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Page 1: Hopi Color-Direction Symbolism - as.wvu.eduscmcc/colordirections.pdf · Hopi Color-Direction Symbolism Colors yellow blue / green red white black / purple all colors Symbolic or Practical

Hopi Color-Direction Symbolism Colors yel low blue / green red white black /

purple al l colors Symbolic or Pract ical Signif icance

Directions

NW Kwini 'wi Summer Sunset

SW Te'vyûña

Winter Sunset

SE Ta'tyûka

Winter Sunrise

NE Ho'poko Summer Sunrise

Above O'mi

Below At'kyami

Rituals fol low counter-clockw ise direct ional c ircui t / Common moti f in r i tual objects / Rain comes from SW

Clouds yel low cloud blue c loud red cloud white cloud black storm cloud

al l k inds of c louds

Sources of ra in / Depicted in r i tual objects

Trees Douglas Fir White Fir Red Wil low Aspen - - - - - - Build ing mater ia l / Used in r i tual

Ponotuwi Huzru ing

Wuht i ' s House

Gap near San

Francisco Peaks

Kwatipkya Sun 's House

Kwitcala ( the Gap) - - - - - -

Used as Sun Watching markers Offer ings deposited at Shrines at Ponotuwi and Kwatipkya

Places Kishyu'ba Spr ing near

B lack Mounta in

San Francisco

Peaks

We'nima Lake in But tes

SW of Zuni Mount Taylor - - - - - -

Sources of water in rain clouds, snow , or springs / Homes of kachinas

Birds Oriole (Sun maiden) Bluebird Macaw Magpie Blackbird Canyon Wren

Skins & Feathers used in r i tual Symbol ize l ightness / Macaw and Oriole associated w ith Sun

Maize yel low corn blue corn red corn white corn purple corn sw eet corn Corn ears & meal used in r i tual Pr incipal food Pure colored ears = pure strains

Beans yel low beans blue beans red beans white beans black beans spotted beans

Planted in Pow amu r i tual Keresan use bean meal in r i tual Important food “same as meat”

Butterf l ies yel low butterf ly

blue butterf ly red butterf ly white

butterf ly black

butterf ly al l colors of butterf l ies

“Pollen eaters” associated w ith fert i l i ty / Many butterf l ies signify rain and abundant crops

Flowers Mariposa Li ly

Larkspur (b lueb ird

f low er)

Painted Cupmansi

(g i r l 's f low er)

Primrose (but te r f l y

f lower) Sunflow er al l k inds of

f low ers

Petals ground to make colored “pol len” for r i tual / Associated w ith fert i l i ty / Mansi used as oral contracept ive

Kachina pets

(w ater pets)

Frog (w ater -eag le)

Duck (scoops the

water) Snipe

(w ater -b i rd) a smal l f rog

zra 'na pakisha

(water hawk) Tadpole Associated w ith w ater / In Zuni myth, chi ldren became w ater animals w hich became Kachinas

War god pets

Mountain Lion Bear Wildcat Wolf Eagle Badger Carnivores / Associated w ith

hunt ing and w arfare

Somai'koli pets Deer Mountain

Sheep Antelope Elk Jack Rabbit Cottontai l Important food sources