to believe in the Kachina until they are ready to impersonate the kachinas themselves. Starting when male Hopi children are about seven to ten years old, they go through an important rites of passage ceremony in which they learn the truth about the identities of the kachina dancers. During their initiation to the kachina cult in February, children are invited to a dance in which the kachina dancers remove their masks (Capps, 1976; Gill, 2004). The children become disillusioned as they learn that the kachina dancers they thought were real spirits are actually their male relatives honoring and impersonating the kachina. Then, the kachina dancer cult is explained to the child by their father, uncles, and older brothers, and the child learns that they will also have the privilege to participate in the kachina cult just as their older male relatives do so that they can honor the kachina spirits (Gill, 2004). The child is finally reintegrated into the community as a Kachina dancer themselves, and the child has a new identity and adult status due to their initiation into the kachina cult (Capps, 1976). After their initiation and reintegration back into the community, the Hopi child learns to distinguish between spiritual and physical realities