Sacred Texts Native American Hopi Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com
North of Oraíbi are living Yáyaponchatu. Village chief of Pivánhonk'api is worried over degeneration of people, women even participating in games of chance. Chief's wife neglects children when she gambles in kiva. Chief goes to Yáyaponchatu, who are in league with supernatural forces, to ask them to punish his people. They tell him to choose fire or storm and he chooses fire. He invites them to dance in his village. He tells chief of Hû'ckovi and his assistant to come in evening. They come and chief tells them all about matter. On fourth day there are seven of Katcina dances. Yáyaponchatu perform last dance. They sing ominous song. Prayer-offerings carried by four of their dancers have spark of fire over each husk packet. At conclusion of dance they hand three of these prayer-offerings to village chief and to chief of Hû'ckovi and his friend, fourth being retained by leader of Yáyaponchatu
dancers. In evening two chiefs and friend smoke over prayer-offerings and friend takes one to San Francisco Mountains to deposit among trees and high grass. Next night light is noticed in San Francisco Mountains. Each night it is seen to be larger. Those watching become alarmed, but their remarks are not listened to. During fourth night people continue gambling and carousing, while fire begins to spread towards Hopi village. People in kiva are asked to come out of kiva and see, but they laugh. Finally one comes out and cries out to others. They rush out and try to gather effects before fleeing, but most of them are suffocated or burned to death. Only few escape from two villages.
Village chief of Oraíbi goes to house of Spider Woman. She tells him to make two arrows, using on shafts feathers of certain birds. They are thrust in ground west and north of village, and Spider Woman weaves network of web between them, which she moistens with water. This breaks force of fire and Oraíbi is saved.