Page 78 - TheHopiIndians

70 MESA FOLK OP HOPILAND

When the harvest is gathered, taken up the mesa,
and put into the granary, man's interest in it ceases,
except in the matter of eating a large share. Never
was a Hopi who was not hungry. Much of the wo
man's time is taken up in grinding corn and baking
bread. The water-carrying falls to her, and this
duty might give rise to a suspicion that she has the
larger share of the burdens, if the Hopi were not com
pelled to be frugal in the use of water. Besides the
duties mentioned, she may also add that of potter,
basket maker, house builder, and sometimes carver of
dolls and maker of moccasins. Then the children must
be cared for, but everyone takes a hand at that, in
cluding the children themselves. If it were not for the
numerous ceremonies, woman's work in Hopiland
would be much easier. Grinding, baking, water-carry
ing, and the bother and hurry of preparation for vari
ous events continue with painful iteration. The Hopi
housewife can give full condolence to her white sister
who has borne the burdens of a church festival, and
the plaint that "woman's work is never done" would
sound familiar to her ears. Still, rarely is she heard
to bewail her lot, and it may be depended on that no
maidens bloom in idleness about her house.
But the men also follow crafts, and of these, card
ing, spinning, dyeing, and weaving are exclusively
man 's work in contrast with the Navabo, among whom
such matters are woman's work. His also is the task
of wood-gathering, which takes him far afield, since