Page 51 - TheHopiIndians

MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND 41
Walpi, or rather he is a vocal bulletin-board. Like
the reader for the United States Senate, his voice is of
the robust kind, and for this qualification, perhaps,
he was selected to make the numerous announcements
from the housetops. His news is principally of a re
ligious character, such as the beginning and progress
of the many ceremonies at the pueblo, but there is a
fair sprinkling of secular notices of interest to the
community. Honi, however, is only a voice crying in
the wilderness at the bidding of the secret council or
of the heads of the brotherhoods who are the true
rulers of the pueblos, because they have the destiny of
the flock in their hands. He holds, however, the of
fice of speaker-chief, the pay of which is not highly
remunerative, but the duties do not interfere with the
pursuit of other occupations, since his announcements
are made usually when the people have gathered in
the town after their day's labor in the fields. No
doubt, Honi regards himself and is regarded by others
as an important functionary who, with the house chief,
has the privilege of frequenting the Mong-kiva or
council chamber of the pueblo. The town crier's an
nouncements attracted the notice of the Spanish con
querors in the early days as they have that of modern
travelers. In the quaint language of Castaieda,
speaking of Zuiii: "They have priests who preach
to them whom they call papas. These are the elders.
They go up on the highest roof of the village and
preach to the village from there, like public criers in