Page 140 - TheHopiIndians

VII

RELIGIOUS LIFE

The chief feature attracting popular interest to the
Hopi is the number and remarkable character of their
ceremonies. These "dances," as they are usually
called, seem to be going on with little intermission.
Every Hopi is touched by some one of the numerous
ceremonies and nearly every able-bodied inhabitant of
the seven towns takes an active part during the year.
This keeps the Hopi out of mischief and gives them
a good reputation for minding their own business, be
sides furnishing them with the best round of free
theatrical entertainments enjoyed by any people in
the world, for nearly every ceremony has its divert
ing as well as its serious side, for religion and the
drama are here united as in primitive times. The
Hopi live and move and have their being in religion.
They have peopled the unseen world with a host of be
ings, and they view all nature as full of life. The
sun, moon, stars, rocks, winds, rain, and rivers are
members of the Hopi pantheon to be reckoned with in
their complicated worship.
Every moon brings its ceremony, and the cycle of