Page 142 - TheHopiIndians

134 MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND

The searcher for truth at the bottom of the Hopi
well is likely to get various answers. Seeing the im
portance of the sun in Hopi thoughts and rites, one
feels inclined to say "sun worship," but the clouds,
wind, rain, rocks, springs, rivers that enter into this
paganism make for "nature worship"; then the birds
and beasts give "animal worship"; the plants for food
and ceremony, "plant worship": the snake means
"serpent worship," and the communion with deified
ancestors shows "ancestor worship" with unmistak
able plainness.
The oldest gods in the Hopi conception of the un
seen world are the deified manifestations of Nature
and the natural objects that force themselves to his
notice. The lightning, the cloud, the wind, the snow,
the rain, the water, the rainbow, the dawn, the fire,
all are beings. The sun, the moon, certain planets
and constellations, and the sky are beings of power.
The surface of the earth is ruled by a mighty being
whose sway extends to the underworld and over death,
fire, and the fields; springs, rivers, and mountains
have their presiding deities. Among animals also
there are many gods, — the eagle, bear, deer, moun
tain lion, badger, coyote, and mole among the rest.
Among the insects the butterfly, dragonfly, and spide-
are most important, the latter as the Spider Woman
or Earth Goddess. She is spouse of the Sun and as
mother of the warrior culture heroes of the raee is
revered by the Hopi. To the plants, however, the list