Hopi Color-Direction Symbolism - as.wvu.edu

1 Hopi Color-Direction Symbolism Colors yellow blue / green red white black / purple all colors Symbolic or Practical Significance directions NW Kwini'wi Summer Sunset SW Te'vy a Winter Sunset SE Ta'ty ka Winter Sunrise NE Ho'poko Summer Sunrise Above O'mi Below At'kyami Rituals follow counter-clockwise directional circuit / Common motif in ritual objects / Rain comes from SW Clouds yellow cloud blue cloud red cloud white cloud black storm cloud all kinds of clouds Sources of rain / Depicted in ritual objects Trees Douglas Fir White Fir Red Willow Aspen --- --- Building material / Used in ritualPonotuwi Huzruing Wuhti's House Gap near San Francisco Peaks Kwatipkya Sun's House Kwitcala (the Gap) --- --- Used as Sun Watching markers Offerings deposited at Shrines at Ponotuwi and Kwatipkya Places Kishyu'ba Spring near Black Mountain San Francisco Peaks We'nima Lake in ButtesSW of Zuni Mount Taylor--- --- Sources of water in rain clouds, snow, or springs / Homes of kachinas Birds Oriole (Sun maiden)

2 Bluebird Macaw Magpie Blackbird Canyon WrenSkins & Feathers used in ritual Symbolize lightness / Macaw and Oriole associated with Sun Maize yellow corn blue corn red corn white corn purple corn sweet corn Corn ears & meal used in ritual Principal food Pure colored ears = pure strains Beans yellow beans blue beans red beans white beansblack beans spotted beans Planted in Powamu ritual Keresan use bean meal in ritual Important food same as meat Butterflies yellow butterfly blue butterfly red butterflywhite butterfly black butterfly all colors of butterflies Pollen eaters associated with fertility / Many butterflies signify rain and abundant crops Flowers Mariposa Lily Larkspur (bluebird flower) Painted Cupmansi (girl's flower)Primrose (butterfly flower) Sunflower all kinds of flowers Petals ground to make colored pollen for ritual / Associated with fertility / Mansi used as oral contraceptive Kachina pets (water pets) Frog (water-eagle) Duck (scoops the water) Snipe (water-bird) a small frogzra'na pakisha (water hawk)

3 Tadpole Associated with water / In Zuni myth, children became water animals which became Kachinas War god pets Mountain Lion Bear Wildcat Wolf Eagle Badger Carnivores / Associated with hunting and warfare Somai'koli pets Deer Mountain Sheep Antelope Elk Jack Rabbit Cottontail Important food sources