The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1901-03-09
ORNB| AARR|G[ CUSTOM:
PHOFRACTED CEREMONIES BE-
FORE THE WEDDING OF TWO
HOPI INDIANS
TROUSSEAU OF THE BRIDE
Brllke Grinds Corn fer Three Days,
While the Young Man Gees
About His Work as .--
Usual go" .'E.- +s.


is a complicated ana protracted per-
Torrance, and those customs observed
at 'Oraibi, the largest and most primitive
of the villages Of Tusayan, are especial
ly interesting. ....e
Among the Hopi marriage by purchase
does not exist. The choice of a life
companion is left almost entirely to the
couple contemplating marriage, coercion
on the part Of the parents OR guardians
being exercised only in rare instances.
The love affair of a young couple often
remains \ matter between themselves
;as far as any public declaration Of thei1
relations is concerned.
When it is decided by the young Deo-
pic that they are ready to be married
the parents or their representatives are
Informed This tbeing ready is deter,
mined to some extent by the pecuniary
affairs Of the husband to-be A Young
man is expected to have, at least the
necessary belongings of a horse or burro
and a little money, perhaps also a few
beads
To some extent the time for the we'd
ding is determined by the custom that
marriages rarely, II ever take place dur
ing summer, and seldom in late spring.
when the Hopi are busy in the fields, but
In autumn or winter, which is their time
of leisure and frolic, of ceremonies ana
katcina dances. ~
AS soon as the bride. elect has told her
mpther Or i'll event of the death of the
mother, an aunt that she is ready to be
married the mother takes down the girls
hair, which has hitherto been worn in
two coils, and ties a knot in the loosened
hair OH each side of the head. Taking
a tray Of meal made from white corn,
the mother accompanies her daughter to
the house Of the ,latter.s future husband
This is generally done late in the even
IN nr~ To-,
irving at the door the mother calls, say
Ing, ut kwushuu' take this). The door
Is at once opened by the future mother
in-law Or her substitute, who, of course
is acquainted with the situation The
latter takes the tray of meal, thanking
them and inviting them in to sit down
The girl enters. but the mother usually
returns to her home
The girl Is now called movi (bride) If
Ahe has come III the morning she is at
once assigned a place at the meal-grind-
Ing trough, where she grinds white corn
all day; IT late in the evening, she re-
mains over night sleeping with the
women OF the family. and begins to
grind corn the next morning The young
man goes about his business as usual
gathering wood in the hills, performing
other tasks. or lettering in the kiva to
which he belongs
Late in the afternoon the movi stops
grinding corn and sits during the entire
evening on folded skins or blankets,
generally near the meal troughs. She
wears her usual clothing, but sometimes
she places over it the atoe, or white
ceremonial blanket with a blue and rcd
border; Little conversation Is held with
a movi during this and the following days
of the bethothal
The next morning the white corn
grinding Is resumed but on the third day
a BLUSH black corn is used On the even
Syoo nf tc dow ha owl viNlf Fri 1C
Of the movi bring trays OF cornmeal to
the house where the latter stays. On the
fourth morning these trays are filled with
ears of corn and returned to their owners
by the mother-in-law of the BRIDE This
day may be called the wedding day
proper
Long before dawn the bride and her
mother-In-law arise, and the mother of
the bride arrives about the same time.
The bridegroom and the remainder of his
family then get up: and soon NUMBER
the aunts, begin to appear, each
one bringing a small quantity of water
in a vessel. At the fireplace in the corner
water Is being boiled in large pot: The
foaming suds Of the pounded roots Of
yucca, called by the Hopi mohu. to which
some warm water is added. When
floor, placing the bowl of suds before
them. The young man then kneels be-
fore tho bowl prepared by his future
mother-in-law, and the movi before the
bowl by the young mans mother; their
heads a:e then thoroughly washed with
the snds. Occasionally the gathered rela-
tives assist in pouring handful Of suds
over the head Of each to aid In the
washing.
Presently one after the other Of the
women and girls creep in between the
young couple, trying to hold their own
heals over the bowls and feiSniug to dis
place the bride. Others try to tear away
the int:uders and to take their places.
the wrangling being accompanied by
great hilarty. When the head washing
Is about concluded all who have brougn,
water with them pour it on the head: .
IF the couple, thus assisting in rinsing the
hair. After thoroughly pressing thu
water from the hair, the young man ant
maid sit near the fireplace to warm ani
dry themselves. Most Of the visitors thel
return to their homes. ~ ..ss- 49,
When the bridal couple have dried thei
hair each takes. q pinch of corn mea
to the eastern side of the mesa on which
the Pueblo of Cysaibii is situated. Standing
close to the edge; they hold the mes
then sprinkle the meal toward the dawn
They then return to the house silentl
as they departed, and shenceforth are re
garded as husband and wife. sI
A number of the, members of both fam
lilies assemble and part take OF ,reakfas,
After this meal the father Of the youn
man takes some cotton and, runnin
InEUefSn dfFG NlllaSSaS QlSIElOuIeSstlC anon:
the .relaIves and friends Of the family
who pick the seeds and then return Il
Before the man leaves the house som
wranglipg takes place, lin which he an
the bride take conspicuous part. an
which is attended with much Joking ant
hilarity. Friends come and go durin
the day, each one partaking of the foo
kept in readiness, the floor of the house
as usual, serving as a table.
A few days later a &crier announc,
from the roof of a house that on Ger
lain day the cotton for the movi's bri
GAL costume will be spun in the kiva:
ticipate in the spinning. On the appo1n
.+i day the men are soon at work, an
the rasping OF the carding combs ant
huzzing of the primitive spindles are az
icompanied by the singing. joking an
laughter OF those assembled. In tn
mousse where the marriage has take
place many busy hands have prepare
dinner for the cotton spinners.
The cotton that has been spun is take
TO the mouse of the young man. and tn
manufacture Of the bridal costume
two square blankets and q white sasI
with knotted fringes at each end: !.
reed mat, in which the costume is after
ward kept, and a paic of buckskin moe
caslns, TO each leg of which is attache.
half a buckskin, which serves dis leg
Elngs. This costume is usually made b
the bridegroom and his male relatives
especially his father. 1t sometimes Il
CURES several weeks to complete It.
bride, and on the following morning TIL.
final act in the marriage drama. the ST y
Elcalled going home takes place. TIL.
bride is arrayed i'm one VI fYff 1stI1fa url,it